Developing Digital Leaders Archives - Community Tech Network

Kami Griffiths Hosts Digital Inclusion Week Webinar October 5

John Stock — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 05:24:03 +0000

Photo – Screen grab from the webinar It’s been over six months since the pandemic left us sheltering in place. Everything about how we live and work has changed. By now, most nonprofits have been able to move their programming online, but that does not help people with limited or no internet access or who lack the digital skills to participate. This situation prompted Kami Griffiths, executive director and co-founder of Community Tech Network, to develop and host a webinar for the Austin community on October 5. It was called “Connecting the Unconnected: Programming in the Age of COVID-19,” and you can see the recording here. The webinar kicked off Digital Inclusion Week in Austin, which included several events during the week of October 5 – 9 to raise awareness of solutions that address home internet access, personal devices, and local technology training and support. The webinar, designed for nonprofit program management and client-facing staff, taught participants how to document obstacles existing in their communities that keep their clients offline. It helped them understand this data and increased their comfort level in communicating it to stakeholders who affect policy and provide funding. In addition, the attendees learned specific, immediate steps they can follow […]

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2019 International Women’s Day Is Today!

Jessica Looney — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:55:28 +0000

Today is International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements that women have brought about in our world. When it comes to technology, women have been instrumental since the very beginning of the industry. In 1843, a woman named Ada Lovelace defined the concept of computer code, allowing a machine to perform complex tasks by repeating a series of instructions. Her work, beginning at age 17, laid the foundation for modern programming, and she is now widely considered a pioneer of the tech field. Over the course of the 20th century, women like Ida Rhodes, Grace Hopper, and Sophie Wilson all helped computers change from mainframes at universities to PCs in our homes. And the work of women of color like Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughn was crucial to the success of NASA’s famous 1969 moon landing. Today, women continue to lead innovation in technology as the field branches into quantum computing, virtual reality, and fiber optic internet. The work of these women, and countless others, has inspired generations of young women to transform their lives through technology. For our part, CTN works every day to help connect women who lack access to essential online services. Celebrate International Women’s Day with us […]

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iPad Class at Children’s Council San Francisco

Jared Boddum — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 15:45:13 +0000

CTN recently completed a series of classes with students from the Children’s Council San Francisco with the goal of maximizing their use of iPad technology. Students went beyond the basics on the iPad and learned how the internet fits together and connects to apps and security. Children’s Council San Francisco managers were always on hand for each class to “connect” the learning to broader services offered by the council. Learners came to us with diverse needs, deepened by the shifting daily realities and the educational environments they connect with and represent. This means that our learners were ready to engage us in a dialogue about technology that could be transformative for the class and, especially, for the teacher delivering the curriculum. We sponsor lively class discussions that help students take ownership over their own activities on the iPad and on the broader internet. I made an effort to synthesize everything I have learned from teaching to provide these intermediate-level learners with effective instruction and to demystify concepts such as the cloud and advanced Google searches. But I also emphasized effective measures for students to remain secure online. Overall, we are attempting to provide students with a greater sense of autonomy and possibility […]

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Digital Skills Changing Lives!

Jessica Looney — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 15:00:08 +0000

Ira Seiden was left behind because he didn’t have the right tools. “I had the desire, I wanted it, but couldn’t do it because the tools weren’t there. No one taught me and no one cared.” Ira joined a basic digital literacy class with fellow residents at Episcopal Community Services (ECS) and received a laptop as part of his training. After two of months of training, Ira learned to use Skype to talk to his sister whom he hasn’t seen in over four years. “I amaze myself sometimes. Not knowing anything about a computer and now I am Skyping with my sister in Florida. It’s amazing. And I can go anywhere with this, if I want to!” CTN bridges the digital divide by providing compassionate trainings, tailored to meet people where they are and empower them to change their lives. Ira experienced this firsthand, and so can others with your support. You have the power to change someone’s life. This month your contribution goes twice as far with a generous match from Twitter. Donate today and change someone’s life.

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Breakfast Brag & Borrow: Summer recap

Laurie Sanchez — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 15:07:35 +0000

As might be expected in a month filled with momentous graduations, transitions from school to summer schedules, and closing the San Francisco fiscal year, our June meeting hosted by Tenderloin Tech Lab was smaller than usual. Attendees were dedicated regulars: Tenderloin Tech Lab (TTL), The Women’s Building, Tech in the Tenderloin, and UCSF Zuckerberg SF General Hospital. We took this opportunity to dive deeper into the shared challenge of gaining participation in the spectrum of amazing programs we offer. The Bay Area is well above 90 percent for access to broadband, defined as high-speed service necessary to meaningfully use the Internet. But we know there is still a significant, not well measured gap in knowledgeable users. Many with and without access still do not understand the personal relevance of learning computer skills. They don’t see the positive impact it could have on meeting basic needs like communication and healthcare and on improving quality of life. We discussed conditions that draw visitors, like having charging cords for a range of mobile devices. We considered ways to broaden our reach so more learn of available services, like engaging places of faith practice. A theme for all present was providing instruction that is beyond […]

