Mr Irranca-Davies visited the Parents and Children Together (PACT) project, run by EverybodyOnline and held at South Liverpool Personnel, which runs a series of taster sessions to help local parents access the internet, learn new skills and find out how technology could improve their lives.

Following this he went onto St. Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business and Enterprise in St. Helens to hear about the Community Grid concept, which provides the local community with easy-to-use, low-cost, low-energy home access to the internet and other computing resources.

Commenting on the projects he had seen Mr Irranca-Davies said: “The two projects I have seen today are great examples of how we can make the latest technologies accessible to people who, without projects such as these, would not have access to the internet and other computer resources.

“By teaching parents basic information about the internet they can make sure their children are safe online as well as finding out how they can use the internet for day-to-day chores such as online shopping and online money management. I hope other areas can learn from this innovative project.

“All too often we hear about the expense of the equipment and technology needed to connect to the internet being a barrier for many people. Thanks to the Community Grid project over 600 homes in St. Helens and Liverpool will have access to software applications and the internet.

“By providing people with all the connectivity, hardware, software, licensing and maintenance overheads Community Grid is removing these barriers and giving people the access they need.

“The PACT project and the Community Grid should be congratulated for their innovative projects which are helping people in the North West of England become more digitally included.”

The Community Grid digital inclusion project is led by AIMES, (a spin out of the University of Liverpool) and its technology partner, e-communications specialist OciusB2, more information here.  It is part of a wider initiative, the Digital Inclusion & Enterprise Programme (DIEP), which aims to roll the service out to over 5,000 households in Merseyside.

• The AIMES Community Grid project. Acknowledged as a leader in its field, AIMES is leading the Digital Inclusion & Enterprise Programme (DIEP), established as a result of the Government’s 2007 “Digital Challenge”. Mr Irranca-Davies will visit St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business & Enterprise in St Helens where pupils and parents have been using the managed computing service provided by the Community Grid project since May 2007. As part of the wider DIEP, strategically supported by the GMDDA, AIMES will provide access for around 5,000 homes in the Greater Merseyside region via the Community Grid system over a 2 year period from May 2008.

• The EverybodyOnline Liverpool 8 project is another highly successful digital inclusion initiative focusing on internet and digital technology support for parents. It includes use of the internet, and day-to-day skills such as shopping and banking online, and email. Mr Irranca-Davies will visit a PACT (Parents & Children Together) session at South Liverpool Personnel in Liverpool to speak to users direct.

Mr Irranca-Davies’ visit underlines the importance placed on the Digital Inclusion agenda at Parliamentary level, as Professor Dennis Kehoe, Director of AIMES, explains: “Digital inclusion is a crucial enabler of economic regeneration and growth. Internet access can transform cities and communities, providing improved access to employment, education and health information. The internet can also help to combat isolation and increase a sense of community. We’re delighted to be able to demonstrate our digital inclusion work to Mr Irranca-Davies in person.”

The AIMES digital inclusion project provides a fully managed internet access service to users, a key element in its success and sustainability. AIMES and its technology partner, e-communications specialist OciusB2, provide broadband internet access, a range of software packages, all equipment required, plus training and support to users of the Community Grid. The first 125 homes are now live and for the first 12 months, the service is provided free of charge.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Community College and Blackburne House, have formed Mersey Skills Network, a consortium that will be the first point of call for business training. Companies are urged to apply quickly, the funding offer lasts just 12 months. Businesses from sole traders to firms employing up to 250 staff are all eligible.

SkillWorks provides up to 60% of the costs of the costs of employee training for companies in all sectors across the Merseyside region. All of the partners in the Mersey Skills Network consortium have an excellent track record in successfully distributing Skillworks funding and delivering training to businesses across the region for the past four years.

Kevin Griffiths, Mersey Skills Consortium Project Manager said: “With partners of this calibre, Mersey Skills Network is in an excellent position to improve and develop the skills base on Merseyside and contribute to the region to remaining competitive in global market. All four consortium members have previously worked independently to support Skillworks and are all experienced in assisting businesses to maximise the training offer. This further funding is a superb opportunity and I urge all eligible businesses to take advantage of the funding.”

Ian McKay, a Reception Officer at Merseyside Police Federation, achieved his Customer Service Level Three NVQ this year. He commented: “Gaining this qualification has improved my confidence.”

The course was funded by Skillworks and Federation Centre Manager, Paula McIntosh-Kemp says: “Skillworks has been really useful as we don’t have a big training budget. It has funded training for most of our staff from food hygiene courses to higher degrees.”

“I’m delighted with the achievements of our employees and I’m keen to continue using Skillworks funding to further support our staff development programme.”

Find out more at the Mersey Skills Network website: http://www.merseyskills.co.uk/

Everything you need to know about Building Successful Web Sites & Web Site Accessibility in a morning.

Part 1.

This session will provide you with everything you need to ensure your site creates the right impression.

Part 2.

The event delivers an overview of the legal implications of accessibility, including the history and market potential of compliance. The session is aimed at people concerned about the legal implications to their businesses.

