CTCNetwork News January 2007

In this Issue

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Dear Members,

January 19, 2007 will be my last day as CTCNet's Executive Director. I'm sad to be leaving but looking forward to some time off to focus on my new family.

I began my service with CTCNet in March 2003 and have always felt it an honor to lead this organization.  I came on to manage an incredibly dedicated staff and we have been fortunate over the years to continue to attract a team of people that are committed to CTCNet's mission.  I am thankful to have had the support and guidance of a Board that has worked to represent you, the Members, and an Advisory Board that has mentored me throughout.

CTCNet Members -- Whether you focus on job training, literacy, civic engagement or other areas, the need for CTC services continues.  I have learned a great deal from many of you across your areas of expertise and the creative ways that your CTCs have utilized technology for community benefit. Please continue to share your practices with each other and the many new members that continue to join the network.  Know that I have the greatest respect for the work that you do and the impact that it has had each year on thousands of people.

I wish you all the happiest of new years in 2007 and the best of luck in your CTC work!

-- Kavita Singh, Executive Director

*On January 20th, Shireen Mitchell, CTCNet's Board President, will begin serving as Acting Interim Executive Director until the position is permanently filled.

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An Important Announcement - 2007 Activities & the Conference

In 2007, CTCNet will build a new strategic plan for the next three years (2008-2010).  After carrying out our current strategic plan which included providing almost four million dollars in grants to CTCs, CTCNet must now focus on the organization's development and future plans.  The activities that have been directly funded for the staff and board to deliver on next year include:

Given the focus of our work this year, as well as our leadership and staff transitions, we will not be holding an annual conference in 2007. We recognize that the Conference is one of the most valuable professional development opportunities and look forward to bringing CTCNet's Community Technology Conference back to you in 2008.

We will be considering alternative ways to bring members together and welcome your suggestions.  Remember that we also have several C4All Accessibility Institutes remaining in January, offering another opportunity for training and networking. If you have any questions or suggestions, please email the Board of Directors or Hanh Le, Director of Programs.

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C4All Gains Momentum!

The Connections for All (C4All) program is rolling!  Our C4All Accessibility Institute road show may have recently visited a city near you.  The Institutes were a smashing success in Minneapolis and Chicago in November and in Houston, Dallas, and New York in December.

Dorla Bonne (Rockford Housing Authority) and Katrice Harris (Jane Addams Hull House Association) at the Chicago Accessibility Institute

Institute participants were introduced to the "Universe of Abilities", provoking thought and discussion around the idea that serving people with disabilities is part of each CTC's mission to expand access to technology among underserved communities.  Also launched at the Institutes was the C4All Self-Assessment tool, which CTCs can use to assess, plan for, and implement solutions to improve their overall practice (in general) and accessibility (in particular). 

The Self-Assessment tool – an expanded version of which will be available to all CTCNet members in late-2007 – has been getting rave reviews.  One Institute participant commented, "It's an honest, easy tool. It's encouraging."

Attendance at a C4All Institute is a prerequisite for eligibility for one of twenty $1000 AccessNow Awards, two of which are given at each Institute.  Ten (10) of these were already awarded at the November and December Institutes to:

Project for Pride in Living (MN), Center for Opportunities (NM), Cleveland Housing Network (OH), Lawndale Christian Development Corporation (IL), East End Life Center (TX), Technology For All (TX), Technology Expanding Community Horizons (TX), Irving.Net (TX), Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House (NY), and Fort Greene Strategic Neighborhood Action Partnership (NY).

Kristi Hansen and Janet Peters of PACER Center, the host site of the Minnapolis Institute

We will be inviting all Institute participants to apply for the larger Accessibility Grant in February 2007 to receive one of fourteen $20,000 Accessibility Grants to be awarded in April 2007.

Don't miss out!  There are five more Institutes scheduled for January in the following cities: Los Angeles, Baltimore, Oakland, Nashville, and Boston.  Visit the C4All homepage to register.  Hope to see you there!

Questions about C4All can be directed to Jenn Miller.

 

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Bring Youth Visions to Your Neighborhood!

 

After three years of field testing with 22 community technology centers across the country, CTCNet is releasing the final Youth Visions for Stronger Neighborhoods curriculum to our members and the general public.  The Curriculum is designed as a guide for organizations hoping to provide youth the opportunity to use multimedia tools and training to engage in community decision-making.  The ultimate goal?  Stronger Neighborhoods!  The Curriculum is available for purchase on the newly launched Youth Visions website at www.ctcnet.org/youthvisions, where you can also view youth-produced videos and read case studies about locally implemented Youth Visions programs.

What are past Youth Visions participants saying about the program?                                             Many adult coordinators felt that a program highlight was how it connected youth to leaders in their community.  Most of our youth participants rated their skills in teamwork, creative arts, leadership, public speaking and presenting, research, and visual arts higher after completing the program than before.  And not too surprisingly, many youth participants told us that  using a camera and editing film were their favorite program activities. 

Over three years, CTCNet provided $870,000 in Youth Visions grants to the participating organizations. CTCNet funding for Youth Visions grants is no longer available; however, the field-tested curriculum is a valuable resource from which our members, as well as other youth-serving organizations, can benefit.  Visit www.ctcnet.org/youthvisions today to learn more and order it today! 

