New courses in digital technology and creative media will be rolled out in a number of community venues across the Derry, it has emerged.
Sinn Fein Cllr Mickey Cooper.
Sinn Féin Councillor Mickey Cooper has welcomed confirmation the courses were to be introduced, stating they would ensure that young people from working class areas who had been “disaffected” from traditional education could revive their academic progress through the use of digital technology.
Revealing the courses were result of discussions he had with Derry2020 and other agencies, Cllr Cooper said he was delighted the work carried out to develop suite of digital courses for community venues had come to fruition.
He added: “Since the onset of City of Culture discussions have been ongoing with the aim of designing and delivering creative industry programmes.
“This saw Derry2020 deliver a small selection of courses during 2013 but we wanted to ensure that much more specialised courses were made available in community venues to ensure that as many young people as possible would have the opportunity to study subjects which would give them access to the digital labour market.
“This has now resulted in Derry2020 offering courses in both Desktop Publishing and Design Software.
“We have deliberately aligned the courses to the City of Culture legacy. For example, the desktop publishing course allows those who were involved with the Portrait of a City programmes to continue to expand their knowledge whilst the design software course allows those interested in developing creative outputs such as comic books, cartoons and other elements to enhance their expertise.
“We also envisage that support can be provided for those who wish to develop social economy and private business initiatives within the creative sector as a result of their involvement in the courses.
“This is due primarily to the fact that the courses will be delivered in community venues such as the Gasyard, Creggan Digital Centre at Ráth Mór and other venues across the city which now have appropriate facilities in place as a result of City of Culture funding.”
Cllr Cooper concluded: “I will now work to ensure that the courses can be accessed by both unemployed participants through Derry2020 and by those in employment through the partnership of agencies such as the Gasyard Centre, the Ráth Mór digital centre and other agencies.”
For more information on the courses contact Derry 2020 on 02871262812
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