Community Tech Network is excited to announce the release of a detailed case study about our collaboration with Vivalon, to whose clients we provided remote digital skills training in various languages.
Vivalon’s Need for Multilingual and Remote Digital Skills Training
In 2023, Vivalon, the largest nonprofit serving older adults and people with disabilities in Marin County, received government funding from the California Department of Aging’s Access to Technology (ATT) program. The purpose of this initiative was to reduce social isolation and help older adults (65+) and adults with disabilities (18+) become independent and confident online.
While Vivalon already offered a range of technology programs on-site in English and Spanish (including basic and intermediate digital skills courses, monthly tech workshops, and ongoing tech support with trained volunteers), the organization recognized that some folks might not be able to visit Vivalon’s site in person or may need to access services in another language.
Many older adults are homebound, and since a large part of Marin County is rural, driving to a class or finding public transportation can be challenging and time-consuming.
Additionally, the county is home to many Vietnamese speakers, but due to Vivalon’s staffing limitations, they did not have any employees who spoke the language.
Wanting to expand its services, Vivalon reached out to Community Tech Network, who would provide Vivalon’s clients with remote digital literacy training through its Home Connect program. Best of all? The training would be offered in three languages (based on Vivalon’s needs): English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Report Contents
In our case study, we discuss the program’s workflow, which involved outreach, referrals, skills assessments, device distribution, training, and ongoing support. We share our lessons learned in the hopes that they are beneficial to other organizations and agencies that are working to bridge the digital divide in their communities, particularly if they plan to do so in multiple languages or in a remote (virtual) format.
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