With the help of the Benwood Foundation, the Enterprise Center is starting a pilot program to begin addressing the digital divide in Chattanooga.
Starting next month, 15-hour courses will be offered at a half dozen area sites to help participants acquire the skills to be able to access information and resources online. Upon completion of the course, participants also have the option to purchase a new Chromebook for only $50.
The program, which is patterned after the Tech Goes Home program started in Boston, also will offer assistance in securing Internet service to participants' homes through one of several available options.
"Tech Goes Home has an outstanding track record," said Ken Hays, president of the Enterprise Center. "It has been highly effective in helping students obtain the skills, hardware, and connectivity needed for 21st century success, while also demonstrating why the Internet is relevant in our daily lives."
Hays and a committee of volunteers has spent the past six months researching digital inclusion initiatives implemented in cities across the country. Tech Goes Home (TGH), a program founded in Boston by Deb Socia in 1999, quickly emerged as a proven and cost effective program.
For more information, visit http://techgoeshomecha.org or contact Kelly McCarthy, TGH CHA Program Manager at kelly@techgoeshomecha.org or (423) 488-9318.