MARVIN
On 7 May 2008, the Australian Government launched its partnership with Northern Territory Institute for Community Education and Development (NTICED). This partnership gives Indigenous Australians the opportunity to achieve employment and start their own businesses using MARVIN.
Are you Indigenous? Do you want to make money? Do you want to run a business in your own community?
Do you like computers and animation?
Then MARVIN might be for you!
What is MARVIN?
MARVIN uses a computer program to create animated characters to share important messages about services, business or culture. These characters are based on real people and you can easily program them to ‘speak’ your own language by recording people’s voices.
Steps to get started using MARVIN
- Step 1 - Sign up for a MARVIN licence
Complete a registration form on the MARVIN website. You will need to provide personal details including a contact address and answer some questions about training and becoming a trainer.
Once you have signed up you will be sent instructions for downloading the MARVIN program from the internet. You can then logon and start exploring MARVIN.
- Step 2 - Attend training
When you sign up for a MARVIN licence, you will be asked where you would like to attend training. There will be training sessions in cities around the country starting in month of 2008. NTICED will contact you to help organise getting you to training.
With some basic training you can use MARVIN to create animated messages for government or business and they will pay you to share their messages with your community.
- Step 3 - Consider becoming a trainer
If you enjoy and are good at using MARVIN, then you might consider becoming a MARVIN trainer to teach others how to use MARVIN. Some MARVIN trainers will have opportunities to travel overseas. When you sign up for a MARVIN licence, you will be asked if you are interested in becoming a trainer.
Do you belong to an Indigenous organisation that wants to use MARVIN?
Your organisation can sign up for a MARVIN licence. You will need to provide your business details including your organisation’s registration number or ABN. Staff from your organisation can attend training.