Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)— Congratulations and thank you to all of the Be Connected Digital Exchange program mentors who were recognised at The Place: Charlestown Community Centre at an event on Saturday, 27 August.

Thanks to the Be Connected program, 164 people improved their digital knowledge. The program aims to support people over fifty to improve their digital literacy and confidence, helping them to become better connected to family and friends, and safer in cyberspace.

As two years of social interactions taking place over Zoom and FaceTime becoming safer than meeting in person have shown us, these skills are vitally important. It was my pleasure to go along to the celebration at The Place, which has become central to the Charlestown community in so many ways.

In particular, I would like to acknowledge the volunteer mentors of all ages, including young people from Swansea High School Lake Macquarie High School, Warners Bay High School and St Mary's Catholic College, Gateshead. As always, hats off to The Place for providing the training to the mentors and being the glue for community strength!

A Community Recognition Notice is an opportunity for an MP to submit a short statement praising the work of an individual or group in the local community. If you have any ideas about people I can recognise with a Community Recognition Notice, please email and let me know!