ConnectKW

connectkw/project

ConnectKW

Project Background

What is ConnectKW?

ConnectKW is an initiative funded by the Government of Canada through Industry Canada's Urban Community Access Program (CAP). Urban CAP is a key component of their Connecting Canadians initiative, whose goal is to make Canada the most connected nation in the world. Urban CAP started in 1994 serving rural communities with populations under 50,000. In December 1999, following successful pilot projects, CAP was rolled out to larger population centres with the goal of establishing public Internet access sites in up to 10,000 rural, remote and urban communities across Canada.

Project Scope

ConnectKW has a network of community Internet access sites throughout Kitchener-Waterloo operated by a group of committed organizations. The vulnerable groups we hope to help access the Internet include (but are not limited to) Aboriginals, youth, seniors, new Canadians, persons with disabilities, the unemployed and working poor, people with low literacy levels and individuals suffering from serious diseases. As new technology is integrated into the day-to-day community life, people who don't have access to it will be at an even greater disadvantage. We want to make sure that everybody has access to the Internet to do such things as:

This will strengthen our community by increasing the capacity of organizations to serve their clients and making information about services and programs in Kitchener-Waterloo easier to access.

Phase I - Phase II

At the end of phase one, we had a number of sites connected to the Internet, and a website to promote our efforts. Phase two, which ended March 31, 2004, built on these foundations and enabled the network to achieve much of what had been planned at the outset. ConnectKW sites have been given hardware and software upgrades and their connectivity has been maintained and enhanced.

ConnectKW has also provided opportunities and materials to increase the skill development of users through more learning and training opportunities. A mobile lab using ten laptops, a wireless gateway, and two web cams for live streaming of digital information and interactive communication have been purchased. Once procedures have been established, this equipment will be made available to site partners.

Since late December 2003 site staff have submitted their 2003 reports and settled into the routine for reporting throughout 2004. Thanks to the technical and creative abilities of PeaceWorks, our technical service providers, there is now an automatic tracking on ConnectKW machines to generate usage reports and reduce the report load on site partners in maintaining their sites.

Phase III

Phase III outlined three major objectives:

  1. Increase the capacity of ConnectKW member organizations to reduce the digital divide for vulnerable community members

  2. Strengthen the ConnectKW network through standards, partnerships and resource development

  3. Contribute to the development of a Canadian network of free community internet access by participating in local and broader regional networks.

We were successful in increasing the capacity of the ConnectKW member organizations to reduce the digital divide for vulnerable community members through the delivery of onsite training, the distribution of resource materials, and the implementation of Information Access Audits.

An ‘Introduction to the Internet’ training course was introduced at two sites, one that supported seniors and another that supported low income and newcomer parents. As well, one-to-one mentoring training was offered to five sites and implemented at three sites with a particular emphasis on reaching out to vulnerable community members. The training provided ranged from basic introductions to computers and the internet, to advanced lessons and in-depth Microsoft Office program instructions. Resource sheets were created outlining online government services at the city, regional, provincial and federal levels. This was provided to all locations, and instructions regarding access and use of online government services provided as part of the training courses. In some cases, site partners reported assisting patrons on a regular basis to locate and utilize online government services.

Information Access Audits conducted at five sites helped to provide feedback from a user's perspective. An analysis and summary of the responses provided a better understanding of how these resources met the needs of community members and the types of barriers they face. The ConnectKW locations audited are now able to utilize this information to enhance the services offered and better meet the needs of the community members they serve.

Membership guidelines for standard and associate sites set out the basic service and technical standards for providing community internet access in the Kitchener - Waterloo community.

Finally, a resource development plan was formulated in consultation with the ConnectKW Advisory Committee to plan for long-term sustainability of the network of sites.

Phase IV

The main objective of Phase IV is to define and develop a method to increase the capacity of ConnectKW member organizations, to reduce the digital divide for vulnerable community members that deal with various social barriers. This will be achieved by providing further training at sites for staff/volunteers and site users for computer and internet use including searching for information such as Government Online, and work with partners to increase inclusion of vulnerable community members. We will also work with selected sites to expand their site capacity, either through the number of workstations and/or resource support to specific groups or the general public.

We have created a strong framework and firm foundation to build upon. Strategies for continuing to strengthen the ConnectKW network include expanding the ConnectKW membership around the Kitchener-Waterloo region. We will also continue to promote the network of community computer and internet access across Kitchener-Waterloo region, and create a ConnectKW strategic plan with an emphasis on technical development and replacement, and desig a resource development campaign for sustainability of the network sites.