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City of Wilson program teaches digital literacy to people 'where they are'

Wilson Community Improvement Association, Greenlight and Gig East have teamed up to create Navigation East, a digital literacy program that approaches technology education in a multifaceted way.

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This article was written for our sponsor, City of Wilson

Ashley Harris, Community Coordinator for the Gig East Exchange, remembers anticipating 2020 with hope. "It was 2020, it was supposed to be the year of vision," she said. While things went differently than expected, Harris did, in a sense, see things in a new way. Namely, she witnessed the impact that technology can have on day-to-day life.

In Wilson, with the Greenlight Community Broadband network, Harris was able to continue to work, shop and communicate with friends. That wasn’t true for people who lacked digital access or ability.

"My family lives in rural eastern North Carolina and there is no broadband service there. A lot of things were way more difficult for them than it was for me with our great internet and all our resources that we have [in Wilson]," said Harris.

While already integrated in Gig East, which encourages education, entrepreneurship and innovation, Harris felt her passion grow for ensuring digital literacy throughout her community. When the Navigation East opportunity was presented, she jumped at it.

Navigation East

In a concerted effort to bring technology to people, ‘where they are,’ Wilson Community Improvement Association, Greenlight and Gig East have teamed up to create Navigation East, a digital literacy educational program.

The multifaceted program will not only teach many aspects of digital literacy in various locations, it will also provide 50 Chromebooks to participants of the program so they can continue to hone their skills.

Unofficially launched with an introductory kickoff event in September 2022, the classes officially began in January and will be complete for all groups by May 2023.

Some aspects that will be discussed in the classes include digital safety, telehealth, work-from-home opportunities, shopping, paying bills, transit schedule access, and more.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the program is that classes will be held in places convenient to participants. Locations for training include Beacon Point Apartments, where several residents expressed interest in the training and Gee Corbett Village Senior Center where many residents hadn’t had technology as a big part of their lives up until now.

Barbara Blackston, executive director of the Wilson Community Improvement Association, helped secure the grant funding that made the program possible. As WCIA’s mission is to help create equitable housing options, she was also instrumental in providing key contacts for participation in areas where it could have the most impact.

The class includes an element of a contract. At the first meeting, participants were assigned a Chromebook which is turned in at the end of every class. In order to keep the Chromebook at the end of the program, participants are expected to come to the majority of classes and must be engaged.

The Chromebook, in essence, is like a graduation gift.

"We didn’t want it to be a [giveaway], here’s a device, be safe, go have fun! We really wanted to give people some ‘meat and potatoes.’ Here’s a device that can bring value to your life. Here are some ways you can utilize it and it actually is more than a computer that you pull out to check your social media," said Harris.

While the grant did not specify the type of device that could be given to participants, Harris says the choice of a Chromebook was deliberate.

"We wanted something that could meet qualifications for work-from-home as well as something that they could use for e-health. A lot of doctor’s appointments can be done virtually. That’s something that can instantly impact someone’s life" she said.

What inspires Harris most about the program is the possibilities that it presents. She said, "What makes me excited about this the most is I want to see where we can build on this and how this can be the start."

Her vision for the future is that the entry-level education provided by Navigation East, paired with the device, will open the door to curiosity and confidence. Gig East already has a large catalog of material that can help people take charge of their career and she hopes to point graduates of the program in that direction.

But whether they continue in Gig East programming, take Microsoft training through the library or courses at Wilson Community College, Harris hopes that people continue their path of discovery.

She said, "Even if it’s just knowledge for knowledge’s sake, we are never too old to learn, never too young to learn and this may just give people options. Being able to leverage technology for your life and your lifestyle, that device might open the door to a small business for you… the options are limitless."

This article was written for our sponsor, City of Wilson

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