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Eastserve (East Manchester NDC)

The brief

The initial objective was to provide Internet access to 450 homes and the development of a community portal.

The project was initiated in August 2000 by East Manchester New Deal for Communities to explore ways in which ICT could support the local community in addressing the key priorities around housing, crime, employment, the environment and community cohesion.

The process

Clicks and Links were involved from the outset in all aspects of the Eastserve programme, including:

• Initial study and policy development, including development of a Community & Technology Strategy for East Manchester.
• Funding consultancy
• Community consultation, and delivery of training programme for 4,500 households in the area
• Technical evaluation and specification of requirements, negotiation with ISP's and PC suppliers
• Creation of East Manchester Network (linking homes, businesses, schools, public agencies, voluntary sector organisations and online local services) through a broadband intranet
• Commissioning marketing programme
• Establishment of local community enterprise
• Project Management of delivery programme of some 2.5 million pounds
• Development and deployment of community web portal including integration to third party systems like Worktrain, links to Benefits calculator and facilities to report faults online to Manchester City Council
• Migration of Eastserve.com onto Clicks and Links' Roundabout 2 product
• Provision of support and maintenance services

The product

The Eastserve initiative is an innovative project and continues to evolve with ever increasing and interesting content being added daily by those within and serving the East Manchester community

 Eastserve

Further enhanced functionality was introduced throughout 2003 with the upgrade to Roundabout 2

The following comments are from Eastserve users about their experience of the Eastserve project

• "I learnt how to cook by finding recipes and printing them off"
• "I keep in touch with my family abroad"
• "I've become more involved with politics by taking more of an interest"
• "I save money by reading newspapers online"
• "I managed to find a house to rent in the area I wanted"
• "I reported a crime"
• "I got involved with my community"
• "When I was ill I got my shopping delivered to my door"
• "I paid most of my bills over the internet. It stopped me getting into debt
• "I found out which school would be the best for my son to go to"
• "l take part in debates; I never used to talk to anyone"
• "It's made me feel less lonely"