The Resident Technology Ini- tiative (RTI) at the Sand Point Community Technology Center (SPCTC) provides opportunities for residents of all ages to learn computer skills and programs that increase their opportunities to obtain permanent housing and more stable incomes.
Located in a low-income housing community, the center aims to provide access to technology that has become essential for better jobs and even permanent housing.
"The Sand Point Community Technology Center strives to provide access to technology for the purpose of personal enrichment," said SPCTC volunteer and outreach coordinator Meg Gosney, an AmeriCorps VISTA member. "The primary purpose is to reach out to the low-income community and help with empowerment to provide the skills that people in the low-income community and in transition need."
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
The center gives the community access to 10 labs that hold up to four computers, one large lab with 12 computers and a mobile lab that has five laptops.
"Since computers are involved in every part of life now, lots of people get left behind in the process and in particularly with jobs and filling out applications," Gosney explained. "So we're trying to familiarize the community with technology and what it has to offer and primarily trying to put technology out there to people who can't afford to buy it on their own as a resource."
By providing the resources and volunteers to help educate the residents, the RTI's success steadily increased since its opening.
Aside from the programs offered, the center also has open lab hours. Janel Fox, the center's resource and education coordinator, said, "What that's done for people, especially folks living in Magnuson Park who are trying to stabilize their lives, is that they're able to come in, get experience and gain skills that are very transferable."
The center also has an employment coach who aids residents with resumes and job searches and an Internet-based class that Fox teaches to help residents to find affordable permanent housing.
VARIOUS PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS
Although the center has gone through various phases of funding, the RTI program started a year and half ago, after the center received a multi-year grant from Communities Connect that enabled the program to exist.
With the help of the grant, the RTI offers several programs that target various age groups.
Through a partnership with YMCA and a grant from the city's Technology Matching Fund, the center offers a program for youths age 5 to 12 that YMCA volunteers teach.
Last week, YMCA instructor Jamie Cotton spent the week teaching the kids web design. By the end of the week students had created their own functioning website.
Aside from the perks of offering a summer camp that helps the students develop skills in their areas of interest, Cotton said, "I want to emphasize the importance of a place like this, that offering the chance get skills that are crucial in today's world to people who wouldn't have the chance otherwise."
Like other RTI programs, the YMCA partnership benefits extend past the classroom.
"Our partnership with YMCA has had a lot of outreach with the youths living here, and now a number of those children are fully engaged with the YMCA, which means they're getting out of their houses and they're active, and that promotes success in their lives," Fox said.
This summer the center offers a digital-arts program for youths age 15 to 21, which Fox intends to keep running after the summer, as well as iors program that targets individuals over 55.
RETURNING FOR MORE
Between the technology classes offered, one-on-one tutoring and open lab hours with volunteers to assist in accessing computer programs, the RTI has met success. As a result, both Fox and Gosney said they have seen the center become a step to success for residents in the area.
"People who have come to class have come back to classes. If they start with computer basics, they come back for things like Microsoft Office," Gosney said. "Once people get into the program they realize other things we're offering, and they keep coming back."
Even though the center struggles to re-introduce itself to the community after residents cycle out into permanent housing, Fox said the center plans to expand to offer more classes since the center has seen an overall increase in enrollment.
For Gosney, the continuing success of the program requires the community's awareness of the center.
"It's important that people know that we're here for them to find out more about the programs, what we're offering and that we are a great resource for all ages."
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