Puget Sound Off!
Teen space launched with contest for best blog/video/song
Seattle teens get new voice online… and city hall is listening
PugetSoundOff.org puts youth in touch with decision-makers
(read full news release)
Sound Off for Action and get your voice heard...and win prizes. Pugetsoundoff.org has just launched and is holding a competition for best blog, video and song. Submit your piece by October 17th.
Sound Off for Action!Pugetsoundoff.org (PSO) is designed by teens for teens to sound off and express what's hot and what's not. Featuring blogs, events, polls and more. (This video was produced by University of Washington CCCE students in collaboration with Puget Sound Youth Council members and the Seattle Channel). Pugetsoundoff.org is sponsored by the Metrocenter YMCA, City of Seattle, and the University of Washington Center for Communications and Civic Engagement (CCCE) with contest support from the Seattle Times Newspapers in Education Program.
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2008 Technology Matching Fund Grantees Honored, along with teens.
Mayor Greg Nickels awarded $175,000 to fifteen organizations for community technology projects. Read more about the 2008 grant recipients here.
These 2008 Bill Wright Technology Matching Fund recipients were honored at a celebration event at Garfield Community Center on Wednesday, July 30th. Also honored were teens who recently completed the Garfield RecTech summer technology program. You can see this event on the Seattle Channel on August 1st at 2 pm on Channel 21 or anytime on Seattle Channel's web site.
Councilmember Bruce Harrell joined the community for this event and spoke about technology literacy.
Digital literacy discussed at U.S. Conference of Mayors
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels spoke about the city's efforts and the importance of information technology skills for workers at all levels in a panel discussion hosted by Microsoft at the U.S. Conference of Mayors conference in Miami. See more in the June 20th Miami Herald article.
Approved!
Washington State's 1st Community Tech Program
On March 12th, the Washington Legislature completed passage of Bill 6438 and the state budget. The bill provides for two complementary programs, including the first state grant program for community technology!
The new legislation establishes: 1) a planning process for broadband development and mapping; and 2) the state’s first Community Technology Opportunity Program. With strong legislative support, $500,000 has been allocated for the new program, which will provide grants and capacity building assistance. There will be well over 100 organizations in Seattle likely eligible for this program and hundreds more across the state.
The broadband portion of the bill calls for local planning teams with local government, business, education and non-profit community organization participation. The bill also requires the state to publish a web directory of community tech programs, similar to the city’s local directory.
The City of Seattle’s Community Tech team, along with representatives from local programs, including the STAR Center, NPowerSeattle, Metrocenter YMCA, were instrumental in getting this passed by working with the state Communities Connect Network to share their successes and needs. Seattle Representative Zack Hudgins led the effort towards passage of the final bill. Rep. Claudia Kauffman sponsored the community tech bill. Sen. Kohl-Welles sponsored the initial broadband legislation. Rep. John McCoy was also instrumental in passage of the bill.
The directory makes it easy to find appropriate programs and services. It lists
more than 160 sites in Seattle, King County and surrounding areas that offer
access and training. Centers are organized by geographic area and contain information
about programs, facilities, community served and availability.
You can find sites by location or use the search
page to look for specific training, languages or programs. If you know
of a program not listed here or have updates, let
us know.
Seattle Free Wifi Pilot Project
The City of Seattle provides free public wireless Internet
service in Columbia City and the University District as well as four downtown
parks (Occidental, Freeway, Steinbrueck and Westlake) as a pilot project. Free
wifi is also provided at Seattle Public libraries and the Seattle Center
Center House. Learn more about our Seattle Wi-Fi project. If you have questions or problems with service, you can email communitytechnology@seattle.gov or
leave a message on our WiFi infoline at 684-8070.
Seniors and Youth Present Community Perspective
See the results of a Technology Matching Fund Electronic Civic
Engagement project, which brought together limited English speaking elders
and youth in the International District to use pda's, community mapping, and
photojournalism as tools to raise voices and foster discussion about the current
status and future development needs of the neighborhood. Developed by the Internal
District Housing Alliance (IDHA) WILD program in partnership with Sustainable
Seattle and Photovoice.
See an eleven minute overview of the project or
the video presentation to City Council
See presentation
slides
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