Connect2Compete Update

Cross posting this from Angela Siefert--working on the connect2compete project! http://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/overview_connect2compete.html

Blogging Digital Inclusion: Efforts & Resources

This blog will allow me to share Digital Inclusion resources, and stimulate discussion around this critically important topic.

Please participate!

Women on Wednesday Presentation, St Cloud State University

Here is a link to the presentation...

FCC Connect2Compete Initiative

Hey, this looks familiar, a Digital Literacy Corps!:)

Connect to Compete

Our Humble Beginnings

It took someone else to write out the C-CAN beginnings story, but here it is: C-CAN's Early Days

Evaluation of DI Programs in WA State: Link to Report

Here is a great example of what happens when a city, region, or state embarks upon a collaborative digital inclusion effort, then evaluates outcomes. This Washington State Community Technology Opportunities Project (CTOP) report provides a valuable framework.... 2009 CTOP Final Report

Wireless Minneapolis Community Benefits Cited in Policy Paper

The New America Foundation released an interesting, well written policy paper on Feb.1, 2011 specifically mentioning the Wireless Minneapolis Project:

Minneapolis has served as a leader in digital inclusion issues through its municipal wireless partnership with US Internet.  Wireless Minneapolis created a Digital Inclusion Fund (to distribute a percentage of the wireless revenue to the community) and also provides tech-support, content management tools, a community portal and free website hosting for neighborhood associations.  These resources, which are managed and run by the communities themselves, go a long way towards providing crucial communications services and information for underserved communities. 

Full article: From the Digital Divide to Digital Excellence

CTEP Awarded 750K ADC Grant

MINNEAPOLIS, December 10, 2010 – ADC Foundation announced today that it will make a round of strategic grants totaling $3.75 million to five community partners in the Twin Cities and Juarez, Mexico. Each grant will be $750,000. The Foundation’s grants will be used to promote transformative change in engineering education programs and effective use of computing and communications technologies to better serve disadvantaged populations.

The Community Technology Empowerment Project (St. Paul, MN) received $750,000 to continue and expand their efforts.

This grant will underwrite expansion of CTEP’s AmeriCorps program that places technology specialists in more than 20 Twin Cities neighborhood organizations, expand CTEP’s public outreach, and facilitate the development of community leadership for technology and communications.

Digital Inclusion Forum Coming UP!

http://pplforums.eventbrite.com/

Our world is increasingly ‘digital,’ but thousands are being left behind, limiting employment opportunity, access to education, and stifling full civic participation. Join us on December 6 as we develop an agenda to include everyone in the Twin Cities in a digital society.

December 6, 2010
Registration 3:30 p.m. Program 4:00 p.m.
The Humphrey Institute University of Minnesota

Keynote David Keyes
Community Technology Manager, City of Seattle

Emcee Kit Hadley, St. Paul Public Library

Moderator Catherine Settanni
Community Computer Access Network

Discussion by a panel of community experts

Register at pplforums.eventbrite.com

National Conference on Volunteering and Service

I will be moderating a panel at this year's National Conference on Volunteering and Service. Speaker Bios and Conference Information.
Session 1395
Session Title: Funders as Investors-- Engaging 21st Century Grant Makers(Scheduled for 10:30 AM-Noon, June 30th)

Public Comment, BTOP Grants

In response to the open comments period at NTIA regarding the BTOP grants, I have submitted the following comment. Also have been working with Emy Tseng and David Keys (SF and Seattle) on Emy's two minute presentation for later today...Apologies to my friends at Libraries and Community Colleges, this is in no way a slam for the work you do, simply an expansion of the definition of technology programming/ providers or intermediaries in the federal language.

"Those of us involved in Digital Inclusion efforts feel strongly that federal funds/grants should focus on strengthening the capacity of local, community-based Digital Inclusion programs.
Community-based programming, delivered through social service agencies, stresses the importance of helping residents in underserved communities learn basic technology skills. While access to computers and broadband are important, what is most needed is training and support for new technology users.

We heard this loud and clear from underserved residents via community surveys and town hall meetings held in conjunction with our City’s Wireless Initiative (Wireless Minneapolis). As a result, Minneapolis’ Digital Inclusion efforts reflect this.

National efforts often fail to identify or address existing barriers to digital inclusion that local programs both understand and successfully address through innovative programming.

Libraries are terrific at making computers and the Internet available, but Libraries do not have the staff or expertise to teach technology literacy, or help individual residents seek jobs, education, or resources online.

Community Colleges are great at helping students and staff navigate online technologies, but do not provide resources for those outside of their college communities, such as recent immigrants, youth, seniors and people with disabilities.

Community Technology Centers (CTCs) are critical to reaching new and novice technology users, and are instrumental in developing workforce initiatives from skills training through online job search.

Municipalities and Community Foundations are often in the best position to oversee and leverage CTC programs at the local level, and can engage private partners to help advance adoption and use.

