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Home / 2012 / April / 30 / UBC teams up with Interior Savings to provide computer skills
Teaching & Learning

UBC teams up with Interior Savings to provide computer skills

April 30, 2012

Learning Exchange program will provide instruction to those in need

Interior Savings Credit Union has donated $25,000 to a computer-literacy program for low-income individuals and those struggling with homelessness.

Through the work of the Learning Exchange at UBC’s Okanagan campus and community partners, the need for such a program was identified and Interior Savings stepped up to provide the funding while UBC students will provide the training.

“Interior Savings has seen the value in the work we do in collaboration with community partners right from the start. Their support allows us to create innovative and outside-the-box projects and programs,” says Phil Bond, Learning Exchange manager at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

“What I like about this program is it removes the barriers for individuals who are looking to improve their computer skills, and puts them into a comfortable environment.”

Bond adds that early feedback from students “is very positive, they are really enjoying the opportunity to give back to the community and are learning about themselves in the process.”

To get the program off the ground, funding was needed to acquire 20 laptops with the appropriate software packages. The capital support from Interior Savings made the program possible.

“As a locally based credit union, our success is closely tied to the health and vitality of the communities we serve,” says Kathy Conway, president and CEO of Interior Savings. “The UBC Learning Exchange provides a unique opportunity for us to support students in their efforts to strengthen the community.”

“Computer skills are so important in today’s work force and for day-to-day tasks in general,” says Conway. “The Computer Literacy Program will give students real-world experience, reinforce community values and provide valuable training for people who otherwise couldn’t afford it.”

The program will be sustainable and plans are to offer it for many years with multiple community partners focused on expanding opportunities for the clients.

The financial institution also contributed $5,000 to the Interior Savings Lifelong Learner Bursary for students who have one or more dependents and are returning to post-secondary education after a pause in their studies of a year or more.

— 30 —

Media Contact

Patty Wellborn
Media Relations Strategist
University Relations

The University of British Columbia
Okanagan campus
Tel: 250 317 0293
E-mail: patty.wellborn@ubc.ca

Content type: Media Release
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About UBC Okanagan

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose traditional, ancestral and unceded territory the campus resides. The most established and influential global rankings all consistently place UBC in the top five per cent of universities in the world, and among the top three Canadian universities.

The Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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