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Value of UK Online
• I AM writing to draw attention to Camden Council’s proposal to cut more than 80 per cent of UK Online’s budget for the year 2010/11.
UK Online is a training scheme that is run across the borough to enable people to access free IT training and gain approved qualifications.
Many of these centres are located within deprived communities and assist students gain literacy, numeracy, language and job interview skills.
This enables students to seek employment, enrol on college courses, help their children with their school work and participate more fully in the wider community.
The centres are very popular and have a proven track record of success.
The scale of the proposed cuts is extremely shortsighted, especially when one weighs the immense benefits provided by the service against the relatively modest cost (tens of thousands rather than millions of pounds) and more so, given the current economic and political climate.
For many of the students, these centres are their only opportunity to improve their skills (and so life chances) being easily accessible, providing flexible training and at no cost.
It appears hypocritical in the extreme that while national political leaders talk about creating jobs and providing training, their counterparts at the local level appear to be wanting to do just the opposite.
I would urge the councillors to reconsider their position and reject these cuts when they convene next week.
Amin Keshani
Address supplied
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