Program and Policy Assistant
Organization:
Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc. VISTA Name:
Victoria Edwards
Program Start:
6/2007
Program End:
6/2008
Project Description:
Program and Policy Assistants (2) will work continue to with the Community Technology Initiative to build community technology-related capacity across the South Florida region via policy, planning and program development. The following activities are proposed:
1. Update and maintain zip code searchable database system for community technology access throughout the region. The system maps all community technology programs in the tri-county region with a database of detailed information for each and is searchable by zip code or keyword. The database system is useful for increasing technology access for those impacted by the digital divide, for those that work with them via other programs, and their advocates.
2. Provide technology and resource development related technical assistance to existing and start-up community technology programs in the tri-county region via an evolving co-op service model which will make access to hardware, software and services more cost effective for human services organizations. To include planning and start-up, discounted co-op tech services and software, technical advice, assistance with set-up and upgrading, matching of volunteers, assistance with grant writing, in-kind donation and fundraising strategies. Municipal broadband initiatives, faith based projects and community and school efforts may be targeted to help ensure maximal digital inclusion. Work with iCoast to develop a pool of volunteers and corporate in-kind donations.
3. Provide support/referral and assistance and/or become involved with cross community programs such as One Community, WiFi Miami Beach, the South Florida Regional Equitable Connection web portal, Elevate Miami and the eSeniors and eParks program, and others as they are identified or evolve.
4. Research sustainable best practices relevant to community technology in the South Florida region, including both local and national practices, to be distributed through written report and communications materials.
5. Assist with policy-related research and field activities relevant to community technology issues in the region, including home and after-school technology use by students and other topics.
6. Host quarterly meetings of the Technology Access Coalition (TAC), to bring together agencies and organizations providing community technology programming or interested in the issue. TAC may be renamed by the group.
7. Participate in other related capacity and consensus building activities as feasible.
Project Outcome:
Victoria was responsible for developing a new co-op model for building capacity in CTC’s, collaborating with partner agency to address hardware and software needs, recruiting volunteers to sustain co-op members and new VISTA’s for the project, conducting community relations and exhibiting at events, and developing conferences for the community technology field.
CTI used its previous mapping of CTC’s to target seven organizations to support through the co-op. Victoria conducted TechAtlas assessments for each organization and used these sophisticated assessment tools to determine how to allocate different resources. These accounts identified technical weaknesses in each CTC through the basic assessments, and also illustrated the technical, staffing and funding nuts and bolts behind running a CTC for program directors. This information was given to the program directors, and after the initial assessment CTI helped develop a comprehensive Technology Plan of Action based around Tech Atlas recommendations and the CTC’s own mission statement and priorities. Victoria recruited volunteers to deal with specific problems that Tech Atlas had identified.
Impact Quote:
“The most illustrative story [regarding the project’s impact] is that InternetCoast asked Victoria if she would be willing to coordinate their own program activities, and together we developed a jointly funded position for 2008-09 that will enable Victoria to coordinate the work of nonprofit and for-profit technology sectors, and to better develop linkages between the two.”
- Mark Needle, supervisor