Teaming UP! For Commonwealth Games
14 November 2005 at 12:11 pm
The Victorian Government in conjunction with Microsoft Australia has launched a nationwide competition that will provide disadvantaged Australians with an opportunity to attend the hottest sporting event in 2006 – the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
The competition, “Realising Potential Through Teamwork”, is being run through Microsoft’s network of 190 Unlimited Potential centres across Australia.
Microsoft runs the centres in conjunction with its community partners The Smith Family, Inspire Foundation, WorkVentures, Yarnteen and the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association.
Unlimited Potential (UP) is a Microsoft community program that provides technologically disadvantaged Australians with access to technology training, advice and support, and will be an important resource for aspiring entrants to create their multimedia presentations.
The competition, which was launched at The Smith Family supported Yarraville Community Centre in Melbourne, requires entrants to use their imagination and creativity to create a multimedia presentation that celebrates teamwork.
These presentations could take the form of: Power Point (containing images, and/or script, animation or photographs); Photo Story; and digital movie using Move Maker or flash media presentation or another online software of choice.
Nigel Cadywould, the Victorian State Director, Microsoft Australia says that as the technology partner of the Commonwealth Games, the company really wanted to find a way to share the excitement and enthusiasm with the rest of Australia.
He says the competition, ‘Realising Potential through Teamwork’, is a real and tangible way that all Australians can share in the excitement of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
According to Ms. Heather Barton, General Manager for The Smith Family in Victoria, the competition will allow people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. However, the true value will be the new found skills and confidence gained by utilising the skills learnt in the UP centres to create entries.
Barton says that typically people coming to the UP Centres have had little to no experience with computers and they really enjoy the opportunity to learn together in a relaxed, supportive environment.
Grand prize winners will be announced in each state and territory, with the lucky winners receiving two tickets to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, including airfares to Melbourne, overnight hotel accommodation and $300 spending money.
Consolation prizes include Xbox consoles and games.
The ‘Realising Potential Through Teamwork’ competition opens on Wednesday, 16 November 2005, and entries will be accepted until 4pm on Friday, 27 January 2006.
Entries will need to be lodged at one of the 190 UP centres across Australia. Full terms and conditions can also be found at www.microsoft.com/australia/up/competition.
