Community Tech Network Community Tech Network
Transforming Lives Through Digital Equity. DONATE
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission & Values
    • Annual Reports & 990s
    • Our Impact
    • CTN History
    • Staff
    • Board
    • Partners
    • Funders
    • Jobs
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Capacity Building
    • Direct Services
  • Impact Stories
    • Videos
    • Case Studies
      • San Francisco Responds to COVID-19 (PDF)
      • The Pandemic Pivot (PDF)
    • Newsletters
    • CTN In the News
    • Spotlight Stories
      • Volunteer Spotlights
      • Learner Spotlights
      • Partner Spotlights
      • Funder Spotlights
      • Staff Spotlights
    • CTN Advocacy
    • Sign up for CTN eNews
  • PARTNER WITH US
  • Volunteer
    • Become a Digital Coach
    • Volunteer Heroes
    • Application
  • Resources
    • Request a Digital Coach
    • Training Schedule
    • SF Connected Calendar
    • Affordable Connectivity Program
  • Donate
Community Tech Network Community Tech Network
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission & Values
    • Annual Reports & 990s
    • Our Impact
    • CTN History
    • Staff
    • Board
    • Partners
    • Funders
    • Jobs
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Capacity Building
    • Direct Services
  • Impact Stories
    • Videos
    • Case Studies
      • San Francisco Responds to COVID-19 (PDF)
      • The Pandemic Pivot (PDF)
    • Newsletters
    • CTN In the News
    • Spotlight Stories
      • Volunteer Spotlights
      • Learner Spotlights
      • Partner Spotlights
      • Funder Spotlights
      • Staff Spotlights
    • CTN Advocacy
    • Sign up for CTN eNews
  • PARTNER WITH US
  • Volunteer
    • Become a Digital Coach
    • Volunteer Heroes
    • Application
  • Resources
    • Request a Digital Coach
    • Training Schedule
    • SF Connected Calendar
    • Affordable Connectivity Program
  • Donate
Jan 24

CTN Offers Digital Navigator Training to Youth Library Volunteers

  • January 24, 2023
  • General

In fall 2022, Community Tech Network offered its digital navigator training to 17 high school juniors and seniors who are volunteering within the San Francisco Public Library system. The students are volunteering in pairs to address the technological needs of library patrons.

So far, the initiative has been a huge success. The two newly trained digital navigators at the Main Library alone recently served 122 people in a 30-day span. With youth volunteers now trained as navigators in nine San Francisco library branches, imagine the impact that they make.

To offer this unique training, CTN customized our already-existing LibraryLIFT capacity-building solution (designed for librarians and adult library volunteers) to create a format better suited to youth.

The navigators learned how to assist folks with library resources (such as scanners, desktop computers, and printers) as well as their personal devices. Navigators were also trained to help individuals sign up for discounted home internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program and perform important tasks online (such as accessing healthcare portals or applying for jobs and social services).

According to CTN’s Alexey Morov, who led the training: “The kids were really enthusiastic. Many are already confident in their tech knowledge, but being a digital navigator is not just about answering someone’s questions or fixing their device. Navigators are meant to guide patrons to resources. For example, instead of just googling something for someone and providing them with the answer, navigators might teach the learner how to do Google searches themselves, browse the results, differentiate between government and commercial sites, and practice internet safety when following links. This paves the way for people to use technology on their own.”

CTN also taught the volunteers about adult learning methods, trauma-informed responses, and working with older adults. As Alexey says, “It’s not just about what you teach but how you do it.”

SFPL’s new digital navigators have received stellar reviews. Writes one library patron: “I was helped greatly by S.* in the lobby at a tech-help desk for about (over, actually) an hour at least. S. was articulate and clear in his descriptions and explanations (frankly, I can barely turn these devices on) as he patiently helped and/or literally walked me through a number of applications and choices about services. He didn’t act condescending at all throughout these detailed processes.”

CTN is thrilled that the library’s youth digital navigators initiative is working out so well. This is not the first time that CTN has joined forces with the San Francisco Public Library, as the two organizations have a long-standing partnership. Each year, CTN offers classes and workshops as part of the library’s annual Tech Week. In fact, SFPL’s Kate Eppler says that CTN’s classes this past year were some of the most popular! CTN has also hosted Tech Support Pop-Ups and other events at the library, and SFPL staff often refer adult learners to CTN’s Home Connect program.

Says Kate: “CTN is a key player in digital equity in San Francisco and has been a wonderful partner. When we refer people to CTN, we know that they’ll always get great help, and we know that CTN has the language capacity that our patrons need.”

*Name not published to protect the identity of a minor

Related

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-Mail

Comments are closed.

CTN Stories

  • Videos
  • Newsletters
  • CTN In the News
  • Volunteer Spotlights
  • Learner Spotlights
  • Partner Spotlights
  • Funder Spotlights
  • CTN Advocacy

Stay Connected with CTN by signing up for our email list.

Recent Posts

  • Bridging the Digital Divide for San Francisco’s Chinese Community – March 2023
  • Providing Remote Digital Literacy to Homebound and Rural Individuals with Vivalon
  • Bringing Digital Literacy to Non-English Speakers
  • Connections, Health, Aging, and Technology (CHAT): Learner Satisfaction Surveys
  • One to Watch: Jenny Rubio, an Up-and-Coming Leader in Digital Equity

Follow us on Facebook

This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts. Backup cache in use.
Click to show error
Error: Invalid OAuth access token - Cannot parse access token Type: OAuthException

Community Tech Network believes that access to the Internet is a human right and that those without the skills to use a computer are at risk of social and economic disadvantage.

Contact Us

San Francisco Office
1390 Market Street, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94102

General Questions
inquiries@communitytechnetwork.org
855-983-0318

Press
press@communitytechnetwork.org
855-983-0318 x 3636
Media Kit

Explore job opportunities with CTN

Send us a note:

©2023 Community Tech Network. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Proudly powered by WordPress Hosted by Pressable