Tech Goes Home Announces Results of Pilot Program Expansion in Essex County
BOSTON, March 24 -- Today, Tech Goes Home (TGH), a leading nonprofit working to advance digital equity, announced the results of its pilot programs in Essex County. Based on responses from the households that participated in the pilot, TGH found that the combination of a free digital device, reliable internet, and 15 hours of digital skills training helped program graduates better participate in work and education, connect with loved ones, access healthcare and wellness resources, and more.
TGH has been offering its proven digital inclusion programming in Greater Boston for more than 20 years and, in 2021, TGH partnered with Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) to expand access for residents of Essex County. TGH utilizes a “train the trainer” model and delivers its programming through deep partnerships with community-based organizations. In Essex County, the program expansion kicked off with a pilot covering 50 households across five program sites in five different municipalities: Lawrence CommunityWorks, MakeIT Haverhill, North Shore CDC, Latino Support Network, and Wellspring House.
Every participant in the TGH programming completes 15 hours of tailored, culturally responsive digital skills training and, through their completion of the training, has the opportunity to earn both a digital device (computer or tablet) and a year of free, reliable home internet access. When the Essex County pilot concluded in May 2022, more than 100 learners had completed the program.
Among those graduates:
- 100 percent reported learning digital skills that can help improve their lives;
- 80 percent said they are more likely to use the internet for education purposes;
- 67 percent said they are more likely to use the internet to communicate with colleagues, friends, and loved ones;
- 47 percent said they are more likely to use the internet for job resources; and,
- 45 percent said they are more likely to use the internet for health and wellness.
“We are incredibly encouraged by the results of our pilot programming in Essex County,” said Dan Noyes, CEO of Tech Goes Home. “In communities across Essex County – and especially in Gateway Cities and other historically underserved communities – digital inequity remains a persistent barrier to education, economic opportunity, health, and more. The responses from learners who participated in TGH’s initial courses in Essex County reaffirms that connecting people to digital devices, internet access, and training holds enormous potential to create positive, long-lasting impact – for individuals, families, and entire communities. We look forward to continuing to work with Essex County Community Foundation, our current partners, and other community-based organizations to make TGH programming and resources available to even more people across Essex County.”
Building on the success of the pilot programming, TGH is continuing to partner with ECCF to expand its services in Essex County. TGH is in the process of onboarding new community-based partners, and has set a goal to reach 800 households in Essex County through TGH programs by 2024.
“When we launched our digital equity initiative at ECCF, we knew we needed to partner with nonprofit leaders who have a true understanding of how deeply digital inequity impacts so many aspects of a person’s life,” said ECCF Executive Vice President and COO Stratton Lloyd. “We couldn’t be more proud of our collaboration with Tech Goes Home and the success that this pilot program has already had on so many Essex County residents. When 100 percent of participants say they have learned digital skills that will help improve their lives, that data gives us a real sense of the positive impact we can continue to grow together.”
About Tech Goes Home
Tech Goes Home is a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the digital inequities that pose a significant barrier to opportunity and success for thousands of students, workers, and families in Greater Boston and beyond. Working in partnership with schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations, Tech Goes Home provides curated support - including access to digital devices, network connectivity, and robust training in how to utilize digital resources - to help individuals and families pursue economic mobility, support academic achievement, access critical resources, and engage with their community and loved ones. You can learn more about Tech Goes Home’s work, and ways to become involved, at techgoeshome.org.
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