Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Friday, February 23, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Youth at the SideDoor Youth Centre will be surfing the Net this week on 10 new computers donated to the facility.

Organized through the International Charity Association Network (ICAN), Direct Energy has donated the desktop computers as well as three laptops that will arrive next week. NorthwestTel has also donated free Internet access.

"We've had a few computers in the past, and the usage we were getting from them was overwhelming," said Gary Hubert, executive director of the SideDoor Youth Centre.

This is the 60th computer learning centre that ICAN has set up. The computers are being shipped up from Ontario by Direct Energy.

"We're especially interested in initiatives for the homeless or the under-served," said Gregory Proud, an IT manager at Direct Energy, who flew up to Yellowknife for the opening of the computer lab.

Proud has worked with ICAN before in donating under-used computers from Direct Energy to organizations in need. He said that he enjoys working with ICAN because they get the equipment to the organizations quickly.

"With something like a computer, if you wait six months they're not good anymore," said Proud.

With the SideDoor centre open from 3 p.m. to 8 a.m., the youth will be able to access the computers during those times.

Youth will likely use the computers for communicating with distant friends through e-mail and chatting, said Lindsay McKay, program co-ordinator for SideDoor.

Hubert said he is working with the John Howard Society to develop daytime training programs. He said it is possible the centre might offer 24-hour access beginning April 1.