 |
|
"To
ensure that people in East Palo Alto |
|
History |
Plugged In's Action Plan for 1999 Executive Summary Action Plan for 1998-1999 Special Projects Outline A. Programmatic Improvement 1. Goals Document the best practices and lessons learned of each Plugged In program. Create evaluation mechanisms to demonstrate the impact of our work. Disseminate best practices and lessons learned. 2. Need Each Plugged In program requires a distinct management and programmatic infrastructure. The following is an explanation of the unique nature of each program and the infrastructure needed to operate each of them. a. The Technology Access Center focuses on adults. It provides people with technological tools for work, business, and education. It is a dynamic community space that values practical solutions to everyday problems; peer learning and information exchange; and technological experimentation and exploration. The programmatic goals for next two years include the following: Add new services needed by the community: information resource on HIV/AIDS and information on online financial management. Hire an Assistant Manager for the Center. Recruit five more volunteers to teach evening computer classes for adults. Recruit more volunteers to serve as computer resource assistants. Document standard operating procedures for the program. Create and document an orientation and training program for new Technology Access Center Resource staff. Acquire more hard disk space for community members to save their documents and work. b. The Children’s Program focuses on kids between the ages of six and twelve and concentrates its efforts on reinforcing academic and creative skills while fostering a high level of knowledge and comfort with technological tools. Program goals for the next two years include: Recruit more volunteers to provide one-on-one support to children especially in reading. Create quarterly computer curriculum. Design and document 52 computer learning projects. Create weekly themes upon which to base learning activities. Create connections with the teachers of the children involved in the program to receive feedback on their academic performance and to update the teacher on the child’s participation in the program. Visit other children’s programs to learn from their work. Create a manual describing how the program is operated, how student behavior is managed, and how a creative community atmosphere is fostered. c. Plugged In Enterprises Plugged In Enterprises focuses on teenagers and young people. This program is geared toward instilling entrepreneurial aspirations and business sense in young people. Simultaneously, the program feeds the technological appetites of its participants by pushing them to deliver advanced Internet products to demanding clients. The program goals for the program in the next two years are as follow: Create a wage structure and incentives program for the teen entrepreneurs. Write a manual for program management. Create job descriptions, assessments, and evaluation tools for measuring student progress. Document training curriculum. Create advisory council of Silicon Valley professionals to guide programmatic development/strategy and help the program stay on the cutting edge of web page development. Recruit 72 new recruits over two years. B. Human Resources Management 1. Goals Review organizational wage and bonus structure. Review personnel policies. Revise job descriptions. Design job performance and evaluation tools. Host two staff training and program planning retreats. 2. Need Plugged In has experienced significant staff turnover in the last five years. Part of this is a consequence of hiring young people and the volatile job market, but it is also due to a lack of experience at recruiting and evaluating candidates. Staff development is a high priority for the next two years. The following is a description of the management structure for each program and the staff qualifications: a. The Technology Access Center The Technology Access Center requires a transparent management structure that allows people to get quick solutions for specific needs while feeling respected for their age and experience. Staff members need practical knowledge of a wide range of software applications and must be able to explain basic computer concepts repeatedly. b. The Children’s Program The Children’s Program requires a creative and simulating learning environment that is interesting to children at varying stages of mental and social development. Staff members need specialized knowledge of children’s software applications, must be highly creative, understand the development needs of children, and possess excellent group management skills. c. Plugged In Enterprises Plugged In Enterprises requires a youth development model that includes business development and client management capacity. The staff must have extensive knowledge in advanced software applications, business managment, and youth development. The staff must also have a passion for keeping up with new technology. Plugged In’s current staff has the skills and talents described above. Our challenge is to support our staff in their work and professional development. For this purpose we are reviewing our current employment practices and management structure. This includes a review of the wage structure, a re-examination of our personnel policies, review of all personnel records, the completion of job descriptions, improvement staff evaluations, and the creation of individual development plans. Once these tasks are completed, systems will be in place that will help us better retain current personnel and hire new staff members. C. Relocation 1. Goals Locate a new space for Plugged In. Create and implement a plan for financing the move. Collaborate with other non-profits in relocation efforts. Work with developers and city officials to coordinate strategy for the move. Participate in block relocation meetings. 2. Need University Circle Partners and the City of East Palo Alto are tearing down our block to make way for a conference center and hotel. As a result, in the next year, Plugged In will be forced to relocate east of Highway 101. Three months ago, the Packard Foundation gave us a $10,000 grant to hire Chuck Marsh, a commercial real estate developer, to assist our efforts. Chuck is conducting research on space availability, land costs, rent costs, and property owners. Space is scarce and rentals are near impossible to find. Therefore, we are also assessing our ability to buy and build. The relocation process, particularly if it entails buying land, may require us to start a capital fundraising campaign. Fortunately, Plugged In has $75,000 in reserve due to a generous gift by Apple Computer and General Magic co-founder Andy Hertzfeld, which be used as down payment for the relocation. D. Strategic Planning 1. Goals Hire a strategic planning consultant. Design a work plan for strategic planning process. Implement the work plan. 2. Need Plugged In’s Board of Directors has recognized that, in the next year, the organization must focus on the infrastructure projects presented above. Plugged In is developing a strategic plan to plan for growth and expansion after the relocation and other infrastructure issues are resolved. Key questions that will addressed in the strategic plan include: Should Plugged In provide technical assistance and training to individuals and organizations interested in starting similar programs around the world? Is Plugged In doing all it can to serve the needs of East Palo Alto? Should we increase the size of current projects or add new programs? Should we consider starting a revenue-generating business?