Additional questions about Youth Visions can be directed to Hanh Le.

 

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Member Profile: Cleveland Housing Network

 

Our featured CTCNet Member in this edition of the CTCNetwork News is one of our C4All AccessNow Award winners:  Cleveland Housing Network’s Community Training Center (Cleveland, Ohio). Since 2002, CHN’s Center has been working to help families break the cycle of poverty by offering them the essential tools and training that promote lasting employment as well as obtaining affordable housing and homeownership. CTCNetwork News spoke with Jassen Tawil and Damita Curry of CHN to learn more.

 

What services does Cleveland Housing Network provide to the community?

The Cleveland Housing Network is a community development corporation with a mission to generate hope and healthy market forces in Cleveland’s aging neighborhoods, pave powerful pathways out of poverty for very low-income families, and assist low to moderate income working families in building wealth and self-determination.

Cleveland Housing Network serves hundreds of people; can you briefly describe what your programs are about and what they offer the community?

In 2002, CHN established the Community Training Center with the help of a Department of Commerce Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) Grant.  The CTC currently offers a mix of programs including: Homeownership Education, Foreclosure Prevention, Money Management, Skill Building, Free Tax Preparation, and Computer Training.

What impact does the Cleveland Housing Network have on the individuals/community it serves?

Since opening in 2002, the CTC has served more than 7,000 individuals.  The CTC serves as a resource for those with few resources and provides pathways out of poverty and into self-sufficiency. This is accomplished in 3 key areas: (1) financial counseling and education; (2) basic skills necessary to succeed in employment programs; (3) and the basic skills necessary to continue education.

What are the challenges, demands, and pressures facing your organization?

For the second time in the last three years Cleveland was named the poorest big city in America.  Nearly a third of the city’s residents and almost half of the children live below the Federal poverty line.  The State of Ohio has the highest foreclosure rate in the US.  This is the environment where the CTC operates and these are the challenges we face.

The CTC’s Upcoming Projects:

In 2007 the CTC will move to a new location and a brand new facility.  The CTC will move to the first floor of the CHN main office.  This will put the CTC closer to CHN’s 2100 residents which offers a number of exciting possibilities.  One of which is making good use of CTCNet’s Connections for All: AccessNow Award.  The money will be used to purchase screen reading assistive technology.

 

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Your CTCNet Membership

 

Is your CTCNet Membership current?  Have you updated your organization's member profile?  In our Fall mailing last month, we included a form for updating your member profile, along with renewal invoices for members whose membership is due for renewal.  If you haven't already filled out and returned the forms to us, please do so today! 

If you have questions about your membership, or you'd like to renew online, email us at membership@ctcnet.org!

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From the CTC Resource Center

 

This month's featured resource from the CTC Resource Center is the Enterprise Foundation's Workforce Development Tutorial.  It is an online tutorial for organizations that want to improve their workforce development program or are considering starting one up.  This resource features an extensive set of tools and strategies for each phase of program development, including Community Outreach & Recruitment, Identifying Barriers to Empolyment, Preparing Job Seekers for the Workplace and Job Development & Placement.

The Workforce Development Tutorial is one of hundreds of resources listed in the CTC Resource Center.  View the Workforce Development Tutorial's listing in the Resource Center and visit www.ctcnet.org/resources/dir for the Resource Center homepage.

 

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Meet the CTCNet Staff!

 

As we usher in 2007, we have a talented team of CTCNet staff in place to support our membership and continue our efforts toward the advancement of the field.  Read on for more information (than you probably wanted to know) about our team!

Hanh Le, Director of Programs

 

Stephen Quinn, Member Services Manager

 

Jenn Raley Miller, Program Manager

 

Taylore Casbarian-Wilson, Membership & Operations Coordinator

 

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CTCNet Welcomes 26 New Members

 

Faith In Action Outreach Ministries, Inc Hayneville, AL
City of Detroit Recreation Dept. - Dreaming While Achieving Program Detroit, MI
Beauty 4 Ashes Manchester, NH
Fadeco Telecentre Karagwe-Kagera, Tanzania
Sidarec Nairobi, Nigeria
YWCA of St Paul St. Paul, MN
Housing Authority of the City of Waco Waco, TX
New Education Options, Inc. Sherman Oaks, CA
FamTech, Corp. Louisville, KY
The Center for Urban Missions Birmingham, AL
Trust for the Americas / OAS Washington, DC
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication Dhaka, Bangladesh
Rockford Housing Authority Rockford, IL
STAR Seattle, WA
Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc. Miami, FL
Personal Computers for Children, Inc. St Petersburg, FL
Teamchildren Audubon, PA
Centre Africain D'echange Culturel Kinshaha, Democratic Republic of Congo
Tech-Able, Inc. Conyers, GA
Global School Missions Chingola, Zambia
Chester County InterLink West Chester, PA
First Samuel Baptist Church Indianapolis, IN
CyberLynx, Inc. Charlotte, NC
Owsley County Action Team Booneville, KY
OCCK, Inc. Salina, KS
Access Services of Middle Tennessee Technology Access Center Nashville, TN
   

 

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