http://onewebday.org

to learn about
TOOLS/SERVICES FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
and
get the latest from the
CHICAGO DIGITAL ACCESS ALLIANCE’s
CAMPAIGN FOR A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT
and the
CHICAGO WIRELESS INITIATIVE

Weds. Jan. 24, 10 AM
Allison United Foundation for Better Living
4540 W. Washington Blvd.

RSVP: 312- 212-3623

Join Angela Stuber of Grassroots.org and Joseph Mouzon of Network for Good for a discussion of free and low-cost online services for nonprofits. Learn how your organization can apply for free web hosting, free first year domain registration, free volunteer web design, and an affordable online donation system. We’ll discuss how to best utilize these tools and others.

All nonprofits present will receive a 50% discount on the set up fee for Donate Now, Network for Good’s premier online donation program!

Plus, receive a special sneak peak at online tools about to be released!

And join us for discussion on the grassroots campaign for a community benefits agreement that will make the city’s wireless initiative meaningful for every neighborhood.

Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Time: 10 AM

Place: Allison United Foundation for Better Living
4540 W. Washington Blvd, Chicago, 60624

Please RSVP to 312- 212-3623!

HOSTS: Digital Development Corporation and Oversight Committee, Allison United Foundation for Better Living, Chicago Digital Access Alliance

Are we making progress in the policy agenda to advance Digital Literacy, Access & Equity in Illinois? The letter of the law makes it seem that we are.

But the letter of the law is inadequate: the 2007 budget did not include an appropriate level of investment in digital literacy and access programs for Illinois.

The state budget, passed May 4th includes appropriations of $3 million for the Digital Divide Elimination Fund from General Revenues.

Legislative will is not demonstrated by nicely worded acts recognizing a level of need in our communities. Legislative will is demonstrated by determination to meet that need.

DCEO is authorized to expend $5.5 million out of the digital divide fund in FY 2007, with only $3 million added to the fund from general revenue.

We're being weaned off of the fund, even though digital literacy is more important than ever. The CTC movement in Illinois will continue to be rootbound, and has been transplanted to a smaller pot.

We have to take our destiny in our own hands. We have to learn how to cooperate and maximize resources across the movement and within our field and with partners in our communities. We have to hold our legislators accountable.

Today HB3650, known as the Digital Literacy Act was signed into law by Governor Blagojevich.

We have much to be proud of, but our efforts must not cease at this critical juncture.

The letter of the law is inadequate if the 2007 budget does not include the appropriate level of investment.

Our coalition has recommended that the Eliminate the Digital Divide program and supportive efforts receive an allocation of $8 Million for the coming year.

The allocation of these funds is by no means secure, and time is running out in the budget negotiations.

In the very limited time remaining you can play a significant role.

Please call (asap) the Governor ((217) 782-0244 or (312) 814-2121) and thank him for signing the the Digital Literacy Act (HB3650) into law, and ask that he make sure that the funding allocation for 2007 is at least $8 Million. This is a growing program that is returning substantial value to Illinois, and has played a major role in the aim of Getting Illinois Online.

Likewise, call (asap) your Senators and ask them to speak to President of the Senate, Emil Jones (or call Emil Jones directly: (217) 782-2728) in favor of a budget ammendment in the amount of $8 Million for the Digital Literacy program. We know it is a tight budget, it always is. Even so, we cannot neglect this investment in our future.

We're close, and we need one last hard push to get over the hill before the Legislature concludes the budget negotiations.

UPDATE, May 4: Budget passed with $8.5 allocted to Digital Divide Elimination Grants Fund

The success can be attributed to policy work done by the ODDWG (Ohio Digital Divide Working Group--a group formed out of OCCN's involvement in the hearings before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio of the AT&T/SBC merger and the Verizon/MCI merger).

Community Technology Projects may be defined as efforts by community members to increase access to technology and technology education--efforts that are increasingly important as technology becomes ever more entwined in our lives.

