Did you know that more than 24 million people in the U.S. lack high-speed internet access, and many more don’t have the skills needed to take full advantage of online resources? To give you context, the amount of people in the U.S. that lack high-speed internet access is just a little bit larger than the population of Florida. In Indiana, roughly 1 in 10 residents are not able to purchase an internet plan of at least 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload.
The combination of inadequate internet access and limited digital skills has created a digital divide, impacting future opportunities for young people and adults. Inequitable access to reliable Internet connectivity and a lack of digital skills are contributing to a growing opportunity gap in areas like education, employment, healthcare, social fulfillment and entrepreneurship, with various communities. The 4-H Tech Changemakers program helps bridge this gap and meet this need. This program trains and equips teens to bring digital literacy skills to their communities through providing education and tools to adults.
To expand their reach, the Montgomery County 4-H team recently held a statewide training to train more teens from across the state. Teams are tasked with identify community needs in regards to digital literacy and inclusion and provide educational programming to adults to help address those needs. At this training there were seven youth and three adults in attendance, representing Lake, Jefferson and Marion counties. Participants created a community profile and gained hands-on experience in delivering educational programming.
The Montgomery County 4-H Tech Changemakers team is looking for opportunities to provide educational programming to adults to help them enhance their digital literacy skills. If your business, organization, non-profit, etc. is interested in having them come and teach or provide professional development opportunities, contact the Montgomery County Extension office at 765-364-6363 or e-mail Abby Morgan at asweet@purdue.edu.
Abby Morgan is the Montgomery County Extension Education, 4-H Youth Development Educator. The office is at 400 Parke Ave., Crawfordsville; 765-364-6363. She may be reached by email at asweet@purdue.edu.