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. contact our Events team for special offers. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here

Everything you need to know about Making Money from your Website & E-mail Marketing in a morning.

Part 1.

Making money from your web site – Come and learn the art of doing business on-line and how to convert visitors to customers.

Part 2.

Promoting your products or services by email can be a powerful and flexible form of direct marketing. You can communicate your messages quickly and cheaply.

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. contact our Events team for special offers. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here

Part 1

Discover the secrets of getting top rankings on Google and other search engines. This session will show you powerful tools and how to use them to out- compete your on line competitors. With 250 million searches conducted in the UK alone – getting top rankings is one of the most cost effective ways of getting new business. You will come away with:-
- Knowing how to strategically select the right keywords and phrases to attract the right traffic
- Understanding how to use some web based tools to analyse your current search engine performance
- Understanding some web based tools to allow you to select the best keywords and phrases
- Knowledge of the best practice process to search engine optimisation
- Knowing how to structure the metadata in your site for top performance
- Being aware of the issues involved in producing keyword rich content and how to write effective copy for your site
- A framework to help you develop your optimisation plan and the associated process for getting links from directories and other important sites.

Part 2

Learn how to use the fastest growing marketing method on the internet to bring in new business.

Pay per Click advertising is changing the way small businesses develop business on the web. For the first time the playing field between major companies and small businesses has been levelled.

You will come away with:-

- Knowledge to identify the best key phrases to drive targeted traffic to your site
- Understanding how to use the ‘keyword assistant’ tool and the ‘view bids’ tool to identify the best key phrases for your business
- Understand the ‘best practice process’ to success in pay per click
- Awareness of the 3 critical stages to bring targeted traffic to your site
- How to structure you ads for maximum performance
- How to construct ‘landing pages’ to convert visitors to customer and how to monitor your results
- Learn of some great small business success stories

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here

Anthony said: “As the business world changes, seemingly by the day, it’s especially hard for small companies to keep up-to-date with developments. It’s important to know what can benefit and what won’t. These events have been designed to help firms make an informed choice about their best options for maintaining an ‘intelligent business’.”

This was the first of a number of events being held around the North West, with five of those taking place in Greater Merseyside.

You can see the full list of events and register online here: http://www.intelligentbusiness.org/events.asp

We have updated our original post, so get all the details here:
http://news.gmdda.org.uk/2007/01/18/how-intelligent-is-your-business/

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has brought together leading experts to give small companies a comprehensive look at these growing opportunities.

A series of FREE, half-day events held across Merseyside from February to May will show firms how to profit from ‘intelligent business’ solutions. Delegates will learn how real companies have enhanced or overturned traditional business methods with more ‘intelligent’ solutions, providing benefits including:

• 5% improvement in sales in one month
• 10% reduction in admin overheads
• use of simple tools like email to drive new business
• 15% increase in staff productivity in 12 months
• doubled turnover in two years without increasing staff numbers

How ‘Intelligent’ is your Business? demonstrates the positive effect embracing technology can have in all areas of the day-to-day running of a company – from marketing to customer communications, sales to staff management, operations to admin.

The events take a comprehensive look at the latest developments and show how tools, such as online marketing, access to live data, instant procurement and sales, mobile phone cameras and hand-held computers are providing tangible benefits to other companies.

Professional business advisers and a range of commercial suppliers will also be on hand to provide the tailored support and services companies need to keep their business ‘intelligent’ for the future.

Anthony Story, director of Junction YK, the specialist firm enlisted by the NWDA to present the events, said: “As the business world changes, seemingly by the day, it’s especially hard for small companies to keep up-to-date with developments. It’s important to know what can benefit and what won’t. These events have been designed to help firms make an informed choice about their best options for maintaining an ‘intelligent business’.”

The following events are being staged across Merseyside:

• Wednesday 28 Feb 2007
  ICDC, Liverpool Digital
  In association with MERIT
• Wednesday 14 March 2007
  World of Glass, St Helens
  In association with St Helens Chamber of Commerce
• Tuesday 27 March 2007
  The Heath Technical & Business Park, Runcorn
  In association with Halton Chamber of Commerce
• Thursday 10 May 2007
  Creative sector event at Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock, Liverpool
  In association with Merseyside ACME
• Friday 18 May 2007
  The Village Hotel, Bromborough, Wirral

To book places at events online and learn more about the ‘intelligent’ business concept visit: http://www.intelligentbusiness.org/

Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

There are also opportunities for ICT and digital media companies to exhibit at each of the events. For more information please contact Junction YK at via e-mail info@junctionyk.org or telephone: 0161 238 8900

The events have been supported by the following organisations in Merseyside:

• 08businessconnect
• Business Link Greater Merseyside
• Greater Merseyside Digital Development Agency
• Halton Chamber of Commerce
• ICDC (International Centre for Digital Content)
• Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
• Merseyside ICT
• MERIT
• Merseyside ACME
• St Helens Chamber