CTC program building
CTC Assistance
Organization:
U Mass Boston/College of Public & Community Service VISTA Name:
Matt Crichton
Program Start:
9/2000
Program End:
9/2001
Project Description:
Goal 1: Participate in, enhance and develop programs in host organizations that deepen and broaden the participating community’s use of technology in pre-school, after-school, adult education, literacy and other programs. These activities might include: developing materials or classes in languages other than English, staffing public access hours, developing and supporting volunteer resources, creating new initiatives for specific groups, such as seniors, very young children, working families, ore creating new initiatives for specific groups, such as seniors, very young children, working families, or creating Local Computer Resource Guides for particular neighborhoods.
Goal 2: Create, integrate and support tools and vehicles that strengthen the local network of CT providers such as shared web space, newsletter, joint trainings, meetings, and mini-conferences that facilitate organizational sharing of information, skills and resources with one another.
Goal 3: Create capacity in communities for their own members to become leaders. Develop training and internship opportunities for community members, target potential youth and adult leaders in the community, develop ways to support the growth of these leaders by including them in region-wide programs, introducing them to the array of programs in their own communities.
CTC Curriculum Development
Organization:
Community Minority Cultural Center VISTA Name:
Lydia Morris
Program Start:
9/2000
Program End:
9/2001
Project Description:
The Americorps*VISTA member would perform the following activities:
- Develop curricula for adult basic education and youth programs
- Maintain computer and network systems
- Train volunteers to maintain computer and network systems
- Maintain CMCC website
- Provide technical assistance for CMCC television show “Stand Up and Be Counted”
- Provide technical assistance for Matzeliger Fellows Project - an oral history project that leads to exhibits in Jan Ernst Matzeliger Gallery, web pages on the website, programs on television show, and CD-ROM disks
- Assist in the design adn operation of a second computer lab, CD-ROM and video production studio.
Community Learning AT Coordinator
Organization:
The Academy for Career Development VISTA Name:
Donna Licata
Program Start:
6/2007
Program End:
6/2009
Project Description:
The VISTA Member will have a significant role in developing, organizing, and implementing a Community Learning Center Network in which we will deliver educational programming in disability issues, accommodation, and Assistive Technology (AT) to our underserved citizens via our synchronous distance learning network. The member’s activities will include:
1. Help establish formal AT technical and educational programming with at least 10 Community and Faith based organizations.
2. Oversee the connection of new & pre-existing Community Computer Labs to our Community Learning Network to facilitate delivery of AT & Accommodation web-based seminars
3. To Help create a stronger and effective dialog with our local and state government officials, and work with them to improve the status of persons with disabilities
4. To create the foundation of a Community Technology Learning Center Collaborative of community and faith based organizations that will provide AT support services for the constituents they serve.
5. To work with our AT specialists to convert our educational & promotional materials into alternative formats and needed languages to accommodate the individuals we support and train through our school and community service programs.
6. Help install new assistive technology hardware and software needed to better accommodate the people we serve and to help make the technologies available to others who want to learn about its use.
7. To help establish our agency as a model of accommodations and support of Persons With Disabilities and other underserved persons, by which other organizations and communities can emulate.
Project Outcome:
Donna Worked with Ticket-to-work clients to determine their best path to employment. She continued to built relationships with other CBOs/FBOs who were interested in employment of persons with disabilities Continued to grow our AT lab and encouraged community usage of the lab.
She also created a very eficient management model for the Ticket-to-Work Program while continuing to help educate youth and adults in the usage of Assistive technology.
CTC Program Building, Outreach, and Support
Organization:
Homeless Prenatal Program VISTA Name:
Ellen-Rae Cachola
Program Start:
9/2005
Program End:
9/2006
Project Description:
The Americorps VISTA volunteer would expand our program by developing and piloting a technology class for our English speaking clients, the majority of whom are African-American. The goal is to motivate women from the HPP’s English speaking support groups to avail themselves of the resources in the computer lab. To reinforce and extend the class experience, the Americorps*VISTA will create a weblog specifically for these clients where they can share their interests, issues, questions and accomplishments. The weblog community will serve as an additional support group to these parents as they seek ways out of poverty. Through participation in classes, one-on-one instruction, and the weblog, these clients will upgrade their job and communication skills.
