Newest Model Center Adopts New Approach, Becomes ‘Nerve Center’ of Community Partners

07/07/2009

San Francisco, CA—The number 13 is often considered unlucky, ranking right up there with walking under a ladder, having a black cat cross your path, and breaking a mirror. But for the Bayview Computer Learning Center, the 13th Neighborhood Networks center in the nation and the first in California to achieve Model center classification, luck has nothing to do with its success. Much of the Bayview Computer Learning Center’s rise to Model center classification can be attributed to the hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm of Center Director Lee Harrison and his team of dedicated individuals. In less than two years, Harrison and his team has transformed a struggling center into a shining example from which other Neighborhood Networks centers can benefit. They have turned the Bayview Computer Learning Center into a nerve center that brings together a number of organizations that work collectively to strengthen the community and help each other build their organizational capacity in the process. Creating a Partner Hub Like most Neighborhood Networks centers, the Bayview Computer Learning Center relies heavily on partners to offer residents and the community a variety of programs and services. However, Harrison has taken the concept of partnership development one step further. “In the past, I attempted to establish partnerships with numerous local organizations, and had moderate success,” explained Harrison. “When approaching a potential partner, I would always highlight how the partner’s mission was compatible with the center’s mission. That approach was fine, but it was not anything innovative that really made potential partners stop and take notice. Then, in 2008, the Bayview Computer Learning Center was fortunate enough to receive onsite technical assistance. Through this process, I began thinking about partnerships differently and redefined the center in a way that appeals to many community organizations.” The approach Harrison adopted was to recast the partnership as one that benefitted the community and potential partners, rather than the center. To prospective partners, Harrison would highlight how partners could use the center to reach their constituents and more easily achieve their mission to have a greater impact on the community. To further entice partners, Harrison offered partner organizations full access to the Bayview Computer Learning Center’s resources and programs, as well as the resources of other partners, turning the center into a training center for partner organizations. “The center and our partners operate kind of like a mini-consortium,” described Harrison. “We all bring something to the group. The center offers the physical location, use of our 15 computers and other technology, and access to the community. The various partners all bring unique expertise and resources, as well as contacts in the community. We all share what we have with each other to strengthen our skills and organizations, thereby allowing us to better serve the community. By helping each other do what we do better, we are all helping the community. When it comes right down to it, it is the larger goal that we all share.” One key partner that helps the Bayview Computer Learning is Bayview MAGIC, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to mobilize community leaders, social service providers, church communities, schools, juvenile justice agencies and families in the Bayview community of San Francisco. One way Bayview MAGIC achieves this is through monthly networking meetings. “This is a great partnership because Bayview MAGIC brings together many community organizations, as well as city and county organizations,” said Harrison. “All of these organizations are discussing ways to collaborate and share resources. Networking and building partnerships does not get much easier than this.” The Making of a Model Center Using his new partnership development approach, Harrison has enlisted the help of several community organizations to deliver programs and services to the residents and community members served by the Bayview Computer Learning Center. “One program that we are very excited about is our Go Google class. This program teaches participants how to use Google, Gmail, and the various programs that make up Google Docs. Google Docs is a suite of applications similar to Microsoft Office, but they are Web-based, absolutely free to use, and you can share your documents with others. More and more people are using these programs because of their easy and cost-effective access,” stated Harrison. To date, the Bayview Computer Learning Center has offered two Go Google classes. Thirteen people participated in each of the 90-minute classes. “This class has attracted quite a few people to the center,” said Harrison. “In fact, there is a waiting list for future Go Google classes. We have also decided to expand the class and create a series of Google classes. We also plan to create a tutorial for each class by capturing screen shots and providing instructions that walk students through the course. These tutorials can be used by individuals who could not attend the class, or by other Neighborhood Networks centers who would like to offer a Google Docs class but do not have the resources to do so. This is a class that is popular with center users and offers skills that center users can use to compete for jobs, and we never would have been able to offer it if it was not for one of our new partners, the Computer Technology Network, or CTN.” A nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and supporting