Strickland announced his platform on March 13th during an event at the Rainbow Terrace Learning Center, a Cleveland Community Technology Center.
Rainbow Terrace's Learning Center provides adult residents of a low-income housing facility with access to free basic computer training, GED and ABE classes; kids at Rainbow Terrace can enroll in a free after school program that provides them with digital literacy and homework assistance. For information visit http://www.rainbowterrace.com/

Strickland's broadband platform includes the following:

"Modeled on successful programs such as the Cuyahoga Community College's project at Rainbow Terrace, and over 300 community technology centers (CTCs)statewide, this program will mobilize CTCs with hands-on staff support and join them with the online learning resources of the Ohio Learning Network and the Ohio College Access Network. Using the base program E4ME, a free online course, this program will in its pilot phase serve 10,000 learners statewide with life skills coaching, basic computer and GED classes, while channeling successful learners into pathways for further advancement through community and technical colleges and other career training enterprises.

It will provide individuals with hands-on counseling to take them from the informal learning environment of a CTC to open doors to higher education and formal certification. Implementing this program is estimated to be an annual investment of at least $5 million. The program will be paid for with savings gained by reforming state procurement of network connectivity."

To read the Columbus Dispatch article on the announcement of Congressman Strickland's broadband platform ....
http://www.ohioccn.org/Advocacy/ColsDispatch3-14-06.htm

Meeting at ComputerBanc, a Springfield CTC/Computer Recycling Center we reflected on our core values and the status and history of Digital Literacy efforts in Illinois. We closed our meeting with some words from Marty Cohen, currently Director of Consumer Affairs in the Office of the Governor.

Our trip to the Legislature met with a small scheduling snafu quite out of our control: the schedule of the House was moved up by 3 hours the day before. Consequently we were unable to be recognized as planned. Nevertheless, on the floor of the House we found opportunity to present an award from CTCNet Chicago to Representative Connie Howard for her long service as Illinois' Civic eChampion.

Representative Howard chairs the Eliminate the Digital Divide Advisory Committee and as we have reported, her bill - HB3650 - passed bouth houses with near unanimous support (there was but one non-vote). We await the Governor's signature, but our deeper concern is the level at which this program will be funded for the coming year. We firmly believe that funding should be in the 8 to 11 million dollar range. A modest increase compared with the level at which we know Digital Literacy programs should be funded in Illinois.

If you endorse our Coalition's values, thank your elected officials for their support of HB3650 and ask that they follow-up on that support with a commitment of resources sufficient to make an impact on the Digital Divide. Each year the average DCEO CTC grant has decreased. We know there are many qualified organizations trying to serve the Digital Literacy and Access needs in their community. Help DCEO fund more of these worthy programs.

http://nonprofitillinois.blogspot.com/

HB3650, which we have been following since last year when it missed being advanced in Veto session was passed by the House in concurrence with the Senate amended version.

It's not over yet… as we still need the Governor to sign the Bill, and of course the new budget must make appropriate allocation.

As the Governor has yet to make his appointment to the Digital Divide Advisory Committee (for several years now...) we have three very specific things to ask of him.

* Sign HB3650

* Fund HB3650 - Dollars for Digital Literacy

* Give due attention to Digital Literacy, Access & Equity: Make an appropriate appointment to the Eliminate the Digital Divide Advisory Committee!

We also have many thanks in order… thanks to the Legislative champions of this bill… and of our cause… starting with the Original Sponsor of HB 3650 Rep Connie Howard…. Champion and Chair of the EDD Advisory Committee ….

House Sponsors
Rep. Constance A. Howard - Milton Patterson - Ruth Munson - Marlow H. Colvin - Karen A. Yarbrough, Monique D. Davis, Sara Feigenholtz, Calvin L. Giles, Robert Rita and Julie Hamos

Senate Sponsors
(Sen. Don Harmon - Kwame Raoul - Miguel del Valle - Kirk W. Dillard - Donne E. Trotter, Jacqueline Y. Collins, Mattie Hunter and Martin A. Sandoval)

Let's thank the Sponsors and all the Legislators who supported HB3650… so that they understand that they need to fund it!