Our 2004-2005 VISTA developed a community web-site for homeless families and families in jeopardy of becoming homeless. This website is fast becoming a vital resource to such families and to case managers throughout the region for instant access to resource information. This years Americorps VISTA would expand the use of the website by (1) developing a workshop to introduce the website to new users, both clients and case managers, (2) develop promotional materials such as email announcements and posters, and (3) work with other volunteers to develop a separate homepage, navigation system and additional features just for case managers.
The Americorps*VISTA volunteer would expand our program by developing and coordinating a staff development program in the CTC. Since one of the best practices for strengthening a program such as ours is to invest in our case workers, we are planning to use the CTC for more staff development than in previous years. We will develop an on-line assessment tool to establish a baseline of the technology skills of all staff members. Using this data we will develop and coordinate skill set workshops tailored to staff needs that will be held in the CTC.
To strengthen and expand our job readiness program the Americorps*VISTA will be responsible for developing 5 In order to do this the VISTA will identify, contact and visit appropriate educational and vocational training programs. In addition the VISTA will develop referral protocols between these programs and HPP Case Managers.
The Americorps*VISTA volunteer will also coordinate our “Computers in the Home” Project. This project takes our capacity to give technological skills and experience to the underserved population beyond the walls of our CTC. Funded to provide 40 families with refurbished computers and in-home tech support through ReliaTech, a social venture project of StreetTech of Richmond, CA., participants receive training and, upon completion of the training, computers and periodic in-home tech support. In addition, clients who have received computers for their homes continue to receive training at the HPP’s CTC.
Finally, the Americorps*VISTA will collaborate with our partners in the Community Connectivity Collaboration (One Economy, StreetTech, ReliaTech, Canal Alliance, TechFutures), a group formed to define needs of local CTC’s and find ways to seek funding. The VISTA will attend CCC meetings and other partnering events that may develop.
Project Outcome:
I know that I speak for the entire staff of the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) when I say that Ellen-Rae Cachola has been a boon to our organization. As her supervisor in the Community Technology Center it has been my pleasure to work very closely with her for the last 12 months. She is highly committed, intelligent, and industrious. She is extremely productive and always looking for new projects. She is also very personable, able to interact warmly with the diverse groups of people who work in our program and who come here for services. We are very lucky that she has stayed on at HPP as a part-time employee while she attends graduate school in San Francisco.
Ellen’s duties at HPP have included maintaining two websites, teaching technology in English and in Spanish, maintaining and developing the client database on Microsft Access, as well as trouble shooting technology problems in the lab and at staff workstations. She has worked with the local cable television access station to create PSAs and informational programming. In addition she has created an online generator for our paper forms which allows staff to print forms on an as needed basis from their own computers. She has also designed and published agency literature and signage in english and in spanish.
CTC Evaluation and Networking
VISTA Name:
Rodrigo Pacheco-McEvoy
Program Start:
9/2005
Program End:
9/2006
Project Description:
The AmeriCorps*Vista will lead a commissioned survey of 150 CTCs in San Diego and take an active role in the centralization of the SDCTC as the regional organization for community technology in San Diego. The AmeriCorps*Vista also will revise and expand current bi-quarterly evaluation methods. The AmeriCorps*Vista will use the CTC survey data results to develop more opportunities for programming and resources sharing among San Diego area CTCs. The AmeriCorps*Vista’s crucial role will also be that of helping to faciliate more workshops and trainings focused on curriculum and resource sharing in collaboration with organizations and agencies involoved with community technology. The outcome will produce tranings and events that network San Diego area community technology centers, thus allowing more program development directed towards CTC staff and end-users.
