Ayrshire Electronic Community (AEC)

Congratulations to AEC in completing its targets and successfully aiding local communities and businesses. As of June 2005 the project will cease to exist and as a result has paved the way for council services to take up the baton and continue AEC's good work.

What was AEC?

Ayrshire Electronic Community (AEC) was an exciting community project which was established in 1999. AEC has increased local public access to computers and the Internet in communities across Ayrshire. However, although enabling access to technology is important, AEC raised awareness of how, as an individual, a community organisation or a small business, you can make use of technology for your benefit.

Who benefited from AEC?
Ayrshire Electronic Community benefited the whole of Ayrshire, although support was concentrated on the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas, including Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, parts of Irvine , Kilwinning, Beith, and Kilbirnie and the whole of the Cumnock and Doon Valley area.

What did AEC achieve?
AEC established a communications centre and a portal website (gateway to sites relevant to Ayrshire folk) allowing easy access to public information, services, learning and training. A number of computer centres and public information points providing easy access, free of charge, to the Internet were established throughout the target areas and are available for use by individuals, community groups and businesses.

What did AEC offer the individual?
For those of you who lived in the Social Inclusion Partnership areas of Ayrshire, or had businesses in the area, AEC provided:

•  Access to public information from a wide range of services in the public and private sectors

•  Access to services that provided an immediate on-line reply to your queries

•  Access to learning, training, jobs and benefits

•  Participation in an 'Electronic Government'

•  Development, support and hosting of community Websites

With technical and practical support and advice about computers, and ICT training available to the community, voluntary and business sectors, AEC staff provided a friendly, professional service valued by the communities of Ayrshire.