We urge this committee to expand the eligible grantee list to specifically invite Municipalities and Community Foundations to act as “re-grantors” or regional grantees for BTOP funds.
From our perspective, national non-profits and state governments have been neither effective or efficient in various Digital Inclusion efforts over the past decade, so we ask the committee to favor locally originated, community based programming over national efforts in terms of this grant program.

Senate Network Neutrality Hearing Recap

Thanks again to the Benton Foundation for coverage on this issue-- network neutrality is a critically important component in any Digital Inclusion strategy. The FCC position on this as expressed by Chairman Martin is encouraging. For the hearing recap, visit http://tinyurl.com/5fhvxc

Digital Inclusion White Paper

I found this interesting report on the W2i website. It's very academic, but it's about time someone starting looking at the issue in this kind of detail, and internationally.

Benchmarking Digital Inclusion
Download the entire report here (pdf)

A White Paper by gov3 limited
At the World Summit on the Information Society, every national government in the world
committed itself to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society. This White Paper is intended to help them measure their progress towards this goal, and to identify sources of international government best practice to help them succeed.

--The current level of Internet use in society: which countries are now ahead?
--Growth trends in Internet use: which countries are enjoying strongest continued
growth in Internet use, and which are starting to slow down?
--Future drivers for increased Internet user: how do countries compare on the three
factors which are identified in "Achieving Digital Inclusion" as the key drivers of Internet
use: access, confidence and motivation?

Digital Inclusion Fund Announces First Round of Grantees

The Digital Inclusion Fund has awarded grants to nine local agencies working to ensure Digital Inclusion in the Twin Cities. For a list of grantees (and advisors) visit:
http://www.digitalaccess.org/dif_advisors.htm

MN Take Notice: California Broadband Report Released Today

The California Broadband Task Force today released their final report, "The State of
Connectivity – Building Innovation Through Broadband."
This comprehensive and well-written report "includes maps of current broadband availability and speed,recommendations to achieve universal access and increased use, and a timeframe in which to meet these critical goals."

The report is available online at www.calink.ca.gov/taskforcereport/

Minnesota state officials should take notice: if we wish to compete in a 21st Century economy, our first step should be to find out where we are today with broadband connectivity across the state (asset mapping).

From a "Digital Inclusion" perspective, this report calls for increased funding to support existing technology literacy efforts, expand computer refurbishing and placement programs (working with community colleges, a great idea!) , and increase technology support for rural schools and small businesses.

Required reading for anyone interested in economic sustainability, education, technology, health care or social inclusion-- i.e., pretty much everyone.

Project History

The Digital Access Project (DA) was founded in 1998 by a handful of community media volunteers interested in ensuring that all area residents benefited from emerging technologies and the Internet.

Launched as a demonstration project, DA volunteers and Interns used a wireless-enabled, mobile media lab to introduce media technology tools and skills to area youth and adults. We collaborated with non-formal education providers such as City Parks, Libraries and Community Technology Centers (CTCs), providing specialized workshop and summer camp programs. By 2001, DA programming was in such high demand that we were unable to meet the needs of area agencies. In response, we began a community organizing effort to identify and support CTCs interested in offering similar technology programs at their public access labs. In subsequent years, the Digital Access Project has sponsored several regional Community Technology Conferences, secured a major federal AmeriCorps grant, and led a Community Benefits Agreement effort in conjunction with the City of Minneapolis’ Wireless Initiative.

Our current focus is to report on and influence local, state and federal technology policy to ensure support for Digital Inclusion efforts. It is our position that ubiquitous, affordable broadband access must be coupled with support for techology literacy programming and local, relevant content development in order to empower our communities for 21st century learning, employment and social/civic engagement.

New Policy Initiative: The Digital Inclusion Forum

Just back from a two-day trip to Washington D.C. attending the inaugural Digital Inclusion Forum. This is a project of an Industry/Government and Academic group that works on Wireless initiatives internationally (W2i). Wireless Minneapolis community benefits agreement (CBA) was noted as a "best practice" during policy roundtable discussions.

Microsoft Whitepaper Highlights Minneapolis Wireless Initiative

A newly published white paper by Microsoft's Maria Wynne and Lane Cooper spotlights innovative Digital Inclusion projects around the U.S.:

Power Up: The Campaign for Digital Inclusion --
Digital Inclusion Imperatives Offer Municipalities
New Social and Economic Opportunities

Minneapolis is noted for both the business case behind Wireless Minneapolis, and the Community Benefits Agreement that accompanied the final contract. Great recognition of local efforts! Download the Report (pdf)

Merry Christmas Media Moguls!

The FCC today ignored public comment, and approved sweeping changes in media ownership rules which promise to consolidate media ownership in the nation's 20 largest markets.

This is a dark day for independent, free media, and democracy in general--which relies on an informed public. Divided FCC eases media ownership restrictions (Reuters News)

MN Public Radio: Digital Divide Remains

This morning MPR aired a report on local Digital Inclusion efforts, highlighting a program I --along with VISTA member Jeff Streier-- began in 2004...the Community Technology Empowerment Project.