The Computerworld Honors Program “recognizes those organizations which create and use information technology to promote and advance the public welfare, benefit society and change the world for the better.”

In 2012, Computerworld chose OneCommunity/CYC as one of twenty Laureates in the “Digital Access” category.

This year, the magazine is honoring OneCommunity again, naming Connect Your Community one of  twenty-nine 2013  Laureates in the category of Human Services. The category “Recognizes organizations for the innovative use of IT to effectively develop or deliver public programs that provide food and nutrition, housing, transportation, mental health or other social services to populations in need.”

34% of Cuyahoga County adults still don’t have broadband Internet access in their homes, according to an October 2012 phone survey of 1,261 county residents commissioned by the Connect Your Community Project.

That number rises to 43% for residents of Cleveland and nine adjacent “Inner Core” communities.

The survey, conducted by a team from the University of Iowa, the University of Illinois and Rutgers University, found that majorities of the county’s senior citizens, the poor, and people with “educational attainment” of high school graduation or less are among the disconnected.

Learn more about the CYC Project’s Cuyahoga County Internet survey here.

Cleveland Plain Dealer coverage

Connect to College Now

Bringing Affordable Internet to CMSD Parents

College Now and OneCommunity have partnered to provide low-cost broadband and refurbished computers to Cleveland  parents with high school aged students.

Parents!

Connect your home to 4G Wireless Broadband and the educational power of the Internet to enable your high school student’s learning and help them with career and college planning.

This is a special offer for parents in Cleveland without current home Internet access. Opportunities are also available for free computer training.

Mobile Citizen Bundle:

Total Cost—$120: Includes refurbished desktop computer, desk modem with one year of 4G wireless Internet service.

Connect to College Now Hotline – 216-202-4292

View a PDF copy of this page.

C2CN Partners

College Now Greater Cleveland
Cleveland Housing Network
Connect Your Community
Mobile Citizen
OneCommunity
Ashbury Senior Community Computing Center

Acquiring my job with CYC is one of the most serendipitous events of my life. An aspiring English professor down on his luck, I turned to the local job leads section of the newspaper for some temporary economic solace. Laid out before me was a myriad of job opportunities ranging from medical assistant, to retail sales associate, to 911 call center operator. Ever the logical thinker, I quickly concluded that those jobs don’t fall into any niche with which I’m comfortable… Then I saw it: “Opening for Local Computer Instructor.” The mental gears started turning: “I love computers, and I want to teach. Maybe this merits some investigation.” Dusting off my old copy of Roget’s Thesaurus, I glued myself to my laptop and constructed my best resume to date. Long story short, I got the job that could very well shape my future career.

Needless to say, being a CYC computer instructor is about far more than just teaching classes. It also involves interpersonal communication between students, co-workers and supervisors; marketing tactics aimed toward program promotion; sustainable broadband adoption retention strategies; governmental paperwork and file management; and the synthesis of supplemental curriculum. I had very little experience in any of these areas, but the patience and confidence of my co-workers and supervisors built me up. The first month or so was a learning curve of epic proportions, but my patience and perseverance enabled me to catch on quickly.

Looking back after a year’s work with CYC, I have created my own little empire in Perry County, OH. Having developed five extraordinary sites (with 16 total classes), I have helped turn 182 digitally-distant citizens from my own neck of the woods into fully capable sustainable broadband adopters. Along the way I have designed supplemental classroom curriculum from the ground up, and created countless marketing flyers, and assisted in the orchestration of the office-wide “Distribution Days,” which involved the sale of subsidized computers to CYC graduates. The skills and experiences I have obtained working with this project are both transferable and durable; therefore, they will stick with me for life.

I recently obtained employment as an instructor at Ohio University-Zanesville. I educate incoming freshman on mastering the university experience, embellishing study skills, leadership, goal setting, course scheduling, diversity, etc. I also work as a professional tutor, where I can help students with their writing skills via supplemental instruction. Because CYC did not require a teaching license, I was able to “test drive” my abilities and hone them at a comfortable pace. Do not mistake “comfort” with “superficiality;” without the help of Connect Your Community, I may have never mustered the self-confidence to conduct my leap of faith into my career path.

From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely thank all my supervisors, co-workers, students and professional contacts for believing in my abilities and pushing me to be my absolute best.

“CYC has made me see the “big picture” of computers.  I now have a greater understanding of computer terminology and an “overall” understanding of programs on the computer.  With this new knowledge, I am much more confident about using new computer programs and trying new programs that I can use in the classroom.  I feel that I can now explore new programs without the fear of “breaking” my computer or messing the system up so badly that it cannot be used. I would greatly recommend the CYC program to anyone at any knowledge level of computers.  People of all backgrounds and skill levels have benefited from this program in my class and among my friends.
I would be interested in a program for teachers as well.”

Nancy Lonsinger

Due to serious illness David became home bound three years ago. In a previous job he had used a computer to complete specific tasks. He had used email on a dialup connection. Since being home bound David didn’t have access to a computer or the internet and didn’t believe it had anything to do with him.

