IT Access & Education Projects at Massachusetts CAAs
Six Massachusetts Community Action Agencies (CAAs) now have Information Technology (IT) Access and Education Projects that either are functioning or set to open. These projects all have received initial funding through special projects funds by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as the result of a MASSCAP initiative.
The six CAAs with these projects include: Montachusett Opportunity Council (MOC) in northern Worcester County; Worcester Community Action Council (WCAC); Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD); Community Action, Inc. (CAI) in Haverhill; Tri-CAP in Malden; and Franklin Community Action Corporation (FCAC) in Greenfield. Another CAA, Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI) in Lowell, has an IT access effort underway funded from other sources. Three more Massachusetts CAAs are seeking funding to start IT Access and Education Projects they have in the planning stages: North Shore Community Action Program (NSCAP) in Peabody; Hampshire Community Action Commission (HCAC) in Hampshire County; and Greater Lawrence Community Action Council (GLCAC).
The programs at MOC and ABCD have been in operation for over a year. Early in 2001, programs at WCAC and CAI got underway. Tri-CAP's project is due to open in late April; one component of FCAC's project already has begun, with the next--its IT Access Center in Greenfield--due to open in May.
Each of these projects at Massachusetts CAAs is designed differently and tailored to the needs of the low-income community it serves. MOC's program began with a open-access "cyber cafe" located in the north central industrial town of Fitchburg, and MOC is developing variations of this model in other areas; Tri-CAP's project will begin with a similar open access center but will branch out into classes to be held at the site. Worcester is operating a basic computer training program for low-income people without other access to computers, the Internet, and training; and its program is linked to its jobs and skills training program. ABCD offers computer classes for low-income people in Dorchester who, after finishing the course, can buy a home computer at very low cost and receive ongoing technical support and help. CAI's project uses an existing computer lab used at other times for the agency's job training programs for open access to low-income Haverhill area residents and offers classes in basic computer training. FCAC's project involves both computer classes for parents of children in its Head Start Program as well as an open access computer center for low-income people in Franklin County, due to open late in the spring. All these projects are collecting data on participation and will be evaluated by the McCormack Institute for Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts/Boston.
As noted above, three other CAAs in the state have IT Access and Education Projects for low-income people planned. NSCAP's project will involve a mobile computer access center that will focus on homeless people living on the North Shore. HCAC plans open access centers in two small rural western Hampshire County hilltowns located at sites where it now provides other services to those communities. GLCAC's project will be geared to reach high school age youth after school hours in the old industrial city of Lawrence. MASSCAP is working to obtain funding for these projects as well as the six that will be operating by the end of the spring.
MASSCAP will periodically post news about all of these projects as well as other IT Access and Education initiatives at Massachusetts CAAs on this Web site. It is planning a conference on IT issues in early autumn, 2001, that will include presentations on these projects as well as on related issues. Planning for the conference is now underway; MASSCAP will make details available as they emerge.
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