Community Technology Center: Notes from staff retreat Comments from the Plugged In staff retreat: There needs to be more things for teens to do at Plugged In May need additional charges for the web design station, or refocus on serving EPA residents Web volunteer for that area Marketing the membership program: reducing fee, or adding benefits (discount on copies or members first policy) Define customer expectations: we help you do things, we don't do things for you Agenda we used: 1.A good moment: when we feel good about our work 2.A discussion about the past 9 months, lessons learned, things to do 3.Vision brainstorm: what it looks like in 2 years 4.The CTC: how we can make it a better place to work 5.Action plan for 1999 Misc. notes: Importance of "making the rounds" and being proactive about helping customers Importance of respecting customers' privacy Some of the black youth who use our phones (15-25) never take advantage of other services we have to offer. Some of the Latino youth from the East side will not come to this side of the freeway for fear of gang activity. Similarly, there seems to be a gap between kids and then adults, with few young adults using our services. The importance of feeling safe, physically and otherwise. When thing became more quiet on the block, evening customers started coming back Ruth was great in providing one-on-one help with resumes One of our customers works at Kinkos How the Community Technology Center can be a more comfortable work environment: Need to keep working at being able to say No to supervisor Need to have some absolute limit on how long customers can work on a computer (8hrs straight on the desktop publishing station is too long) Dealing with rude customers Attending staff meetings at least once a month Managing flow of younger children who always end up in our program I feel good about my work when... When I can help someone When kids are doing great work When I see community members helping other community members When a customer comes in and tells us he found a job When a customer lets us help him with something that's very important for them I know I make a difference. | We provide community members with access to knowledge The things kids do help them to well in school Every time that, as a customer, I feel:I've done it, with help from the staff What one customer does at the CTC: Practice computer skills. Look for jobs Move forward in life Do correspondence Stay in touch with friends and what's going on in homeland Do work for my church I feel bad when I look up and down the street and see people that don't take advantage of our services. Review of our Services In the Technology Access Center 1. The Access Program The Technology Access Center (TAC) provides access to computer technology for the East Palo Alto community. Community members are welcome to use technology for work, study, business, entertainment or communication. Plugged In does not advocate specific goals for our customers but instead provides tools for community members to achieve the goals they define for themselves. The TAC serves as a resource for customers of all skill and experience levels, from the customer who has never before used a computer, to the customer who comes in to use Photoshop on a large color monitor. Access services for adults and teens and access services for children are offered separately. The Access Center provides high quality products and services which are introduced and articulated clearly through an orientation for each customer/investor: A. Adults and Teens Description of services: Ages of customers: 14 and up; children under 14 are welcome when supervised by an adult The TAC includes at least 10 total Windows 95 and Macintosh computers. Available software includes Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Word, Excel, WinWay Resume, Printshop Deluxe, Adobe Photoshop, PageMill/Frontpage, typing and mouse practice Available peripherals include a scanner, printer, color printer, digital camera Available office resources include a copy machine, fax machine, telephone and basic office supplies. Membership: Plugged In memberships are available to all interested adult community members for a reasonable fee. Customers will not be turned away based on their inability to pay for services. The cost of membership does not cover Plugged In's cost for providing resources; actual costs of membership are subsidized by fundraising efforts. Instead, the investment made by each customer by paying for their supports the program and represents the customer's support of and respect for the resources available through Plugged In. No customer will be turned away for lack of money. Those unable to pay will be able to obtain memberships through a system to be developed Certain services will have a fee at a level that covers its actual cost. For example, fax and photocopy services will be priced at comparable levels to those offered in the market Access services will continue to be offered free of charge to all children and teenagers. Available resources: A variety of self-tutorial materials are available through the Access Center, including hard copy materials on basic computer use (self-tutorials of the sort available at Kinkos), self-help books, web-based interactive tutorials and goal-focused, self-paced curricula (How to become an administrative assistant, How to become a web page designer) Staff members will provide an orientation to each new customer and ongoing trouble-shooting and technical assistance Language issues: English/Spanish bilingual staff are available to assist Spanish-speaking customers for at least 10 hours per week. Plugged In's goal is to produce all internal written materials in English and Spanish by 6/98 B. Children Our goal is to have the current community kids program taken over by another after-school program (such as the YMCA). If this happens, we may not offer a drop-in program for children but rather offer classes to neighborhood children in partnership with this after-school program. If not, we will provide the services described below Children ages 6-13 may have their parents/guardians register them for the Children's Access Program (CAP). A Plugged In staff person oversees participants' computer use CAP provides computer technology access to children. Available software includes mouse practice, KidPix, MathBlaster, Creative Writer, CD-Rom software. The program will be conducted as a drop-in program for children Project-based activities (eg. making a greeting card with a child's digital photo, creating a personal web page) are conducted regularly (2 to 4 times a month) for CAP participants Children will have specific days and times when they can use the program, based on demand. B. Measuring the impact With possible assistance from outside consultants, the management team will develop a Program evaluation strategy for the year. Tools may include: Number of daily customer visits The cash investment made in the Access Center by its customers Case studies: things people got done at Plugged In Example: Each week 200 community members use the center. They invest $20/month in this program Natalie's mom just signed up for a computer training program after using Plugged In's TAC C. Expenses and revenues The cost of our Access program will be approximately $150,000. We will be introducing a $15/month membership fee for adults by May, 1998. In addition, certain services (fax, color prints etc.), will be offered at cost. We expect monthly revenues to be very small this year, for a total of approximately $12,000 over 12 months. $140,000 will be raised through charitable contributions. |
