WA Community Resource Network celebrates 20 years

Western Australia's highly-successful Community Resource Centres (CRC) celebrate their 20th anniversary this week.

Marking the milestone, Regional Development and Lands Minister Brendon Grylls said the CRCs had come a long way since the early 1990s.

"In 1991, the Federal Government agreed to provide a grant to establish a trial project to increase post-compulsory education in regional and remote areas of WA - and the Western Australian Learning Network Centres (WALNC) project began," Mr Grylls said.

"At a time when 'hi-tech' meant facsimile machines, hands-free telephones, IBM computers and laser printers, the remote Kimberley region suddenly had the latest gadgets.

"The network quickly showed it was possible to overcome distance to provide equity and access to rural and remote students and, with a dedicated budget provided in 1993, WALNC became the WA Telecentre Network.

"Centres opened in Broome, Derby and Kununurra and, by 2000, 77 telecentres were operating throughout the State stimulating communities in the creative use of telecommunications, computer technology, information access, education, employment, training and business enterprise.

"The increase in funding from the State Government's Royalties for Regions program in 2009 and a re-branding to the WA Community Resource Network have seen it regain the role of a vital regional service.

"These locally-owned and operated centres are fast becoming the hub of small rural towns, which puts them in an ideal position to inform government of issues affecting their communities."

There are 106 CRCs across the State.  To take part in training, access government services and information or connect with service providers through videoconferencing, go to http://www.crc.net.au and connect to your local CRC.