ASC3 will work with the three major community organizations, to identity and recruit community leaders in the neighborhood in need of technology training and internet access.
Leader
Wanda Davis
Location
11011 Ashbury Cleveland, OH 44106
The Connect2Lead project will help Glenville residents who are active community leaders, yet still on the wrong side of the digital divide, to get the training, support, equipment and affordable Internet service they deserve.
Work with neighborhood organizations and politicians to identify and recruit up to 30 unconnected grassroots leaders;
Offer the candidates twelve hours of basic and intermediate computer / web training, with a focus on safe communication and neighborhood information tools;
Provide no-cost refurbished computer systems to those who complete the training, and
Get them connected to the Internet with very affordable ($10/month) WiMax 4G accounts and free modems.
Technology continues to transform our lives in multiple ways. A prime example is the way in which we communicate. Communication among active neighbors, community staff, and public officials in our neighborhoods is transcending to more on-line / electronic correspondence. Most Glenville community organizations regularly use email, newsletters and other electronic material to communicate with thousands of neighborhood residents. An increasing number of individuals are E-discussing neighborhood issues via social media groups such as Facebook and Twitter. Electronic communication is slowly replacing the interactions that used to occur on the phone, by leaflet or mail, and even face-to-face meetings.
But the Federal Communications Commission’s most recent Internet provider data tells us that at least 60% of low income area households still don’t have fast Internet connections. We know that lack of connection is strongly associated with lower incomes, lower educations, and higher age. These demographics represent our target population. Our financially disadvantaged, less educated and older grassroots leaders are being left “out of the civic loop” – simply because they do not possess the skills nor ability to get connected from their homes.