About these slides:
This is a version of the slides that were used in a Digital Navigator 101 webinar presented by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance on September 21, 2023. It is made available for use by organizations involved or interested in digital navigator programs to share about digital navigators with their stakeholders. You may edit and use the slides under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Creative Commons license.
For more information:
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
About NDIA
National Digital Inclusion Alliance advances digital equity by supporting community programs and equipping policymakers to act.
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Introduction to Digital Navigators
digitalinclusion.org | @netinclusion | #digitalnavigators
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
Today’s Agenda
Key Definitions
The condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy.
Digital Equity
Digital Inclusion
The activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies
Elements of Digital Inclusion
Affordable, Appropriate Devices
Affordable,
High-Speed Internet
Digital Skills Training
Ongoing Technical Support
What is a Digital Navigator?
Key Definition
Digital navigators are individuals who address the whole digital inclusion process — home connectivity, devices, and digital skills — with community members through repeated interactions.
Growth of the Digital Navigator Model
What Do Digital Navigators Do?
Digital navigators consistently provide holistic, individualized support through
repeated
interactions.
Digital Navigator Process
Evaluate & Discuss Solutions
Refer to Relevant Resources
Check In & Evaluate Progress
Digital Skills Training
Appropriate Devices
Affordable Broadband
Assess Goals & Needs
Assess & Evaluate Needs & Goals
Digital navigators should learn about:
Resources:
Assess
Digital Skills
Broadband
Devices
Check In
Evaluate
Support for Digital Skill Learning
Digital navigators typically assist in three ways:
Resource:
Assess
Check In
Digital Skills
Broadband
Evaluate
Devices
Assistance Accessing Affordable Devices
Digital navigators typically assist in
two ways:
All digital navigators should be
prepared to provide guidance
for selecting an appropriate device.
Resources:
Assess
Check In
Broadband
Evaluate
Digital Skills
Devices
Appropriate & Affordable Broadband Solutions
To provide assistance, digital navigators:
low-cost connectivity options
Resources:
Assess
Digital Skills
Broadband
Evaluate
Devices
Check In
Digital Navigator Process
Evaluate & Discuss Solutions
Refer to Relevant Resources
Check In & Evaluate Progress
Digital Skills Training
Appropriate Devices
Affordable Broadband
Assess Goals & Needs
Who Are Digital Navigators?
Qualities of a Digital Navigator
Service oriented
Culturally competent
Problem solvers
Trusted
Flexible
Empathetic
Good humor
Patient
Find job description at digitalinclusion.org/dn
Adaptable
Reliable
Members of the Community They Serve
Digital Navigator Training
Areas of Training
Staffing Examples
Existing staff
Cohort of interns
Full-time staff
Southeastern New York Library Resources Council:
Cross-trained 77 existing staff in libraries and community based organizations.
City of San Diego:
Hired 13 interns to serve as digital navigators embedded in community based organizations.
National Digital Navigator Corps:
Organizations in rural areas or that serve Tribes each hired a full-time employee to serve as a digital navigator.
Digital navigators are based in trusted organizations.
Different organizations are trusted by different communities.
Who Do Digital Navigators Serve?
Identify Target Communities
Examples of targeted communities:
Seattle Housing Authority
Targeted English Language Learners, and partnered with local organizations to provide assistance in Somali, Vietnamese, Spanish and more.
Denver Public Library
offers digital navigator services in branches in neighborhoods with high numbers of digitally disconnected households.
Digital Connect Initiative - Gila River
partners with elder center to pair digital skills learning circles with meals and provides instruction on tablets distributed by the Tribal Council.
Resource: Find data to identify target areas on NDIA's Data and Research Page
One-on-one interactions mean
community members receive individualized support.
Example:
Christina, a client of Salt Lake City Public Library’s digital navigators, was more successful when receiving individualized support:
“I contacted the digital
navigator project because
I read about it in the paper.
I’d had several periods of
instruction in using a computer but that kind of instruction had gone in one ear and out the other. I think that’s because I don’t speak computer language.”
Repeated interactions build trust
and provide a human connection.
Example:
Repeated interactions with a Connect Arizona digital navigator supported Chris’s small business goals:
“I struggle with learning and the repeated tutoring has helped me keep my head on straight and keep all this crazy tech knowledge. Could not have gotten my businesses up and running without you.”
Example:
Digital navigators at Hamden Public Library helped build self- confidence through
social-emotional technology learning:
“I know
I can count on the digital navigators, they gave me confidence in myself.”
Vantage’s digital inclusion program supported Ronnie’s journey towards learning digital skills.
“I was a little bit apprehensive,” said Ronnie, “I had my schooling and work history, but I knew I needed to upgrade my computer skills. The Digital Inclusion program and Digital Navigators gave me the confidence to learn these new skills. I needed some direction and guidance and a formatted plan for my study. I didn’t know all the aspects of these new digital applications and tools.”
Connect Lake County helps community members access low-cost internet through programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Digital navigators with Connect Lake County connected community members to ACP, and in just 60 days enrolled and applied benefits for more than 220 households and saw over $55,000 saved on internet costs.
Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network digital navigators provide devices to members of the Tribe who may have never had a computer before.
“We looked at the Tribal workers who are field workers and not at a computer all day. We picked five Tribal employees who were not computer literate and started our pilot program. We were able to purchase laptops and give them to the clients to learn. We are using Towa, our
native language, to teach our clients.”
Computer Reach provided devices and training to a non-profit, volunteer fire department to build trust and support public safety across an entire community.
“With access to critical devices and comprehensive digital skills training, the project has helped us significantly improve our life-saving emergency services and enhanced our response capabilities to fire protection and other critical situations.”
Dave Lambert, Chief
Cokeburg Volunteer Fire Co.
Opportunities to Engage
Resources at digitalinclusion.org/dn
Materials such as:
Tell NDIA About Your
Digital Navigator Program
NDIA would love to learn more about your digital navigator program.
Share details on your location, partners, and client-base here.
Join the NDIA Community
Become an Affiliate and get free access to:
Join NDIA: digitalinclusion.org/join/
Join the Working Group
Email: dignavsupport@digitalinclusion.org
NDIA’s Digital Navigator Working Group
Questions?
THANK YOU!