Onward!

We'll adjust our marching orders for Community Technology Day accordingly.

We kick-off the day with the launch of the Illinois Community Technology Coalition (ilCTC) the way all coalitions should be launched: in an open, working meeting, where we'll set the agenda and commit ourselves to the cause.

And we want you to be there. ComputerBanc, 11 AM, sharp.

Address: 1023 E Washington, Springfield, IL 62703.

Click here for a map and to get driving directions from your location.
Computerbanc is located on the northwest corner of 11th and Washington, in the back of the building. The door has a sign and faces north.
Following the meeting and lunch, we'll head over to the capitol building so that the legislators know we're in town.

So, will you join us?

All we ask is that you register ahead of time, so we know to expect you.

If you are coming from Chicago and would like to reserve a seat on the bus... register on CTCNetChicago.org.

All others, please register here.

Is there a Community Technology Center in your (Illinois) community?
No? Then maybe you partner up and should start one.
Yes? Then they probably ought to apply.

CTCNet Chicago and the ilCTC want to document Digital Literacy efforts in Illinois, contact us to get inolved in the Statewide Coalition and join a Network dedicated to Digital Literacy, Access & Equity. The first official public meeting of the ilCTC as Coalition will be held on Illinois Community Technology Day: February 16, 2006. Visit our site in the next few days to RSVP. More news will follow.

Computer Banc will present, David Grass who is the founder/director of Northern Illinois Center for Adaptive Technology in Rockford, IL, which serves 9 northern Illinois counties since 1989. David has a background in mechanical engineering and has taught children with disabilities for 30 years. He teaches under-graduate and graduate level courses in Assistive Technology at Northern Illinois University. David is a past member of the Board of Directors for Alliance for Technology Access and is a contributing editor for the publication Computer Resources for People With Disabilities. David was awarded the Tom Morales Award in July 2005, this Alliance for Technology Access national award is presented to an individual for their outstanding work to increase the use of technology by people with disabilities and functional limitations by advocating for providing services in their community.

For more information:

Anne Godman
Executive Director
Computer Banc
1023 East Washington
Springfield, IL 62703
217 528-9506
http://www.computerbanc.org

Version 1.2, January 2006,

We, as persons engaged in civic improvements, or as managers, instructors and technology support staff and volunteers or financial or in-kind supporters of Community Technology access and training in community, afterschool, library, workforce, community college, health care, public parks and other local public access centers and consumer information kiosks in public and nonprofit human service agencies and small business community enterprise support centers, and in pre-school to postsecondary education school settings, and as supporters of the Illinois vision of a statewide Human Services Learning Network, do hereby state and affirm that:

1. Digital Literacy, Access and Equity are essential for Illinois’ future: We require consistent, long-term investment from the public, private and voluntary sectors in order to achieve and sustain a healthy quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

2. Digital Literacy rests upon a foundation of general literacy: Efforts to bridge the digital divide should integrate well across educational and civic institutions.

3. Digital Literacy Matters for Everyone: People in all communities should have the opportunity to be connected to the world and to each other through a variety of technologies and platforms, regardless of location, age, economic standing, linguistic or physiological constraints.

4. Digital Literacy and Access are essential for equitable use of Government and Public services.

5. Communities of place, interest and concern afford opportunity for civic engagement, and Community Networking underpins Civic Engagement in the Information Age.

6. Civic Engagement Matters as a way in which individuals, families and community enterprises “learn” digital literacy skills.

7. We as a society and world benefit through the public convenience and necessity of affordable connectivity for all.

8. We acknowledge the need for public and cooperative public-private digital literacy trust funds and outreach activities to enable all in society to participate.

More articles like this will be needed to mobilize the State to protect our privacy.