outreach
Digital Expansion Initiative Program Developer
Organization:
People's Production House VISTA Name:
Alexis Walker
Program Start:
6/2007
Project Description:
The Digital Expansion Initiative uses participant-led media production, education, and organizing to expand meaningful access to all New Yorkers. The VISTA will support the project by producing and helping others produce radio and by conducting research.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of the barrier to technology access in poor communities in New York City by training members of 5 - 10 non-profit organizations to research and report on the state of Internet access in their organizations and among their constituencies
- Produce and distribute community-produced content documenting the state of Internet access in New York City as a way to engage new constituents in the development of broadband infrastructure of programs to bridge the digital divide
- Based on community-produced content, produce and distribute comprehensive report on barrier to Internet access in New York City
- Build a new constituency of engaged and conversant experts on community access technology, based in communities with no or limited access to technology, and the capacity to continue expanding that constituency
Project Outcome:
During her year of service, Alexis served as the program associate for a new program: the Digital Expansion Initiative. In this capacity, she served as support for the program - maintaing contact records and contacting organizations for partnerships, consolidating data, researching articles and resources, updating website content, conducting audio interviews, administering a written survey, writing articles on public policy of telecommunications, and presenting the initiative’s finding and methods in workshops around NYC and the country.
Outreach Coordinator
Organization:
Mountain Area Information Network VISTA Name:
Meegan Kelly
Program Start:
6/2007
Project Description:
The CTC AmeriCorps member will support our ongoing outreach and community development efforts. Meegan will work on a number of projects including: computer/internet digital literacy outreach, revitalize latino website, public outreach and education on media issues, and project assistance for MAIN
- recruit volunteers and service providers
- Project Coordination
- Public Speaking
- Write press releases
- Fundraising assistance
- Organize task forces/coalitions
- Conduct outreach
- Volunteer coordination
- Website administration
- Write training curricula; Train trainers
- Grant writing and research
- Database management
- Design brochures, posters
- Develop community partnerships
- Assist in project evaluation
Youth Program Development
Organization:
The Inland Northwest Community Access Network VISTA Name:
John Van Houdt
Program Start:
6/2007
Project Description:
John will be helping with outreach for our teen programs. He will be building a base of volunteers and mentors within the community who can work with our teen programs. He will also help to develop new teen activities utilizing information technology and interactive media.
- Develop an active volunteer program for TINCAN’s teen programs
- Recruit business and community members as mentors in TINCAN’s technology and media programs
- Develop internships and activities in web development, e-commerce, video and game development for at risk 13-18 year olds
- Develop and help to implement a program that allows teens who master media skills to work as paid interns at TINCAN
- Help to publicize TINCAN’s teen programs in the community
Outreach Coordinator
Organization:
U Mass Boston/College of Public & Community Service VISTA Name:
Erin Taylor
Program Start:
9/2006
Project Description:
The VISTA will work with the Project’s support staff and VISTA Leaders to provide coordination and support to other VISTAs in the field on professional, personal, and some administrative matters relating to service.
- Assist VISTA leaders and staff in coordinating training and conference attendance/participation
- Work with VISTA leaders on the development and coordination of collaborative projects developed by VISTAs throughout the year
- Coordinate the avenues of communications among VISTAs (blogs, newsletter, website)
- Assist with organizational outreach efforts
- Coordinate outreach to educational institutions and online communities that may be good sources of VISTA recruits
Project Outcome:
Erin Taylor has proved herself to be both hard working and innovative during her VISTA service and has greatly improved the ability of the CTC VISTA Project to accomplish its mission and programs.
As Project Development Associate, Erin was instrumental in improving our outreach and communication. Erin developed a comprehensive plan for outreach to colleges and other media technology programs, significantly enlarging our pool of qualified VISTA applicants. Additionally, Erin’s research of organizational and institutional partners led us to having one of the most successful VISTA placement rounds ever, with more than 100 organizations submitting applications. On her work on The Digest, our organization’s newsletter and review, Erin worked closely with staff and VISTAs to produce four unique and high-quality issues.
In addition to outreach work, Erin greatly improved our fundraising capacity. Erin researched more than 40 funding institutions, documenting her processes and providing a strong foundation for future development. She leaves many templates for proposals and grant language, and submitted many letters of introduction and one complete proposal.
Lastly, Erin has proved invaluable in her collaborations with other local VISTAs and VISTA Leaders. In addition to helping to bring about two successful Pre-Service Orientations and our monthly area meetings, Erin has greatly helped in encouraging discussion and creating collaborations between members and organizations.