Project Outcome:
Rodrigo has done an outstanding job with providing statistical data in our FLOCs. He provided demographics by charting the number of children, racial breakdown, income levels, languages spoken, and interest in all OTS’ core program areas.
Our AmeriCorp*VISTA at OTS has conducted Art workshops in low-income apartment communities for disadvanted youth. If our Americorp*VISTA did not think beyond his workplan, these youth would not have been exposed to art in such a way that opened their minds. As a result the youth who have developed an appreciation for art. Our AmeriCorp*VISTA was also able to learn from our youth that everyone comes from various education and socio economic levels but we can work together.
CTC Program Building and Outreach
Organization:
Technology for All VISTA Name:
Nichole Payne
Program Start:
9/2005
Program End:
9/2006
Project Description:
With initial funding for equipment and supplies from the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast and another anonymous grant, TFA has developed a Digital Media program at the Misión Milby Community Technology Center for youth in the East End. Over 60 youth signed up for this program. With the leadership, coordination and facilitation skills of our VISTA volunteer, Nikki Payne, youth in the program are learning skills for movie making, web design and other digital media tools.
Project Outcome:
Through the efforts of the Americorps VISTA volunteer services, nearly 2,000 middle school and high school students in the East End community have benefited from using the Mission Milby CDC computer lab. The lab activities are coordinated by Nikki Payne, Americorps VISTA volunteer. It is expected that this number will double by the end of the program year, in August.
With a digital media grant obtained through one of our volunteers during our work with Katrina evacuees, Nikki studied digital media programs in Ecuador, Argentina and Chile. Nikki returned with curriculum and digital media best practices for distribution to other community technology centers in Houston.
CTC Program Building
VISTA Name:
Angela Baker
Program Start:
8/2003
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
During our 2003-04 VISTA project year, Ms. Baker has provided important capacity-building solutions and support for our community technology program. Ms. Baker has been responsible for establishing policies and procedures necessary for the operations of our program that include equipment borrowing, curriculum manuals, and “how-to’s” for our volunteer corps.
Goal 1: To increase participants’ self-sufficient use and application of computer and information technology.
Goal 2: To establish a staff and volunteer procedure for troubleshooting / fixing computer workstations.
Goal 3: To help standardize curriculum design and structure and lesson materials organization.
To create policies and guidelines for the use of DISKovery Center’s equipment and software.
Project Outcome:
Ms. Baker has been responsible for establishing policies and procedures necessary for the operations of our program that include equipment borrowing, curriculum manuals, and “how-to’s” for our volunteer corps.
As part of her workplan, Ms. Baker completed three self-paced tutorials on our most popular subjects in word processing, spreadsheets, and the Internet. She has also created her own column in our quarterly newsletter called “Tech Corner”, and has completed 5 articles on the most common issues that computer users encounter.
Ms. Baker has established a system of tracking and record-keeping that are important to program evaluation. For example, Ms. Baker has created an attendance log for each course offered by our community technology center, a system of generating class certificates from our database, and new course registration forms that with help make our record-keeping more efficient.
Ms. Baker has also created a popular new program entitled “Afternoons with Angie”, which allows participants with certain questions or issues about their computers or other technology to receive personalized, one-on-one attention.
As a result of our AmeriCorps*VISTA’s contribution to our program and community, we have brought Ms. Baker on board as an official part-time staff person to continue her work at our technology center. We recognize the value that Ms. Baker has put into her service as a VISTA, and look forward to her continued contributions.
CyberY Outreach and Program Building
Organization:
YMCA of Greater Boston VISTA Name:
Jenny Lee
Program Start:
8/2005
Program End:
8/2006
Project Description:
The goal of our VISTA is to create, run, and document activities in the CyberYs that enhance current YMCA programming and speak to the challenges in each community. The CyberY activities will be observed by other Boston-area YMCAs with the intent to expand successful projects to other branches.
