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As a continual effort to address the quality of life and to provide adult training and development programs, Concerned Black Men, Inc. has established a computer center at its site. The computer center addresses the digital-divide that exists in the northwest community among the adults population. Adults, males and females, who have a need to access the internet; who are in need of basic computer training and /or have a desire to learn minor computer hardware repairs. The target area is citywide, however because of its location the vast majority of the participants live in the Northwest section of Philadelphia.
Concerned Black Men established a free of cost, ten sessions, twice a week training program which train adults and senior citizens in the basic computer software, word processing, date base, spreadsheets, setting up an e-mail account and using the internet to shop and pay bills on line. This program takes place on Monday and Friday each week from 10:00 am to 1:00 p.m.
The Adult Computer Training Program is the off-shoot of a component of an earlier CBM computer program which involved both youth and adults. The earlier computer training program failed in meeting one of its goals; to integrate the youth and adult community, with the youth tutoring the adults. The failed component was that the program was unsuccessful in getting youth involved to the extent they would become tutors for the adults and perpetuate the program with a minimum amount of expense. However, in response to our public relation activities, the adult community overwhelmingly signed-up for the ten week training session. The program recently awarded certificates to twelve adults; the first class to complete the training. The second class of twelve students is presently in the process of being trained and there’s a waiting list of 27 adults who have express a desire to receive the training.
A survey of the participants revealed that they do have computer in their home which they personally do not use and they failed to seek computer training in the past because of the cost factor and/or family members were to busy to address their questions. The primary incentives for coming to CBM’s Computer Training Program were that it was in the community and free of charge. However, during this funding period of the program CBM will conduct a study to determine if a cost factor would have a negative impact on the number of participants in the program and the feasibility of the program becoming self-sustaining.
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