Armenian Information Technology Community Center

The Armenian Information Technology Community Center (AITCC) acts as one of the projects formed within the frames of the Armenian Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Associations (AFUCA) and Youth Initiatives Supporting Center (YISC). To understand the aims inherited by the AITCC we'll offer you a short introduction telling about its bases - the AFUCA and YISC.

The AFUCA was founded on the 11th of November in 1993 as a non-governmental organization. It consists of 15 member clubs and coordinates their work. Working on such spheres as peace, culture, youth, education and protection of environment the AFUCA shares the UNESCO's policy. As a part of that policy in October of 1997 the YISC was founded on the base of the AFUCA. Being installed under the patronage of Federico Mayor, the general director of UNESCO and the department of Youth and Sport and with the assistance of Ministry of Youth and Sport of Armenian Republic the Center is aimed to assist the youth NGOs to create suitable infrastructures for the development of the youth movement of the country, connecting the youth organizations of Armenian with each other and with the organizations of other countries. To make the fulfillment of the aims mentioned more effective the AITCC was founded. As one of the projects brought about by the YISC the AITCC is aimed to provide free access to the necessary electronic information for the youth organizations, young scientists and specialists in different spheres, and to the students and the youth in order to rise their qualification and the role of the youth in the social life.

    The AITCC implements the following activities:
  • Creates and constantly renews the electronic database about the Armenian youth organizations.
  • Provides access to the Internet worldwide database.
  • Conducts computer courses teaching the youth to the skills of the work with the means of the modern communication
  • Serves as connecting knot between the youth organizations in Armenia and abroad



THE RESULTS OF INTERNET TRAININGS

The organization of Internet trainings was one of the first activities of the YICC, where numerous young people of different professions and interests received an opportunity to learn and use computer technology. As a result now several prospective ideas for useful projects suggested by our trainees are being worked out. The trainings that were held in Spring-Summer 2000 and involved undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students, as well as 3 high-school graduates.

Armenian NGOs expressed the interest towards the activity of the YICC took the initiative of cooperation and partnership.

    The following themes were raised and discussed:
  1. Ecological problems
  2. Study of the international organizations' documents
  3. Realization of social youth programs
  4. Educational programs
  5. Sport
  6. Scientific articles
  7. Problems of AIDS
  8. Problems of homeless children
  9. Problems of art and culture

In short, the observations indicates that besides the mentioned issues the YICC trainees expressed special interest toward the new opportunities for study as well as for employment.

Global Teleworking Employment Database

The harsh decade of post-Soviet transition was marked by unprecedented chain of continuous political, social and economical crises that paralyzed and collapsed the industry of Armenia. The country with distinctively high-tech biased industry at once found the latter disintegrated, while dozen thousands of specialist with university diploma have felt themselves isolated and redundant in that new environment. This problem has been further confounded by the lack of social security mechanisms, which have led to the migration of a noticeable section of the population abroad - the so-called "Brain-Drain". Those who have remained in Armenia, as well as growing number of recent years graduates have been figuratively paralyzed witnessing the small employment market and growing social tension.

In order to find and implement an innovative and modern non-traditional approach the Armenian Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Associations launched the Global Teleworking Employment Database Project aimed at the educated circle of existing and computer specialists, future scientists, researchers, interpreters, journalists, artists and designers. Utilizing the Internet to overcome Armenia's traditional situation of isolation project facilitate the needs of those seeking employment, providing them ability to compete in the global market place and retain their situation in Armenia.

In the course of the project activities the free searchable electronic database of global teleworking opportunities was established. Seminars, training courses, and guiding workshops were conducted to familiarize those seeking employment to the concept and tools of access to the information sources and search engines dealing concerning the local and foreign teleworking job market on the Internet.

Establishing communication between those seeking employment and the prospective employer located abroad through innovative an new mediums such as the Internet, email and online discussion sessions [ICQ], the Project will inject desperately needed capital into the local national economy, while allowing Armenia to contribute to the needs of the global community for highly trained specialists.