Dept's CSTC wins 1996 WA Adult Learners' Week Award

26/9/96

Family and Children's Services' commitment to innovative and effective education for country Western Australians has been recognised at prestigious State and national awards.

The department's Community Skills Training Centre (CSTC) won the 1996 WA Adult Learners' Week Award for innovation and commitment to learning for its use of Westlink satellite technology to reach rural residents.

The centre also received an award from the Australian Association of Adult and Community Education for its provision of distance training and development.

CSTC provides information and training via satellite to paid and unpaid workers of organisations in the community services sector, including those which provide information, advice, referral, emergency and crisis care.

Family and Children's Services Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the use of the Westlink satellite enabled CSTC to provide quality training at more than 100 sites throughout the State.

"It is of great benefit for people in rural and remote areas who would otherwise only have limited access, or in some cases no access, to training opportunities," she said.

"Often rural people must travel away from home to obtain training. This can be difficult in country areas where many organisations operate with a small workforce or a single staff member."

Mrs Edwardes said that CSTC's innovative methods allowed the inclusion of special guests who would rarely if ever reach the rural areas; link-ups with other regions to encourage interaction; the transmission of Perth-based conferences and workshops; and the production of videos of the program for lending.

"CSTC is effective because it provides training based on the needs expressed by rural communities," she said.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 421 7777