An Ideal CTC: Strategies for Community Development from Austin Community
Technology Centers
Summary of Ideal CTC Characteristics
These ideal characteristics are organized by our working hypotheses -
that is, our ideas about what make CTCs effective in promoting both indovidual
and community development.
Vision and Community Ownership
- Have volunteers and staff who are personally invested in the community.
- Proactively incorporate community input.
- See itself as an integrated part of the community.
- Foster a sense of ownership in participants and other community members.
- Give community members the power to make decisions.
Comprehensive Programming
- Offer programs beyond computer instruction that meet participants'
needs and remove barriers to learning.
- Have resources available to include participants, staff, and volunteers
with special needs.
- Do testing and re-testing of the organization's assumptions about
the participants served and what their needs are.
Learning Opportunities
- Provide engaging and relevant content, encouraging participants to
use the Internet for benefits that make sense to them.
- Have an open atmosphere in which teachers and students form supportive
relationships to enhance learning.
- Provide a variety of programs at a variety of times.
Self-Reliance
- Have permanence and control of location.
- Maintain a diverse mix of funding sources by avoiding dependence on
any single source.
- Attract and retain qualified staff by providing opportunities for
professional development and continuing challenges that make the work
interesting.
- Encourage and develop volunteers as a resource for all areas of operation.
- Have technology expertise available within the organization for troubleshooting,
repairing, and upgrading computer systems.
Social Capital
- Be familiar with the other organizations in its area and be able to
refer participants in need of different services to other CBOs.
- Form multiple partnerships with other CBOs.
- Creates bonding between participants by encouraging them to work collaboratively.
- Encourage participants to be aware of the world outside their community
and solve problems using resources available outside their normal sphere
of activity.
- Encourage participants to form strong ties to their community.
continue
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More info
Working Hypotheses
Download the complete report: An Ideal
CTC (Microsoft Word)
Read the report online:
this page last updated
May 15, 2002
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