Burlington’s Old North End is the most urban neighborhood in the state of Vermont. We feature high unemployment rates, low educational achievement and labor rates that do not climb much beyond the minimum wage. The Old North End Community/Technology Center was established with H.U.D. Enterprise Community (EC) funds as an economic development that includes every citizen in the promise of the Information Society. During the first two years of our development (1995-1997), it became clear that job seekers, employees and employers from all sectors of our community could benefit from awareness of, skills for and access to the Information Age. Our staff of neighborhood residents set out to construct a "ladder of opportunity" that would link folks with low levels of awareness and skills to the next "rungs" of training, planning and access. Our initial goal: to link job seekers with employers who are building their businesses and require Information Society skills.

Using the EC funds, we were able to provide computer basics to 2000 people and build a new On-Line Center and Life Long Learning Lab in the Old North End. We conducted a community-wide assessment and were able to use the EC funds to leverage major partnerships with the Vermont Department of Employment and Training, the International CyberSkills Association and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. These relationships were instrumental in leading us to an innovative model for community regeneration in the global digital economy.

Now in our second phase of development, funded in part by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and earned income, the Old North End Community/ Technology Center is called CyberSkills Vermont, and works with individuals, organizations and communities who want to participate in the global digital economy. More than a training organization, we support our neighbors and clients to build their capacity and plan their future. We also provide a working model for building the capacity of rural and urban communities to compete in the Information Economy.

CyberSkills is based on the principal of "People First, Technology Second" and a process that includes: auditing, awareness raising, access, training, content production, partnerships and planning. Our income is generated from awareness and training, technical services and skills-transfer (teaching other communities what we know). Our clients range from individuals, to state agencies (Employment and Training, Education, Social Welfare, Vocational Rehabilitation, Corrections), non-profits (state-wide and local), local foundations (Bell Atlantic, local banks), private industry council, municipal government (city departments), national government (USDA, HUD) and national foundations (W.K. Kellogg). We operate as a small business rather than a social service center. Our staff work as part of the following teams, headed by our Managing Director, Al Voegele: Training and Education, Sales/Marketing, Technical Services, Registration and On-Line Center.

CyberSkills Vermont has recently received two years of support from the USDA’s Fund For Rural America to implement our working model for community regeneration in the Northeast Kingdom and southeastern region of Vermont. This initiative will be implemented in parthership with regional Community Action Agencies, the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies and local vocational and micro-business training entities.

Our On-Line Center is equipped with 5 workstations, scanner, copier and full time assistance for $1/day ($2/hour for Internet). Open every week day. We serve 40 – 70 individuals each week.

Registration

We keep track of the 100 trainees/ month and provides "sign posts" to training funds and further training and employment opportunities.

Hands-on workshops that provide job seekers, small and large business owners, non-profits, and civic leadership with an introduction to information technologies and a framework for planning for their next steps. Awareness Raising Workshops are targeted for individuals who have yet to undertake computer basics, folks who own businesses and community leadership involved with community and economic development. The participants gain hands-on experience with a range of tools, that currently include CD-ROMS, Managed On-Line Services, Internet, Chat Rooms, ICQ, Video Conferencing.

Awareness Raising is an effective tool for building confidence, identifying training needs, mapping information flow, practicing electronic collaboration, and beginning information management.

Our current clients include the statewide Domestic Violence Network (funded by Bell Atlantic), low-income micro-business owners (funded by CDBG funds), low-income job seekers (funded by JTPA funds) and a variety of local businesses (who pay for themselves). CyberSkills for Rural Communities (funded by the USDA) targets community leaders who must begin to map their plans for participating in the Information Economy. Through a combination of Awareness Raising and targeted training, we will serve a total of 300 community leaders, job seekers and micro-business as the first step in their life long learning plans that will, ultimately lead them--and their community at large, to economic self-sufficiency.

CyberSkills Vermont’s provides a variety of classes in computer basics and advanced applications such as databases, web development, electronic collaboration. In addition to public classes (offered days and week-nights), we deliver custom training to large organizations, such as the Medical Center, Department of Corrections staff. We measure our success by the number of trainees who move on to continuing education and jobs. Our Registrar reports that 90% of the Awareness Raising Workshops return for additional training. We know of at least 25% who obtain jobs, launch their business or move on to higher education after attending our programs.

Community and Economic Development Projects

In addition to our local development work, we have established CyberSkills USA to assist other communities as they plan their future in the Information Economy. Based on our preliminary work in Contra Costa County, California, New Bedford and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the West Town neighborhood of Chicago and two rural regions of Vermont, we will join as partners in the launch of the Information Society Foundation, enabling us to share our model and expertise with these and other communities across the globe.

Since the early 1990’s, we’ve collaborated with national and international organizations, such as the Center for Civic Networking, the South Bristol Learning Network (UK), CTCNet, Alliance for Community Media, and ACENet in Athens, Ohio. As members of the International CyberSkills Association, we join with more than thirty sites across Europe, UK and Australia to build the capacity of our neighbors, organizations and communities to compete in the Information Economy.

Our long term goal is have an economic impact on the Old North End and Burlington, through a more formal implementation of the CyberSkills model. We believe that the Empowerment Zone proposal, currently being advanced by the Cities of Burlington and Plattsburgh, will enable us to continue our work and make the most of the federal and private investment in our "own back yard". CyberSkills Vermont joins with other CyberSkills Development Agencies to provide a foundation for Information Society planning in other communities in Vermont and across the US, and, in the long run, to influence telecommunications policy to move beyond the issues of access to strategies for building knowledge based economies.