First Community-Owned Internet Service Provider

Australia’s first community-owned Internet Service Provider (ISP), called CanDoNet, has been launched by a South Australian Not for Profit.

The CanDoNet ISP is a new business and fund-raising initiative for CanDo4Kids – Townsend House, which has a history of providing services and support for children and young adults who have vision and hearing impairments.

CanDo4Kids Chief Executive Officer, Paul Flynn, says CanDoNet is an innovative technology enterprise attracting a broad spectrum of business, community and mainstream clients while generating an important new income stream for one of South Australia’s oldest charitable institutions.

Flynn says the organisation has constantly evolved from its origins to meet new challenges facing children and young people who have disabilities.

He says one of these challenges is the need to achieve sustainability in raising much-needed funds to provide therapy, recreation, technology, training and support services to these children and young people and their carers, and families across South Australia.

CanDoNet General Manager, Karen May, says the community-owned Internet service is a spectacular leap into the future in terms of offering professional Internet services for home and business users across Australia while generating an important income stream for CanDo4Kids-Townsend House.

May says it’s the best-of-both-worlds scenario in that they can deliver top quality services and competitive prices with all profits from Internet subscriptions going to CanDo4Kids-Townsend House.

Community grants and government funding provide about 20 per cent of the overall income for CanDo4Kids with the remainder of its funding needs coming from lotteries, raffles, donations, wills and bequests, special events and retirement living investments at its Brighton property.

She says CanDoNet has established the business model for wholesale application recognising that it can also benefit other community groups.

It can be re-branded by businesses, Not for Profit organisations and community groups with the potential to generate their own income stream with a percentage of funds still flowing back to CanDo4Kids-Townsend House.

May says that while CanDoNet is an option for mainstream Internet users, it also presents the opportunity for children and young people who have a disability to interact with the world on a level playing field.

She says while there is a genuine business focus, their aim is also to ensure that every young person they help, along with their family, has an opportunity to access the Internet in a reliable, professional and cost-effective manner.

To help these families, she says CanDoNet is offering free Internet access, connection and an ADSL Broadband modem. If families do not have access to Broadband ADSL at home, we will set up a CanDoNet dial-up facility. We are also happy to help families source a computer to suit their needs.

She says the intention is to expand their unique, community-owned and professional Internet service while helping to deliver quality of life and learning opportunities to people who need them most.

For more information on CanDoNet call 1300 88 66 40 or check out their website at www.candonet.com.au.