About the community group/organisation 

Invercargill Primary Schools Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) facilitator professional development and teaching programme has been running in Invercargill for nearly 10 years. 

ICT facilitator Vanessa Stupples supports primary school teachers and pupils to effectively use digital technology in the classroom. 

Thanks to a one-off grant from the ILT Foundation, she has a set of iPads and Chromebooks to take into the classrooms so all the children have access to a device. She also provides professional development for teachers and helps them to develop their long-term digital technology plans. 

Invercargill is the only city in New Zealand to have a dedicated IT support person to support its primary schools. 

 What the grant went towards 

ILT Foundation provided $99,072 in funding towards the operational costs associated with running the Invercargill Primary Schools ICT facilitator professional development and teaching programme. 

The programme is hosted by Ascot Community School. 

This is the ninth year the Foundation has provided funding for the programme. 

 What the grant means to the community group/organisation 

“It is very exciting to see digital technology being used meaningfully in the classroom,” ICT facilitator Vanessa Stupples said. 

“Other regions are envious we have a dedicated IT support role for our schools.”