Women's Focus Group
September 30, 1999

Discussion Questions - Key Points Made

         A key concern expressed was the reliance on volunteers to staff/manage CAP sites/arrangements. Women are already stretched with volunteer work and a program that will ultimately serve them but requires more of their volunteer time may be unrealistic.

1. Potential User community - Who are all the possible groups or categories of women who currently do not have access?
   • Poor women
   • Housebound women
   • Seniors
   • Young women (high school +)
   • Single mothers
   • Women with physical and other disabilities
   • Homeless women
   • Women unaware of the benefits of the technology
   • Those with active resistance to technology
   • Those with fears around technology
   • Unemployed women
   • Underemployed women
   • Workforce re-entry women (40+)
   • Women in transition
   • Women entrepreneurs
   • Immigrant women
   • EAL women
   • Aboriginal women
   • Black women
   • Women volunteers
   • Women activists
   • Unskilled women
   • "Rural" women of HRM - more isolated

2. What are the barriers to access? What are the particular IT needs of women that are not currently being met?
   • Training
   • Training locations
   • Bridging to the training
   • Proximity to computers and then familiarity
   • Support to get to training
   • Skills needed for another project/interest
   • No time

   How might barriers be addressed?

   • Find out what women's needs in general are not what their IT needs are and work through them
   • Relationship/familiarity with "computer helper/trainer"
   • Women only training
   • Self-help groups - women helping women
   • Coaches/mentors
   • Project or topic relevant training - leads to skills in computer/internet

3. What type of training/support do women need? Are their needs different from other potential community users?
   • Must meet needs
   • Must be fun
   • Need to know what the opportunities are - awareness of potential benefits for them
   • Must meet needs of people who learn at different rates/speed
   • Must use lay language - no techno babble
   • Learn in "little pieces" - learn as you go
   • Requires on-site support from volunteer/friend/mentor/trainer
   • Must be hands on
   • Time of day, child care and transportation must be addressed
   • Online "women information" (e.g.: Webgrrls) meets needs of women at higher knowledge level - those with keen interest not beginners
   • Women need to know that CAP is:
     • means or tool to getting more information and skills
     • is a way to build community
     • is a way to communicate

4. There are likely to be up to 30 access arrangements/sites in metro HRM. Do you think there is a need for separate sites/arrangement for women or do you think all sites need to be developed so that identified needs are addressed?
   • See comments under #3 above

5. Where would you see the access being made available?
   • Must be at places where women currently go naturally
   • Must understand that schools/libraries are institutions of learning and may not appeal to some of the target groups (environment too intimidating)
   • Single parent/family resource centres

6. Who else do you think we need to consult with?
   • People receiving service through service providers like single parent and family resource centres

7. What are you thoughts about effective representation for women on the Steering Committee?
   • This question was not directly addressed due to time limitations. However, several participants expressed interest in being on the committee.

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