Making A Difference

1
Making A Difference

• Seattle Community
• Technology Alliance (SCTA)

2
Overview

• Challenges
• Direction

• SCTA Background
• Accomplishments
• Testimonies

3
Who We Are
The Alliance is a collaborative effort to develop
meaningful community technology services.

• City of Seattle
  - Seattle Public Library -
  Dept. of Information Technology - Parks
  Department
• Powerful Schools
• Seattle Public Schools
• Womens Community Impact Consortium
• Associated Recreation Councils
• Microsoft
• Millenium Digital Media
• University of Washington

• Seattle Community College District
• Seattle Housing Authority
• Chinese Information Service Center
• Cisco Systems
• One Economy
• Connect
• ATT Broadband
• Gateway
• VA Linux

4
SCTA Mission

• Provide a sustainable system of equitable public
  access to information technologies and support
  life-long learning, civic participation and
  healthy community development.

5
Where We Are

• Orca, Muir Highpoint Elementary Schools
• South Park, Yesler, Garfield, Delridge, Rainier
  Beach Community Centers
• NewHolly Neighborhood Campus
• Chinese Information Service Center

6
Where We Are

• Public housing projects (2)
• Human service agencies (1)
• Public community centers (4)
• Schools (3)
• Includes two multi-service centers

7
Accomplishments

• Served approximately 800 customers per center
• Built out and increased capacity of 10 CTCs
• Established dedicated lab staffing at 6 centers
• Created an IT training and technical support
  system for sites and coordinators
• Created a youth CTC internship program (6 in 1st
  yr.)
• Started and greatly expanded program services
• Developed joint curriculum planning
• Provided train the trainer program to lab
  coordinators
• Established a CTC work-study program with
  University of Washington deployed 10 students

8
Meaningful Programs

• ESL/GED/ABE
• Literacy training
• After-school programs (incl. Homework help)
• Multi-lingual training
• Employment skills (Basic and Technology)
• Distance Learning Continuing Ed
• Open access for a variety of uses
• Content programming (i.e. engineering for youth)
• E-Commerce

9
Garfields Lab Usage Increase
10
Yeslers Lab Usage By Ethnicity
11
Making a difference...

• I have used the Garfield Computer Lab for
  learning, doing my homework, and having fun.
• I have learned lots of things at the computer
  lab, like using the computer and respecting
  people and the computers.

Daniel Shade
12
Making a difference...

• The Garfield Computer Lab has meant a great deal
  to me. Before utilizing the lab I found that I
  was afraid to even touch the computer. However,
  classes at Garfield had a mentor setting that
  made it easy to learn. I can now e-mail friends
  and family, create brochures and flyers for a
  non-profit company and help others become more
  comfortable with computers.
• Senior Citizen Roxanne Manly

13
Making a difference...

• Computers can be fun and interesting. I have
  started to create a web page and have done some
  programming
• People have taught me things I have never learned
  before. I really like it in the computer lab.

Alvin Beaver
14
Making a difference...

• I utilize the Internet at Garfields computer
  lab. The people here help me to research job
  opportunities, post my resume and check my
  e-mail.

15
Lunch
16
SCTA - Reaching Out

• New program partners (e.g. ETS)
• Bridge Building (e.g. Seattle Jobs Initiative,
  COPC)
• Sharing our model with other cities
• International market exposure (Asia-Pacific
  Cities)

17
Key Challenges

• Limited staffing and resources for program
  development and marketing
• Demand for SCTA services is greater than
  capacity
• Need to clarify optimal structure for SCTA and
  path to organizational sustainability

18
Right now...

• New tracking system and better evaluation
• Building web-based tools (peer support,
  marketing, program, etc)
• Solidifying technical systems
• Developing link to self-empowerment content
  online
• Helping people effectively find and use
  e-services
• Enabling publishers of local content
• Developing programs, esp. content-related
  services (e.g. health human services)
• Developing home ownership link (One Economy)

19
Future

• Continue to develop relevant programs
• Enhance technology capacity
• Include other centers countywide
• Improve linkage to industry
• Develop long-term partnerships
• Develop business planning for CTCs and SCTA
  (social venture)

20
We Need You For...

• Continued in-kind and capital support
• Business and Technology Planning
• Education, training business services

• Workforce advice, placements and mentors
• Staffing support
• Marketing
• Capital investment in neighborhoods

21
Benefits to Business

• Expand relationship and cause related marketing
• Increases revenue streams from consumer markets
• Increases channels for workforce recruitment and
  training
• Increases opportunities for employee volunteerism
• Enhances brand visibility
• Enhances corporate and community goodwill

22
Conclusions

• Were making a significant contribution
• This is due to partner support
• This collaborative is important to all sectors
  and internationally as an example
• Next year is critical (DOE runs out)