Enter Patty and ACCEL CYC. ACCEL has developed partnerships with 28 various types of housing developments where they teach courses and sometimes assist with the establishment of public access computers. The Coshocton Commons, where David lives, is a housing development catering to residents that are elderly or disabled. Patty is a CYC corps member who recruited residents door to door convincing them that learning to use the Internet can add value to their lives. So far, she has taught two classes at the Commons.

Since completing the CYC course, David signed up for a new broadband connection. He obtained a low cost, refurbished computer from ACCEL which Patty delivered to his home. David is now able to use the Social Security website. He uses social networking to stay in touch with his friends and family, especially his father in Florida. David feels he can “be with the community again” and has “access to the world.” This is how David defines his new “freedom”.

Patty Javis, Corps Member

Sue Shipitalo, Compliance Specialist

ACCEL Connect Your Community

Zanesville, Ohio

The intent is to increase use of the hospital’s MyChart personal medical record system to communicate with doctor offices, set appointments, refill prescriptions and more effectively manage patient health.

All CYC training modules include a Creative Commons license on the final slide.

Focus Hope began refurbishing computers in April, 2012. Since then, they have refurbished and sold (at cost) computers to 1529 CYC participants.

ACCEL began refurbishing computers in October of 2010. Since then they have refurbished and sold (at cost) computers to 2371 CYC participants.

Focus Hope and ACCEL each determined that to refurbish computers they would need:

1. At least one source of used computers they could purchase or have donated to them.
2. To become a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher.
3. Skilled staff and volunteers.

The benefits of refurbishing computers in-house:

• Reduced cost allows more CYC program participants to purchase a computer.
• Confidence the hardware and software being sold to CYC program participants has been tripled checked for quality.
• Warranty support provided in house tends to result in more sustainable broadband adopters.
• If the price of the refurbished computers is set to include the cost of the hardware, software and staff time, the program can be self-sustaining.
• Developing and then having in-house expertise on computer refurbishing is beneficial to the organization and the individuals performing the work.

Challenges of creating an in-house non-profit computer refurbishing program:

• Finding reliable suppliers of low-cost used computers at defined minimum specifications.
• Getting through the paperwork of becoming a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher.
• Managing the software license process (if using Microsoft Citizenship Licenses).
• Finding appropriate drivers for the variety of hardware refurbished.
• Just as you get volunteers trained to help refurbish computers, they move on!

Tips for those who are considering setting up their own non-profit computer refurbishing program:

• There are multiple Microsoft Refurbishing licenses with a multitude of rules and regulations. The best licenses for your program are based upon your organizations legal status and who will be using the computers refurbished.
• Refurbishers using Microsoft Citizenship Licenses purchase software directly from Microsoft rather than from an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer).
• Microsoft Citizenship Licenses are cheapest but have narrow restrictions on use and come with serious hurdles and time consuming tasks. Compare the total cost per license, including staff time to install.
• Depending upon your situation, the operating system and MS Office license for a computer to be sold to a program participant may be different than the licenses for a computer to be used in a public computer lab.
• Refurbished computers to be used at a non-profit or in a public computer lab, may be eligible for discounted software through TechSoup.
• Microsoft does offer grants periodically to non-profits.
• The fewer computer models you refurbish, the less hassle creating images and finding drivers.
• If you intend to really scale up, do so with a loading dock.
• Define a staff person or volunteer who can install open source software when requested.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Schroeder at ACCEL or Don Roberts at Focus Hope

Sue Shipitalo

ACCEL Connect Your Community

Zanesville, Ohio

“I heard about the CYC class by stopping in at the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation office at 8111 Quincy Avenue Suite 100, Cleveland, OH 44104. It was downstairs from the Neighborhood Family Service Center where I went to sign up for some other community assistance programs. I was already enrolled in classes at Cuyahoga Community College, but was only taking classes on campus.

After signing up for the Connect Your Community Classes, our instructor Ms. Rozell Sneede, taught us how to navigate through Tri-C’s website tri-c.edu, where I found the option to sign up for hybrid and online classes. Since I wanted to continue taking classes for the summer semester, I decided to put my new found computer skills to work and try at least one online class. I enrolled in the 1060BIO Evolution, Ecology and Environment and its accompanying lab 106LBIO.

Because I am now able to easily navigate through the internet I am really enjoying the flexibility of being able to have more time to do my classwork at local community center computer labs or borrowing a friend’s laptop to get my work done between running errands and performing my daily mom duties. I am looking forward to completing the CYC program and being able to finally own my own computer so I’ll be able to do my classwork and lab work from the comfort of home in my PJ’s. This will also save me a great deal of money and headaches trying to find reliable childcare for my children during the time I am in class.

I have benefited greatly from the skills I have learned in the class, such as improving my typing skills and speed, using the internet for research and creating documents on the Microsoft Word program. I really appreciate the CYC program, and I hope you will be able to continue to provide it for the underprivileged members of our community.”

Sincerely,

Cinnamon K. Carswell

Since completing her CYC course, Ms. Carswell has joined the Dress for Success Cleveland - Professional Women's Group and is working on a community action project she initiated.

Rozell Sneede, M. Ed
Cuyahoga Community College
Connect Your Community, Corps Member
Famicos Foundation Park Village Community Center
9221 Hough Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio  44106
tel. (216) 721-3217
fax (216) 231-5922