DERI has a number of exciting outreach programmes in operation that are targeted at the general population with particular emphasis on the community and voluntary sector.
Our overall aim is to promote the development of an Online Galway City and County that is Accessible to All.
For this reason we have developed a number of Internet projects or initiatives in partnership with a wide range of important local stakeholders including Galway County Council, Galway City Council, Galway Education Centre, Galway Centre for Independent Living, the Health Services Executive, schools and other departments within NUI Galway.

DERI's involvement with the community of Galway has attracted considerable local, national and international publicity and recognition. Government Ministers, members of Dail Éireann, Lord Mayors and city councillors have attended and officiated at a number of our Outreach events.

Eamon Ó Cuiv TD, Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs
with Dr. Stefan Decker and Leo Moran (DERI)
at the launch of DERI's Community Outreach Programmes 2005/2006)

-Our Outreach officer, Brendan Smith, was recently honoured with the Galway City 2005 'Mayoral Award' in the Social and Community Category for his wide-ranging environmental and community activities that included his development of interactive Internet projects within the 'socially disadvantaged' sector. In late 2005, Brendan was also presented with the annual Galway Science & Technology Award by Minister of State Noel Treacy TD for his considerable achievements over many years in raising the profile of science amongst primary school children.

Computer Recycle Initiative Benefits Galway Communities

DERI is working with the ‘Galway Centre for Independent Living’ (GCIL) in promoting a scheme whereby donated second-hand computers are distributed to socially-excluded/community supporting groups and individuals.

Organisations that have contributed computers to this programme include: Udarás na Gaeltachta, Galway Technical Institute and NUI Galway.

Jim Swanick of the Galway Centre for Independent Living
at the DERI stand in the Galway Science & Technology Festival

For further information, contact DERI Outreach, NUI Galway, brendan.smith@deri.org; 087-2935106.

Online Arts
Galway writer achieves a first in Cyberspace!

In 2005, Galway-based novelist Sandra Bunting got the literary world abuzzing by deciding to write her latest novel ‘online’.
Entitled ‘Jenny and Benny’ it is a love story set in Galway city.

According to Sandra, “After attending a course on blogging organised by the Digital Enterprise Research Institute at Galway University, I decided to publish my latest novel directly onto the world wide web. It is something that, to the best of my knowledge, has never been attempted before. A writer usually writes and rewrites several times so this will be considered very much a first draft.

My website allows readers to make suggestions and recommendations as the novel develops. Writing a novel is always a daunting feat; even more so as I am sharing the experience with others through the medium of cyberspace. We should certainly have a bit of fun with it together"!
Sandra’s website is www.sandbunting.blogspot.com

Originally from Canada, Ms. Bunting is a member of the Galway Writers Workshop and on the editorial board of Crannog Literary Magazine

Student Bloggers

The Dept. of Education at NUI Galway is probably the first non-IT third-level department in Ireland to have all its students set up their own websites. DERI tutors worked the department’s staff in providing this unique service.

A ‘Blog’ is a new type of website that is based on a diary date structure. The term ‘blog’ is a truncated version of ‘world wide we(b) log’ (diary).

Blogs are the easiest-to-use websites in existence. There is no technical language to learn and text entries (postings) are done via a wordprocessing format. Updates appear almost instantaneously on the Web. Blogs are multi-media based and allow inputs of audio, video and pictures.

Connecting People & Communities Locally & Globally
through the World Wide Web

via the establishment of:

• Online Social Networks or eNeighbourhoods
• Community Websites
• Practical courses on new Internet technologies. Participants learn how to de-mystify the Web and are taught how to use it in their everyday lives including using the home computer for free(!) international telephoning, online photo galleries, web-cam….

attendees at DERI's Web Design Course
for parents of Scoil Bhríde, Shantalla, Galway City

DERI Outreach is working with active retirement groups in Ballinasloe, the Brazilian population of Gort, African asylum-seekers in Salthill, parents in Shantalla, resident groups in Ballinfoile and many other communities to develop an exciting range of web services that will improve the quality of life of Ireland’s peoples.

DERI’s involvement with the community of Galway has attracted much local, national and international publicity and recognition. Government Ministers, members of Dail Eireann, City Mayors and councillors have attended a number of our Outreach events.

Our Outreach officer, Brendan Smith, was honoured with the Galway City 2005 ‘Mayoral Award’ in the Social and Community Category for his activities that included providing DERI Internet projects with the ‘socially disadvantaged’ sector.

Members of the Ballinasloe Active Retirement Association
in attendance at a DERI Internet Course

Raila and Samara from the Brazilian community of Gort in Co. Galway

Asylum Seekers Internet Course

Lord Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Brian Walsh,
gives a certificate to Emma Chuwa (South Africa)
at the DERI Community Awards in NUI Galway