Communities Connect News
February 9, 2012
All this week, the NTIA blog will feature stories about BTOP Partners across the country. From their blog post:
The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program is producing jobs, driving growth, providing tools for economic empowerment and improving lives across the country. That was the takeaway from a recent panel discussion at the annual State of the Net conference held in Washington, D.C. last month. The conference, which is organized by the Advisory Committee to the Congressional Internet Caucus, explores the biggest technology policy issues of the day. This year’s conference included a panel devoted to BTOP, a Recovery Act program administered by NTIA that is investing in roughly 230 projects to increase broadband access and adoption around the country.
Their case studies feature both infrastructure projects and digital inclusion projects like the Communities Connect Network Project.
January 30, 2012
We are pleased to announce that EdLab Group has hired a Senior Project Director for Digital Inclusion, Leslie Rae Schmitz. She will be working closely with our partners and staff to continue and broaden the work we are engaged in through the Communities Connect Network. Find out more about Leslie in this month's CCN Newsletter.
January 6, 2012
The U.S Department of Commerce today released a comprehensive report on “The Competitiveness and Innovative Capacity of the United States.”
Part of the report highlights NTIA's BTOP Program, which has resulted in over 24,000 new workstations in Public Computing Centers across the country.
Watch Ana Gomez, Deputy Administrator of the NTIA, describe Out Connect.
January 5, 2012
We are excited to share that the NTIA published the following BTOP in Action article about the CCNP:
By November 2011, the EdLab Group’s Communities Connect Network Project (CCNP) upgraded 35 public computer centers throughout Washington State. These centers are being retrofitted to provide low-income families with direct access to computer resources, legal and health information, educational opportunities, and workforce development training.
BTOP funds allowed CCNP to deploy more than 93 new workstations, serving an average of 420 users per week. Along with these computers, CCNP is also partnering with 22 organizations to provide each center with services that meet the needs of its visitors. For example, at the Kalispel Tribal Court computer center, visitors can obtain online legal assistance, court records, and information about the law. Patrons can also communicate virtually with their legal counsel through Kalispel’s two videoconferencing stations.
Another partner, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle, is providing financial literacy training for staff members at eight computer centers in the city. Staff members learn concepts and techniques to teach local residents basic financial planning. Additionally, other partners are implementing digital literacy and career building classes on a variety of topics, such as basic computer skills, digital media editing, job search fundamentals, interview skills, and resume creation.
By the end of this BTOP project, CCNP will establish four new computer centers, upgrade 35 more, and distribute approximately 200 new workstations. To meet the needs of the state’s diverse population, CCNP offers its training classes in various languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali. EdLab has also created an online portal for its partners, providing them with a forum to exchange curriculum, share information, and access guidance on how to manage the centers.
November 1, 2011
Digitalliteracy.gov features YTECH, a CCN partner, as one of their "In the Community" stories. YTECH creates amazing opportunities for youth to gain technical skills and take action in their communities. Digitalliteracy.gov is an initiative of the Obama Administration to serve as a valuable resource to practitioners who are delivering digital literacy training and services in their communities.
October 24, 2011
The first monthly Communities Connect Network e-newsletter is available online. The CCN e-newsletter features a story from one of our partner computer labs and provides updates on the project. It also provides valuable digital inclusion resources. View the online archive here.
August 4, 2011
There's a good article with consumers tips on how to choose a prepaid phone card at the usa.gov site
July 26, 2011
The Communities Connect Network Project (CCNP)
brought together nearly 80 people on July 26, 2011 at South Seattle Community College to learn about progress on our Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant for Washington State. Attendees came from over 30 organizations, including our 24 subrecipient partners, training providers, and supporters of digital inclusion statewide. We were fortunate to have Karen Archer Perry, Senior Program Officer of the U.S. Libraries Initiative at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, begin the day as the Keynote.
The conference program featured breakout training information sessions, a demonstration of the CCNP Web Portal (launch planned in early October) and a Program Showcase, for participants to share more about their work. A highlight was watching and listening as the staff of community centers, libraries, and courthouses around the state met each other and shared stories and best practices for creating public access to computers and broadband in their communities. To view photos from the CCNP event, check out the EdLab Group Facebook page.
June 28, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has released a new research brief, Who’s in the Queue: Public Access Computer Users providing more results of their survey research into computer users at public libraries. Available as a pdf document. See more reports at the http://imls.gov/resources/resources.shtm The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
June 28, 2011
The Non-profit Tech Network, NTEN, is seeking proposals for its 2012 conference. Session proposals are due August 12th.
