immigrants
Long Island City CTC Outreach
Organization:
Citizens Committee for New York City VISTA Name:
Carmen Mitchell
Program Start:
6/2002
Project Description:
To strengthen the capacity of the Long Island City CTC by improving self help materials, supporting neighborhood volunteers use of technology, and conducting a needs assessment. The VISTAs will also help the extend the organizations reach to a more diverse constituency of new Americans living in New York.
- Support and organize a more robust outreach campaign targeted at local block, tenant, and neighborhood association members to encourage use of the CTC
- Schedule training sessions and develop self-help materials related to getting neighborhood and civic groups online
- Conduct an information needs assessment of the information and technology needs and interests of 60 neighborhood groups located in low-income, immigrant dense areas of New York City to determine which self-help materials are needed and how they are most likely to be used
- Develop and design five new top sheets based on the specific needs of immigrants
CTC Program Building
Organization:
Big Bend Community College VISTA Name:
Victoria Bravo
Program Start:
9/2004
Program End:
9/2005
Project Description:
Victoria concentrated efforts this year on stabilizing community computer class offerings to reach adult community members in Mattawa, Royal City, and Othello. The first half of her term was spent generating community computer classes, developing more classes in each community, and training volunteers through Central Washington University (CWU) GEARUP. The second half of the term was focused on expanding that interest to self-study and home use, and to continue the access to learning. During the course of the year, over 130 users were involved in introductory computer classes and intermediate level classes. Students logged roughly 1400 user hours. Among other things, these classes built community capacity, strengthened a cadre of volunteers, and led BBCC to develop partnerships and open new computer classes in Mattawa, Royal City and Othello that were geared to second language learners.
Project Outcome:
Victoria refined and implemented a second language (Spanish) curriculum that was used in the computer classes. She based the curriculum on research done with a variety of programs working with second language students. CWU GEARUP linked with Victoria to provide work study students to teach computer classes in the three communities. CWU recruited bilingual campus students who then taught the computer classes under the guidance of the VISTA program. One of the CWU GEARUP program objectives is to increase knowledge and awareness of post secondary education for the families with children in these three communities. Increasing the family’s access to technology is a link to their literacy growth and improves success in school. Victoria also developed a strong relationship with the RECA Foundation in Kennewick and continued to link community members to the foundation so they could purchase refurbished computers at a low cost for their home use. We have learned that real progress for most students is dependant on computers in the home. Victoria was able to get computers into many of the student’s homes in Royal City and Mattawa and to help them keep these computers working. The computers are geared more towards families and give kids a basis for learning. They have security in place to prevent major problems from occurring to the operating system. The major drawback in these computers is that they do not allow changes to the system and prevent use of the internet. However, as a beginning computer for families, they are perfect because they aren’t susceptible to viruses as they become more comfortable with the computers, they can later invest in one that is Internet ready. In the meantime, Internet access and ESL software remains available in the community labs.
Impact Quote:
Victoria has been able to build upon the foundation that was established by last year’s VISTA member to continue the development of dynamic, active technology centers. She is an enormous asset to both the organization and the communities in which she has demonstrated her talent and good will.
CAMINOS Pathways Learning Center
Website:
http://www.caminossf.org/ Location:
San Francisco, CA
Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, CAMINOS enables low-income, Latina immigrants to create opportunities for self and economic improvement through access to technology. CAMINOS is a non-profit organization dedicated to using technology to improve the lives of Latina immigrants. By enabling unemployed or underemployed Latina, immigrant women move from manual or service labor to office and technology-based work, thus interrupting the cycle of poverty and social isolation affecting Latina immigrant women’s health and wellbeing.
CAMINOS works to ensure that low-income Latina immigrant women in the community can reap the benefits of the information revolution that is fundamentally changing our economic and social structure. Without programs such as ours, poor communities would miss the opportunity to be integrated into the technological era, further exacerbating existing equity problems.
Our programs work together to empower Latina immigrant women to build living-wage careers within the information and technology sector.dive
Boat People SOS - Atlanta, GA
Website:
http://www.bpsos.org/ Location:
Doraville, GA
We are a national Vietnamese-American community-based organization with the mission to “empower, organize, and equip Vietnamese individuals and communities in their pursuit of liberty and dignity.”
Since 1980, one in 10 Vietnamese Americans has received assistance from BPSOS while still in Vietnam, on the high seas, in a refugee camp, or after arriving in the United States.
Through our 18 office locations in the U.S. and four office locations in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, we provide a web of services to support individuals, families, and communities.
Boat People SOS - Washington, DC
Website:
http://www.bpsos.org/ Location:
Washington, DC
We are a national Vietnamese-American community-based organization with the mission to “empower, organize, and equip Vietnamese individuals and communities in their pursuit of liberty and dignity.”
Since 1980, one in 10 Vietnamese Americans has received assistance from BPSOS while still in Vietnam, on the high seas, in a refugee camp, or after arriving in the United States.
Through our 18 office locations in the U.S. and four office locations in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, we provide a web of services to support individuals, families, and communities.
Boat People SOS - Virginia
Website:
http://www.bpsos.org/ Location:
Falls Church, VA
We are a national Vietnamese-American community-based organization with the mission to “empower, organize, and equip Vietnamese individuals and communities in their pursuit of liberty and dignity.”
Since 1980, one in 10 Vietnamese Americans has received assistance from BPSOS while still in Vietnam, on the high seas, in a refugee camp, or after arriving in the United States.
Through our 18 office locations in the U.S. and four office locations in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, we provide a web of services to support individuals, families, and communities.
Community Technology Empowerment Project
Website:
http://wip.technologypower.org/ Location:
St Paul, MN
The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for recent immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. AmeriCorps members help youth and adults use technology to better access social, civic, educational and economic opportunities.
The primary goal of this project is to help partner agencies utilize their existing community technology resources to better serve the needs of both youth and adults within their local neighborhoods, especially new immigrant, low-income residents and persons with disabilities.
A secondary goal is teach agency staff, volunteers and visitors how to use new technologies (including digital video and web) in order to help their constituents connect with existing civic, social service and community resources.
Additionally, all AmeriCorps CTEP members are required to mobilize volunteers at their host sites, participate in member development activities, and learn about civic engagement during their service year.
Pui Tak Center
Website:
http://www.puitak.org/ Location:
Chicago, IL
Pui Tak Center is a church-based community. Each year, we serve over 3000 Chinese immigrants through ESL classes and tutoring for adults, children and youth programs, services for new immigrants, family literacy, school, a music program, computer center and outreach programs.