community benefits & digital inclusion efforts

Community Benefits & Digital inclusion Efforts


What Is Digital Inclusion?What Is Digital Inclusion?

Every Minneapolis resident Every Minneapolis resident

deservesdeserves access to access to the social, civic, educational and the social, civic, educational and

economic opportunities economic opportunities

the Internet provides.the Internet provides.


68% of Americans use the Internet68% of Americans use the Internet

70% of Whites 70% of Whites 57% of African-Americans57% of African-Americans38% of Americans with disabilities38% of Americans with disabilities37% of Hispanics 37% of Hispanics 29% who have not graduated from High 29% who have not graduated from High SchoolSchool26% age 60 or older26% age 60 or older

“Digital Divisions”, Report of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, October 2005

A Nation Online?


Persistent Barriers IncludePersistent Barriers IncludeLimited technology literacy skillsLimited technology literacy skillsAnxiety, fear of technology toolsAnxiety, fear of technology toolsLimited education, general literacy levelsLimited education, general literacy levelsLanguage, accessibility barriersLanguage, accessibility barriersIrrelevant contentIrrelevant contentAvailability of affordable broadband Availability of affordable broadband service (rural and low-income communities) service (rural and low-income communities) Cost of entry (hardware)Cost of entry (hardware)


Why is Access Important?Why is Access Important?Job listings & applicationsE-Government services

FAFSA- Student Aid application online Filing taxes, vehicle & business licenses

Register & communicate with K-12 teachersCommunicate with elected officialsLoans and banking servicesHealth care information (Medicare Part D)“Social Inclusion”


The Digital Divide:The Digital Divide:A Minneapolis SnapshotA Minneapolis Snapshot

Kim Havey, the former director of the Minneapolis Empowerment Zone, estimated that less than 20% of households in the Empowerment Zones neighborhoods, which include Phillips, have home computers.


Phillips/ Ventura NeighborhoodsPhillips/ Ventura Neighborhoods

Using this estimate, there are Using this estimate, there are 690 690 potential computer users for potential computer users for eacheach public-access computer available in the public-access computer available in the neighborhood in any given week.neighborhood in any given week.

This includes public libraries, open labs This includes public libraries, open labs at schools, and CTCs.at schools, and CTCs.

Research by: L. A. Stolarczyk Waite House, Pillsbury United CommunitiesCommunity Technology Empowerment Project


Digital Inclusion Requires:Digital Inclusion Requires:

•TrainingTraining•AccessAccess

•HardwareHardware•ContentContent


By providing high speed, low-cost By providing high speed, low-cost broadband Internet service, broadband Internet service,

will help bridge the will help bridge the ACCESS ACCESS gap.gap.


A Community Benefits Agreement provides a unique opportunity to address the TECHNOLOGY LITERACY gap.

A Community Benefits Agreement provides a unique opportunity to address the TECHNOLOGY LITERACY gap.


Community Benefits AgreementCommunity Benefits Agreement

A A Community Benefits AgreementCommunity Benefits Agreement (CBA) (CBA) is is required as part of any final contract with required as part of any final contract with broadband/IP vendor(s).broadband/IP vendor(s).

The The CBACBA will focus on how to best support will focus on how to best support new technology users in underserved new technology users in underserved communitiescommunities..


……through support for the development through support for the development of local, relevant of local, relevant CONTENTCONTENT


…and/or support for technology VOLUNTEER & MENTORING programs


……and/or support forand/or support for HARDWARE HARDWARE refurbishing programs & discountsrefurbishing programs & discounts

Wireless card

Wireless router


…….and/or affordable .and/or affordable SOFTWARESOFTWARE, , including including security, accessibilitysecurity, accessibility and and open sourceopen source tools tools


The Digital Access + Equity Campaign

•A grassroots effort to inform, educate and organize A grassroots effort to inform, educate and organize Minneapolis residents around Digital Inclusion efforts, Minneapolis residents around Digital Inclusion efforts, and discuss CBA issues.and discuss CBA issues.

