One very significant contribution of member organisations and some other women and organisations, was the seminar we ran for the government through the DTI and the Policy Action team on I, about women and ICTs and regeneration - the report is on this site. As the report is available on the Internet on our site - it is freely available to you or anyone to use in their work or lobbying. This is a good example of transparent government and the value of electronic communication. This conference will generate more ideas. And looking forward again we also ask whether women's organisations still need projects like Women Connect or funding support for the introduction and development ICTs - after all nowadays there is so much more Internet awareness and enthusiasm than there was 4 years ago.
Surely organisations can just go on line and get on with it by themselves .
From talking to organisations and women only this last weekend at a conference in Bradford it is clear to me that effective and strategic uses of new information technology will continue to need nurturing. I suggest that getting the best out of the Internet involves skills and processes which can be evolved, taught, learnt and nurtured. The key speakers are going to give us two fascinating perspectives on this. During the I hope you will ask member organisations and people associated with Women Connect about their experiences 9. I am sure you will hear about these experiences during the day and in the workshops 10.