Grant helps in upgrade of centre

The Manjimup Community Resource Centre has received almost $60,000 from Lotterywest to replace outdated technology in the centre. The grant will upgrade the entire centre’s seven-year-old technology to be cloud-based with 10 new laptops, 12 NUC computers, which are much smaller and mobile computers, as well as upgrading all staff desktop computers and all public access computers. Manjimup CRC executive officer Ranui Harris said the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted serious issues with the centre’s technology and equipment. “Operating as an essential service it caused us quite a few dramas because none of our staff or our board could work from home in a secure, cloud-based environment,” she said. “It prevented our board of management being able to be responsive to decision making, which was very, very important at the time our communication was fragmented. “If our time is efficient we get to do more and better things and provide better service.” Ms Harris said the new equipment would be much more mobile and easier for the community to borrow from the centre. “We want it to be a shared resource that the community organisations, associations, and sporting clubs are able to use without feeling that they’ve got to come to the centre to have that access,” she said. “Say they need to do something on their own website, we are open to sharing that equipment. “I really want to support that to grow.” Ms Harris also thanked grants officer Tony Giamboi, who provided the support to submit a successful application.