Celebration day at Wokingham Karten CTEC Centre
It was a double day of celebration at the Wokingham Karten CTEC (Computer-aided Training, Education and Communication) Centre on Thursday February 22 when students received their course certificates and a new computer learning facility was opened.
The centre provides computer-aided training and education for people with disabilities of all kinds and is based at Ravenswood Village in Crowthorne. A steering group, including representatives from the charity Norwood, Wokingham District Council and the Learning and Skills Council Berkshire and other groups, runs the centre.
At a ceremony hosted by Rod Clay, director of Ravenswood Village, Cllr Angus Ross, Wokingham District Council chairman, presented certificates to students who had completed courses such as Skills for Working Life and an Introduction to Information Technology as well as numeracy and literacy courses. These were designed to provide both fun computer projects and as a preparation for working life. Ian Karten MBE, who founded the centre as well as other similar facilities around the country, was also at the ceremony.
Cllr Ross “It is sometimes difficult to take the first step back into learning and it was inspirational to be able to present these well-earned certificates. I hope those who have received them will build on their wonderful success in the future. I would like to congratulate all the staff and students on these achievements.”
After the award ceremony, staff, students and guests witnessed the official opening of the centre’s new computer learning facility, which includes an interactive whiteboard, large screens for visually-impaired people and flat screen monitors and allows all users to have internet access. The new centre was paid for with a £25,000 grant from the Berkshire Neighbourhood Learning Centre Partnership.
Cllr Ross cut the ribbon together with Mr Karten MBE, centre students and staff as well as representatives from Norwood.
Derek Attewell, 62, from Bracknell, who has been going to the centre for two years, said: “The new equipment has made a big difference to the work we can do here. I am mainly interested in business programmes such as word processing, Excel and PowerPoint, although the internet is also interesting. The new computers are also great for people with sight impairment as they have the big screens now.”
Another student, Lawrence Black, 53, from Ravenswood Village, said: “I have been coming here for five years and this is a great improvement. It is great fun to be able to get on the computers and I have learnt to do a lot of things on them.”
Ravenswood Village is a residential community owned by Norwood, the largest Jewish UK charity for children and families. Residents of the village and adults with disabilities from the local community attend courses at the centre. To find out more about the village call Karen Thackray (01344) 755 586.
In April 2005, Wokingham District Council and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Berkshire stepped in to ensure the future of computer courses at the Karten Centre with £40,000-worth of funding (£30,000 from the district council and £10,000 from LSC Berkshire) when other sources of funding were unavailable.
Susie Holdsworth, contract and support services manager at the Karten Centre, said: “We are really proud of all our students and the achievement they have made. With the support we have from Wokingham District Council and others I believe the centre will move from strength to strength allowing many more local people to benefit from our services.”
The centre provides computer-aided training and education for people with disabilities of all kinds and is based at Ravenswood Village in Crowthorne. A steering group, including representatives from the charity Norwood, Wokingham District Council and the Learning and Skills Council Berkshire and other groups, runs the centre.
At a ceremony hosted by Rod Clay, director of Ravenswood Village, Cllr Angus Ross, Wokingham District Council chairman, presented certificates to students who had completed courses such as Skills for Working Life and an Introduction to Information Technology as well as numeracy and literacy courses. These were designed to provide both fun computer projects and as a preparation for working life. Ian Karten MBE, who founded the centre as well as other similar facilities around the country, was also at the ceremony.
Cllr Ross “It is sometimes difficult to take the first step back into learning and it was inspirational to be able to present these well-earned certificates. I hope those who have received them will build on their wonderful success in the future. I would like to congratulate all the staff and students on these achievements.”
After the award ceremony, staff, students and guests witnessed the official opening of the centre’s new computer learning facility, which includes an interactive whiteboard, large screens for visually-impaired people and flat screen monitors and allows all users to have internet access. The new centre was paid for with a £25,000 grant from the Berkshire Neighbourhood Learning Centre Partnership.
Cllr Ross cut the ribbon together with Mr Karten MBE, centre students and staff as well as representatives from Norwood.
Derek Attewell, 62, from Bracknell, who has been going to the centre for two years, said: “The new equipment has made a big difference to the work we can do here. I am mainly interested in business programmes such as word processing, Excel and PowerPoint, although the internet is also interesting. The new computers are also great for people with sight impairment as they have the big screens now.”
Another student, Lawrence Black, 53, from Ravenswood Village, said: “I have been coming here for five years and this is a great improvement. It is great fun to be able to get on the computers and I have learnt to do a lot of things on them.”
Ravenswood Village is a residential community owned by Norwood, the largest Jewish UK charity for children and families. Residents of the village and adults with disabilities from the local community attend courses at the centre. To find out more about the village call Karen Thackray (01344) 755 586.
In April 2005, Wokingham District Council and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Berkshire stepped in to ensure the future of computer courses at the Karten Centre with £40,000-worth of funding (£30,000 from the district council and £10,000 from LSC Berkshire) when other sources of funding were unavailable.
Susie Holdsworth, contract and support services manager at the Karten Centre, said: “We are really proud of all our students and the achievement they have made. With the support we have from Wokingham District Council and others I believe the centre will move from strength to strength allowing many more local people to benefit from our services.”
Wokingham District Council
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