the goals of community technology centers, CTN connects community technology centers with resources and volunteers. According to Harrison, the partnership with CTN has expanded the Bayview Computer Learning Center’s capacity to serve users “by leaps and bounds.” Specifically, CTN’s Volunteer Training and Orientation Program recruits, trains, and places volunteers who possess excellent skills and a desire to ‘give something back’ to people in underserved communities. “So far, we have been very fortunate to have received the support of four volunteers through our partnership with CTN. We have been able to make ideas for programs a reality. In addition to the volunteer who created the Go Google class, we have a volunteer who configures our computers, and another volunteer who maintains our Web site. A recent addition to our volunteer team will be managing our youth Second Life program, which will have our youth creating their own virtual communities. I am very excited about this program. My goal is to ask our youth to create a virtual world depicting how they see their community, including its potential, resources, dangers, and shortfalls. My hope is that it will become a unique ‘needs assessment’ that can be shared with community-based organizations and service providers. In urban areas, there are often ‘territory’ conflicts between young people, so we also hope the program will model a venue for youths from different neighborhoods to dialogue in a safe environment to dispel negative perceptions and find commonality and unity. I think it will be a ground-breaking way to engage the youth in our programs and in learning by providing opportunities for them to use technology in ways that expand their options.” The Bayview Computer Learning Center also collaborates with City College of San Francisco. The institution provides academic and financial aid counseling, as well as intern support. “If we have an information technology [IT] project that we need help doing, we call our contact at the computer networking and information technology department to see if there is a student who can help us out,” explained Harrison. “The arrangement works well for the college and the center. The center receives IT support and is helping CTN develop a service-learning program for local colleges and university students. In the process, we provide a student with an opportunity to gain hands-on, real-world, work experience.” From Underachiever to Shining Star A visitor to today’s Bayview Computer Learning Center would never guess that this shining example of a Model Neighborhood Networks center was once a struggling center that was far from living up to its full potential. “The owner of the Bayview Apartments, AIMCO [Apartment Investment and Management Company], was paying an outside consultant to operate the center,” explained Harrison. “When I became responsible for the center, I saw that no programs were being offered—which actually was not a problem because no residents were coming to the center since the equipment was in a state of disrepair. After further investigation, I concluded that the arrangement with the consultant was not working out, and I took over managing the center in May 2007. To say that the center has done a complete ‘about face’ would be an understatement. The fact that we have achieved Model center classification is simply amazing. It is quite an honor, and we are flattered to be in such an illustrious group of centers.” Déjà-Vu in Dallas Harrison and his team’s efforts were acknowledged and rewarded during a ceremony at the conclusion of the opening day of the Neighborhood Networks RTAW held at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas, April 29–May 1, 2009. During the ceremony, National Neighborhood Networks Director Delores Pruden presented Harrison with a plaque commemorating the center’s advancement to Model center classification and personally congratulated Harrison for achieving something only 12 other Neighborhood Networks centers have yet to accomplish. Harrison believes that Neighborhood Networks centers play a vital role in closing the technology gap for underserved communities. He concluded by saying, “Communities like ours are often the last to discover today’s technology, and Neighborhood Networks centers are residents’ portals to learn skills that will enable them to utilize technology to their best advantage. We see positive change, enrichment, growth, and success happen for people, and our center motto is, “Giving the Gift of I Can!” We provide our families and community with opportunities for success, but what we often see are miracles happening. The plaque signifies our dedication to every center user and lets them know that success is possible for them.” For more information about Neighborhood Networks centers in California, contact: Donald Freeman U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Los Angeles Multifamily Hub 611 West Sixth Street, Suite 800 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 534-2622 Unetha G. Norman U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Sacramento Multifamily Program Center John E. Moss Federal Building 650 Capitol Mall, Room 4-200 Sacramento, CA 95814-4723 (916) 498-7390 Martha G. Picasso U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development San Francisco Multifamily Hub 600 Harrison Street, Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 489-6650 For more information about the Bayview Computer Learning Center: Lee Harrison Director Bayview Computer Learning Center 5 Commer Court San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 285-7344

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