NDIA has published a revised version of its Digital Inclusion Startup Manual to reflect best practices and lessons learned around operating programs in the age of COVID-19.
Initially published in April 2019 as a guidebook for local individuals and institutions to provide a blueprint for increasing access and use of technology in disadvantaged communities, NDIA has completed extensive revisions to Chapter 4 (Digital Literacy Training), and Chapter 8 (Partnerships and Sustainability)—two components of the Digital Inclusion ecosystem that have been heavily affected by the global pandemic. As community based organizations have shifted to remote learning, they have also added a higher emphasis on hotline Tech Support (Chapter 7), either by shifting staff roles, or engaging local workforce volunteer programs.
Through a series of conversations with our Working Groups, NDIA has collected resources for remote learning and assessment, as well as approaches for engaging individuals and organizations who are newly-interested in Digital Inclusion. We’ve illustrated each chapter with examples of successful local efforts.
PDF copies of the Startup Manual are in development and will be available for download as soon as they are ready.
The Startup Manual Version Two was made in collaboration with Chicago Connected, a partnership program between the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, and community organizations.
A previous version of this manual was made with support from Google Fiber.