716.651.0465 | Airport Commerce Park | 303 Cayuga Rd., Suite 180 | Cheektowaga, NY 14225

Spotlight: LV Rochester's Digital Literacy Program

Literacy Volunteers of Rochester witnessed the growing Digital Divide—and took action, creating the Digital Literacy Program. From their website:

19.4% of Rochester households do not have computers. And, that’s just part of the problem. 60% of those who begin online job applications can’t complete them. Lack of computers in homes or easy access to the internet has serious economic and social consequences for our community. Computer skills become much harder to acquire, and access to invaluable information, good and services is severely constricted.

Without a computer, computer skills and internet access, it is impossible, or nearly so, to:

  • create a resume
  • write a cover letter
  • set up an email account
  • find a job
  • find a doctor
  • get a driver’s license
  • apply for Fafsa and other student loans
  • get into college
  • find a bus route
  • find “how-to” videos to maintain your apartment or home
  • find a “how-to” video to fix your car
  • find a mechanic
  • get a passport
  • find a decent restaurant
  • connect to friends and family via social media
  • make travel plans or buy an airplane ticket
  • find out when the library opens
  • find a phone number
  • The list goes on.

What we do

Digital Literacy has nearly 50 volunteer navigators working in 10 community sites who provide free on-site, drop-in service to participants who need assistance with technology. Navigators assist participants with a range of needs, from learning a new computer skill to completing an important computer-related task. They also distribute free flash drives to participants who need them in order to retain key documents.

Navigators are located at city libraries (Arnett, Frederick Douglass, Lincoln, Lyell, Phillis Wheatley and Sully), Gates Public Library, Greece Community Education, Veterans Outreach Center and LVR’s main office. Click for Digital Literacy  hours and locations

Who we serve

  • Our participants come from 34 zip codes in the Monroe County area
  • Over 71% of our participants live in high poverty areas

Current 2017-18 YTD results

  • 96.6% of our participants learn new computer skills, complete essential tasks, or became more marketable for employment
  • 93.5% of our participants resolve their immediate computer needs
  • Check out the latest report on our success
  • Some 3,400 expected participants (up from 1,080 two years ago)
    • Acquired new technology-related skills
    • Learned how to access key resources and information
    • Received one-to-one workforce preparation assistance
    • Resolved their technology-related issues
  • This program year, we project distributing nearly 900 free flash drives to participants, up from 630 flash drives last year. These flash drive make our participants more digital and mobile
  • This year, we project that navigators will contributed the in-kind equivalent of over $150,000 dollars in volunteer time, more than doubling the program’s actual budget

 

For more information, contact LV Rochester at 585.473.3030, https://literacyrochester.org/