The History of Holy Trinity Online Centre
The computer centre in the Holy Trinity church hall opened in 2000 and the cost of all the new computers and printers and all of the network wiring, worktops and office chairs was paid for by a government scheme called UK Online Centres. These computers were connected to the Internet using broadband that was new at the time. Roger Butt was involved in setting up the computer centre. This funding also employed a manager called Pete for three years. The Lichfield Diocese opened up five of these fully equipped computer centres in the local area each one with a manager. The Online Centres Network run by the government still provides access to the internet using broadband and help using it. Some centres also offer training courses. These services are usually free. This government scheme opened up many computer centres in libraries and other suitable places with public access.
Pete ran the CLAIT training course at the centre many times and many people attended. CLAIT stands for Computer Literacy and Information Technology and was a widely recognized UK qualification, particularly popular in the early 2000s, designed to equip individuals with fundamental IT skills for work and general use.
What CLAIT Covered
Practical IT Skills: The courses focused on practical application, helping users learn to use common software like word processing, databases, and spreadsheets and email.
Business & Industry Context: CLAiT provided an introduction to how computers were used in business and industry, aiming to prepare learners for the modern workplace.
Transferable Skills: It developed transferable skills necessary for using computers effectively in various contexts, whether in employment, education, or daily life.
Recognised by Employers: The qualification was highly regarded by employers, making it a valuable asset for improving job prospects.
David found out about the centre from his friend Audrey who had been going to the church. He joined as a volunteer in 2000 and helped Roger and Pete run the centre. He is still a volunteer there. The other four of the Lichfield Diocese computer centres were not doing so well and one closed. There was a break in at the church hall and all of the Windows 2000 computers were stolen but we were able to transfer the computers from the closed centre to our centre. A few months later there was another break in and the computers were stolen again but we were able to transfer the computers from another closed centre. This time the insurance company insisted that metal doors and CCTV recording equipment had to be installed to protect the church hall.