6 Ways In Which The Internet Has Transformed Blaenau Gwent

A superfast broadband network is being rolled out across Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s Superfast Cymru project. But what could it mean for the residents of Blaenau Gwent? ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The majority of Blaenau Gwent already has superfast broadband but just how much has the internet changed our local area? Here are 6 ways it has transformed Blaenau Gwent: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

1. When Blaenau Gwent got its own TV channel ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

3VTV, an online TV channel, aimed exclusively at residents of Blaenau Gwent was launched in 2012 to broadcast local news, promote local businesses that needed a helping hand and also gave local film and documentary makers the unique opportunity to showcase their work for everyone in the area to watch. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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2. Engaging in E-learning ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Coleg Gwent has made it possible for people to gain professional qualifications through online courses that are both affordable and flexible. Courses on offer range from accounting and book keeping to learning how to use Microsoft Excel, both of which are useful for developing entrepreneurial skills. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

http://www.coleggwent.ac.uk/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

3. On air to online ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Brynmawr FM went live in 2004 to give the residents of Blaenau Gwent a mix of music and local news. Online listeners can see playlists, request songs and see upcoming events in and around Blaenau Gwent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

http://www.brfm.co.uk/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

4. Community spirit got a boost on social media ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘My Blaenau Gwent’, a blog set up in 2013 is probably one of the most informative points of reference for residents of Blaenau Gwent who want to keep up to date with local news, council plans and events in the area via Twitter, Facebook and on its website. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

https://myblaenaugwent.wordpress.com/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

5. Lending a helping hand ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is promoting local initiatives like the work club in Ebbw Vale library, which is helping people with CVs and finding jobs online as well as the ‘Digital Fridays’ scheme which gives online support to help people with technological problems and get on the web in an informal setting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

http://www.getblaenaugwentonline.org.uk/courses-resources/whats-on-in-blaenau-gwent-libraries/what-can-you-do-at-blaenau-gwent-libraries.aspx ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

6. Online seminars for local businesses launched ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anyone with a small business in Blaenau Gwent will now benefit from essential health and safety tips and advice thanks to a free web seminar streamed monthly, launched by the Health and Safety Executive in partnership with HMRC. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Superfast broadband has been made available to the majority of Blaenau Gwent thanks to Superfast Cymru. A partnership between the Welsh Government, BT, UK Government and the European Regional Development Fund, it’s bringing faster broadband to areas which would not otherwise receive it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With the project now 97% complete in Blaenau Gwent, most homes and businesses are able to access superfast broadband. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The website also includes information for those not yet able to receive superfast broadband, as support may be available through the Welsh Government’s ‘Access Broadband Cymru’ scheme ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​