Youth Media Coordinator
Organization:
Boston Neighborhood Network VISTA Name:
Julie Bohnlein
Program Start:
1/2007
Project Description:
Julie will be working with youth to build a youth-lead media production club. Her role will be to help the youth members to establish a program structure, volunteer mentoring and instructional, and production guidelines for youth lead video projects. She will be working closely on these activities with our Multimedia Coordinator. Part of the position requires that she assist in the development of new media/technology curriculum based on past participant evaluations. A major goal is to increase youth participation and leadership to the point that the club is able to produce a once a week program made by teens for cablecast on our channels.
- Assist in further development of BNN’s youth media arts and technology services and training, including assessment, curriculum development and coordination of instructional offerings.
- Outreach to Boston teens, especially at-risk youth, to recruit interest in media-making at BNN. Work with other youth-serving organizations, develop promotional materials (print and video), survey past participants, and assist with planning improvements.
- Develop youth media club to provide regular opportunity for sustainable involvement of youth participants beyond duration of workshops.
- Help identify potential funding sources for club, mentors and training scholarships
- Provide individual assistance to youth and other BNN members as they develop the technical and creative skills necessary to assume leadership roles within the program
- Collaborate with and support youth-based initiatives with community partners and organizations
Policy, Planning and Program Development
Organization:
Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc. VISTA Name:
Diego Barrera
Program Start:
1/2007
Project Description:
The VISTA will work with the Community Technology Initiative to build community technology-related capacity across the South Florida region via policy, planning and program development.
- Update, maintain, and promote zip code searchable database mapping system for community technology access throughout the region
- Provide support for the development of the South Florida Regional Equitable Connection web portal and provide outreach to local agencies to expand access to a wide array of resources
- Provide technical assistance and support to existing and emerging community technology programs
- Organize and document findings for a series of focus group discussions targeting potential or current end-users of community technology programs
- Research sustainable best practices relevant to community technology in the South Florida region.
- Assist with policy-related research and field activities relevant to community technology issues in the region.
- Where feasible, provide assistance with other policy and program development related to the initiative’s plan of work through activities that develop capacity and consensus building
Event Planning and Fund Raising
Organization:
Community Technology Organizing Consortium (CTOC) VISTA Name:
Dana Sou
Program Start:
11/2006
Project Outcome:
Dana Sou actively participated in building the capacity of the Community Technology Organizing Consortium on various levels. Dana helped to organize 3 major events which included: COTC’s Annual Christmas event in December, NTEN’s Accessibility Institute in Los Angeles in January, and our annual Meet the Funder Event in June. Each of these events required vast outreach and community organizing to CTOC’s members which consists of various non-profit organizations and CTC’s in the Los Angeles area. Dana was successful in drawing attention and generating interest to these three events by actively communicating with numerous organizations through phone calls, and posting on the listserve.
Dana has also collaborated with CTOC staff to write and edit parts of CTOC’s three year strategic plan that spans from fundraising to media policy initiatives. She has also helped in areas of funding through conducting research for potential funding through foundation searches and has written up Letter’s of Inquiry (LOI’s) as well as draft and edit grant proposals. She is also currently writing a policy position paper concerning technology standards among high schools. Dana’s participation with CTOC has greatly helped the organization through community outreach, funding, and creating resourceful research projects.
Youth Program Development
Organization:
DANEnet VISTA Name:
Catherine Moore
Program Start:
1/2007
Project Description:
The VISTA will extend the youth programs DANEnet is currently providing. The VISTA will also work with agencies that want to expand their technology needs. In particular the Youth Resource Network, a collaboration of over 35 youth serving agencies and the recipient of the Partners for After School Success program, which has proposed a Web application that will help them coordinate activities. The VISTA will also recruit and organize DANEnet’s first Day of Service.
Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Organization:
Neighborhood Technology Resource Center VISTA Name:
James Lofton
Program Start:
2/2007
Project Description:
- Lead community outreach and marketing efforts
- Hold information sessions about NTRC Programs and Services
- Develop our database, track client information
- Create surveys and evaluations for users to evaluate NTRC programs
- Coordinate community groups and leaders and hold meetings including users, stakeholders, and other community members on issues related to the NTRC projects
- Market NTRC programs and services to partner organizations, Service Connectors and Housing Developments
- Create publications, press releases and newspaper articles
Media Watch Team Social Media Development
Organization:
Project: Think Different / Amplifyme VISTA Name:
Colleen Kelly
Program Start:
6/2006
Project Description:
- Develop fund raising campaigns
- Develop personalized blogs for Media Watch Team members and citizen journalists
- Assist in the training Media Watch Team members and other staff in absic digital media authoring, such as video blogging
- Create a packaged curriculum for train-the-trainer workshops for digital media creation and facilitate the actual workshops
- Implement a membership system for online resources
- develop relationships with community leaders and organizations for building a strong youth media network in Boston
Project Outcome:
Organized web resource area and assisted in the production of outreach and PR materials.