Project Outcome:
Overall, Jenny has been a positive force for the lab. Everyone (staff) thought the effort was a success. Jenny was the first dedicated person for the computer lab, which was a huge step forward. Specifically, she continued working with the weekend Passport youth, and did more one-on-one training with preschool staff. The passport is a free access program for low-income Chinatown residents on Saturdays. Jenny also helped implement the E-newsletter.
Jenny completed the first newsletter, built relationships with Saturday Passport youth, collected resources, and worked on the first MIT Astronomy project.
CTC Youth Program Building
Organization:
RTPNet VISTA Name:
Chad Custer
Program Start:
8/2003
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
Goal 1: Continue the after-school computer-training program (CLICK) for students at Rogers-Herr Middle School in Durham, North Carolina.
Goal 2: Expand the computer-training program (CLICK) to a community technology center (CTC), such as the West End Community Center or the Lakewood Center in Durham, North Carolina.
Goal 3: Further develop and evaluate the template for scaling and replicating the program in North Carolina and nationwide.The main purpose of the CLICK website is to allow other organizations access to the lessons.
Goal 4: Encourage public and private sector resources to enable the project to continue after the Members leave.
Project Outcome:
A pretest and post-test was implemented during the first section of CLICK, which underscored the need for CLICK and the quality of the lessons. The pretest/post-test was a shortened version of the skills portion of the North Carolina Computer Competency Exam. The mean score on the pretest of the students who completed CLICK was 22.5%, with a high score of 49% and a low score of 6%. Coming into CLICK the students were lacking the most basic of computer skills. The mean score on the post-test of those same students was 74.3%, with a high score of 89% and a low score of 60%; a drastic improvement. On an individual student basis, no student increased his or her score by less than 32 percentage points. With a mean score increase of 51 percentage points, it is clear that CLICK is both needed and effective.
Some of Chad’s major accomplishments have been that he successfully introduced the program to Lyon’s Park Community Center; revised all of the lesson plans and oversaw the development of new lessons for the younger audience at Lyon’s Park; completely redid the website; instigated the donation of computers from the Franklin Center to Rogers-Herr; put together background and procedural information for future coordinators of CLICK; instigated a relationship with Gary Ybarra in Engineering, which resulted in $5,000 worth of support in the form of assistant coordinators; and successfully set up the program for next year (so the transition is as seamless as possible).
The relationship between CLICK and the Rogers-Herr after-school program has changed in the past and most likely will change in the future. During the first semester of CLICK there were two sections meeting twice a week. One section was for students enrolled in the after school program and one section was for students who were not part of the after school program. Attendance for the after school section was very poor while attendance for the non-after-school section was good. This was caused, at least in part, by changes in after-school administration and staff shortages at Rogers-Herr.
Impact Quote:
“In tutoring the youth in our CommUNITY Scholars program, I’ve noticed many have computer homework assignments as early as the 4th grade! Students are asked to write essays and to research cities, nature or historical figures. Most are familiar with the computer from playing computer games or surfing the web but do not know how to use software tools or how to properly position their hands to type. CLICK teaches basic skills to allow students to efficiently complete homework assignments and, ultimately, have more confidence functioning in a growing computer-based world.”
Jill Potters (Executive Director of Calvary Ministries of the West-end Community)
"Youth Media Block" Program Building and Outreach
Organization:
Media Bridges Cincinnati VISTA Name:
Lauren Bratslavsky
Program Start:
9/2006
Program End:
9/2007
Project Description:
Goal 1: Research pre-existing youth oriented media curriculum, policies and programs
Goal 2: Develop manual with existing resources, create MBYC policies, procedures and journal outreaches for future use.
Goal 3: Grant Writing and research funding options focused at the Media Bridges Youth Channel and Operation Department
Goal 4: Research, design, implement a volunteer managment model to be used withthe MBYC.
Project Outcome:
Lauren has been an integral part of ensuring a year- round, sustainable youth media program. She has been developing policies, researching, compiling content for the Youth Media Block and leading several of the outreaches and youth- media classes. The VISTA has also been vital in assisting the Education Coordinator with her duties such as classes, curriculum development, and community outreach.