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RSC Trip to Adobe

Kami Griffiths — Thu, 17 May 2018 14:37:12 +0000

Ready, Set, Connect! (RSC) is our annual youth project. RSC has developed the skills of youth trainers who have helped more than 4,000 Oakland residents develop their digital skills. To complement this, RSC engages corporate mentors who provide workshops and site visits, increasing participants’ professional networks and inspiring them to enter the tech workforce. Below is a recent account of a trip to Adobe by RSC member Mauricio Mares. Our recent trip to Adobe in SF can be described in one phrase: creative productive. We met a panel of workers from different sectors of the company and learned their life stories, their goals, and how they got into the company. One of the Adobe employees talked about the benefit of working with the company being that it allowed her to be creative and also provide beneficial consumer products. Not only do they bring income to the company, they keep customers happy. I was inspired to look for opportunities in my own life that bring happiness and financial stability and allow me to connect with people in a meaningful way. Direct exposure to tech companies prepares us for the future. In addition to learning in a classroom setting, we are interacting […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Vern at Excelsior

Ghazal Rezvani — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:00:15 +0000

During CTN’s 2017 Volunteer Appreciation Awards, Vern was awarded the title of Marathon Man for dedicating five years and counting with CTN to assisting computer learners. Vern chuckles and replies that this is simply a sign of his ever-growing gray hairs. Yet every Monday afternoon he can be found at Excelsior Center forming relationships with new learners. Vern began working with computers professionally in the early 80s and, among other things, acted as desktop support for the National Park Service. After entering retirement, he wanted to give back to his own community and came across CTN. Vern remembers six eager learners attending his very first class. In a lab with only four computers, he creatively paired learners together on a computer. One of his lessons included directions for ripping a CD in Windows 7 and introducing related concepts such as MP3. He recalls, “That was a real game changer for them — they could now personalize a CD with their own music and listen to it at home.” The lessons continued for about four weeks, and Vern proudly remembers students with “stars in their eyes as they were learning new concepts.” While he is not able to see the long-term […]

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Introducing the Sixth Cohort for Ready, Set, Connect!

Kami Griffiths — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 15:35:51 +0000

We are really excited to be partnering again this year with the Oakland Public Library on the Ready, Set, Connect! program. In the program’s sixth year, this current cohort of 19 youth are serving throughout Oakland at the following libraries: 81st Street, Asian, Chavez, Dimond, Eastmont, Main, Melrose, Rockridge, and West Oakland. Collectively they speak 10 languages (in addition to English) and range in age from 16 to 24. Since the program began in 2013, we have made a substantial impact on the digital divide in Oakland. In total we have developed 67 leaders who helped 4,552 community members with their technology-related questions. “Through our partnership, we’re supporting young people in the acquisition of essential life and job skills, while changing the digital literacy landscape across Oakland. I couldn’t think of two better causes to work towards in partnership with CTN!” says Lana Adlawan, director of teen services for Oakland Public Library. The program runs for eight months and will provide the youth with 64 hours of professional development, including guest speakers from companies like Adobe, Google, Twitter, and Prezi and at least four site visits to the companies. We would like to thank the following funders for their recent […]

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Volunteer Spotlight: Anna at Centro Latino

Ghazal Rezvani — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 15:27:03 +0000

Every Friday, Anna can be found at Centro Latino in the Mission, assisting community members in Spanish and English at the computer lab. She has a strong passion for giving back to the community and believes this stems from growing up in Honduras, a country that is continuing to develop. Anna completed her education in the Bay Area, and now works for a tech company as a customer success manager. In her time as a volunteer, Anna reflects, “You learn to become more patient. I’ve learned to simplify vocabulary that we use like ‘click and close’ down to ‘click on the red box.’ Communicating with the learners, and understanding their respective needs, is important, as well as your own self-awareness.” Anna has helped individuals in the lab in various ways, from gaining access to information regarding immigration services to utilizing YouTube to learn how to speak English. She recalls recently working with a 90-year-old learner who was eager to learn how to type. They started going through the different typing stages in the SF Connected program. It was clear that consistency paid off, as he moved from typing to other skills such as using Google search, Google Maps, and YouTube. […]

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Trainer Spotlight: Tony Pound

Laurie Sanchez — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 02:11:56 +0000

I started with CTN the week of September 8, 2015, and we were scheduled to attend the volunteer training that Friday. Anthony Pound, a United Kingdom transplant, was among those in the class. His ready smile and ease with both the sensitivity and teaching content of the training immediately evidenced the compassionate tutor he would prove to be. He chose the Downtown Center computer lab as his training site, a brisk walk from his new SF home South of Market. His first day was my first day in a CTN computer lab, so we shared the energy of meeting people, developing rapport, and figuring out possibilities. Weeks later, I remember visiting the lab and finding Tony in a nonbeginner discussion with a learner about something relating to technology. He was a combination of sage, oracle, and enthusiast. He invited people to move forward and beyond existing skills and believe there was always more they could explore and learn. In England, Tony was a teacher and soccer coach, and both personae surfaced in his ready sports discussions and patient teaching. In 2016, he was offered a teaching position at a private school. He happily told us it was only four days […]

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