Oak Park Center


Technology Literacy Coordinator

.

Position: CTEP Economic Empowerment Member

Program:  Community Technology Empowerment Project

Partner Agency: Pillsbury United Communities, Oak Park Center

Location(s): 1701 Oak Park Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55411

Name of Site Supervisor and Title:  Mary Pargo, Operations Manager                

CTEP Program Description

The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all.  CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).

Site History and Mission

Oak Park Neighborhood Center is a neighborhood center of Pillsbury United Communities (PUC).  PUC is a century old social service provider, established to address the root causes of poverty in Minneapolis.  PUC’s mission is creating change, choice and connection.  Oak Park is located in the Near North Side of Minneapolis.  Near North is one of the most economically challenged communities in the state of Minnesota, with a large African American population.

Oak Park has developed a Community Technology Center (CTC), used by the community for job search purposes, homework and access to the Internet. Activity in these CTCs is often linked with other PUC programs, such as an educational tool for our youth program, employment searches and housing assistance.  Oak Park plans to better use this facility to teach participants 21st century technical skills and assist the community in closing the digital divide gap, especially for families in North Minneapolis.  Information about PUC and its neighborhood centers can be found on puc-mn.org.

Preferred Site Schedule for Member

The member will serve 9:30 to 4:30 Mondays thru Thursday, and alternate Fridays. Occasional weekend or evening work may be required for special programing events. There may be some flexibilty in the schedule.

In addition, members attend professional development days with their fellow CTEP members to enhance service-readiness skills, personal attributes at the service site, and citizenship skills.  These Corps days take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and these trainings are mandatory.  Members also attend statewide AmeriCorps events, such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, and/or serve on the statewide InterCorps Council.

Site Specific Responsibilities

  • Assist users in Community Tech Resource Center.
  • Assist in maintenance and upgrade of this facility.
  • Assist job search participants in learning skills such as resume development, internet job search, etc.
  • Teach small groups and workshops as defined.
  • Outreach to neighborhood groups and community action groups to engage these groups in Digital Divide issues.
  • Assist in developing technical literacy component for new Seniors Program.
  • Teach computer skills to youth group.

Urban Opportunities is planning to add two components to this program in 2011. Participants will be assisted in developing the skills to receive the Work Star Computer Literacy Certificate developed by the St Paul Literacy Council and Ramsey County Libraries. In 2011, PUC’s adult services will place increased emphasis on financial literacy. The CTEP member will assist staff in helping CTC users effectively utilize tools such as household budget templates in conjunction with this program.

Site Environment

The employment counselor assistant (AmeriCorps member) has a work station at Oak Park Neighborhood Center.  The building is smoke-free and air-conditioned; the basement level is handicapped accessible.  The member will have their own desk, telephone, computer and voice mail.

How to Apply

Apply online at my.americorps.gov and click on “Apply to Serve” (be sure to enter 06ACHMN0010008-0 as the “Program Listing ID,” or search for the Community Technology Empowerment Project).  Contact: Joel Krogstad, joel@technologypower.org, 651.556.1384

We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.  Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request.  Alternative formats of this document are also available.