•Community Meetings began in November 2005Community Meetings began in November 2005

•Sponsored by C-CAN, The Community Computer Sponsored by C-CAN, The Community Computer Access Network & The Alliance for Metropolitan Access Network & The Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, with support from the MSNet Fund Stability, with support from the MSNet Fund of the Minneapolis Foundationof the Minneapolis Foundation

Residents and non-profit representatives have been meeting…


Online CBA Survey

What should the CBA include? --Assessing Community Needs

www.DIGITALACCESS.ORGwww.DIGITALACCESS.ORG


Subsidized or FreeSubsidized or Free Individual AccountsIndividual Accounts

40% listed this as CRITICAL40% listed this as CRITICAL40% answered VERY IMPORTANT40% answered VERY IMPORTANT

Discounted or Free Non-Profit Accounts Discounted or Free Non-Profit Accounts

60% answered “DISCOUNTED60% answered “DISCOUNTED””33% answered “FREE”33% answered “FREE”

Ideas related to Community Benefits(from current survey data)


FreeFree ServiceService to Schools, Parks, Libraries and to Schools, Parks, Libraries and Community Technology Centers (CTCs)Community Technology Centers (CTCs)

52 % answered CRITICAL28% answered VERY IMPORTANT14% answered IMPORTANT

Discounts to Small BusinessesDiscounts to Small Businesses

48% answered IMPORTANT48% answered IMPORTANT 20% answered VERY IMPORTANT20% answered VERY IMPORTANT17% listed this as CRITICAL17% listed this as CRITICAL


To support efforts that address To support efforts that address community technology needs,community technology needs,

a vendor supporteda vendor supported

““Digital Inclusion Fund”Digital Inclusion Fund”might be part of the CBA.might be part of the CBA.


How will How will community-generatedcommunity-generated ideas & recommendationsideas & recommendationsimpact the City’s formal impact the City’s formal

contract negotiation process?contract negotiation process?


Taskforce collects CBA ideas community surveys, meetings, events and emails

Taskforce reviews, prioritizes and makesCBA recommendations to negotiators

City negotiates CBA with Vendor (as part of overall service contract)


This taskforce will coordinate (and receive) all of the community input that the City receives through its own and other agencies’ meetings, surveys and forums.

The Digital Inclusion Task ForceThe Digital Inclusion Task Force


The taskforce will then integrate that community input to craft Community Benefits recommendations that can be used during the contract negotiations.

The Digital Inclusion Task ForceThe Digital Inclusion Task Force


Community Leaders Representing:Community Leaders Representing:

• K-12 Public SchoolsK-12 Public Schools• Minneapolis LibrariesMinneapolis Libraries• Non-Profit OrganizationsNon-Profit Organizations• Higher Education (MNSCU and U of M)Higher Education (MNSCU and U of M)• Greater Twin Cities United WayGreater Twin Cities United Way• Corporate FoundationsCorporate Foundations• Local Employers, BusinessesLocal Employers, Businesses• Local Government AgenciesLocal Government Agencies• Minority, Senior and Disability Minority, Senior and Disability

CommunitiesCommunities

Who serves on this Task Force?Who serves on this Task Force?


• Articulate a Community Technology Articulate a Community Technology Agenda for the City of MinneapolisAgenda for the City of Minneapolis

• Review community input & oversee Review community input & oversee CBA recommendationsCBA recommendations

Task Force Objectives:Task Force Objectives:


• understandunderstand existing technology needs existing technology needs

• examineexamine community-based strategiescommunity-based strategiesthat meet these needsthat meet these needs

• negotiatenegotiate benefits that help bring more benefits that help bring more Minneapolis residents onlineMinneapolis residents online

Community input will help the Task Force, city staff, vendors, and elected officials:


•Complete the online Complete the online CBACBA survey at survey athttp://www.digitalaccess.orghttp://www.digitalaccess.org

•Attend C-CAN/ Alliance for Metropolitan Stability Attend C-CAN/ Alliance for Metropolitan Stability roundtable meetings.roundtable meetings. Call (612) 332-4471 Call (612) 332-4471

•Attend City-sponsored events and pilot activitiesAttend City-sponsored events and pilot activities …information on City and DigitalAccess …information on City and DigitalAccess

websiteswebsites

Get Involved, Stay Informed!Get Involved, Stay Informed!


visitvisit www.digitalaccess.org for meeting dates and locationsfor meeting dates and locations

http:// www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/wirelessminneapolis/

community benefits & digital inclusion efforts

Documents

community needswww

community meetings

access gap

technology literacy

new technology users

minneapolis residents

minneapolis empowerment

cba issues