Chicago State University

The ABELINC Community Navigator program, based at Chicago State University (CSU) and Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), will use a multi-level approach in which full-time navigators work with student navigators to provide high-tough digital skills support with key under-served population groups. Each full-time navigator will develop an engagement strategy with community partners and provide mentoring and supervision to a cohort of student navigators. The Navigators will be trained in and will provide guidance around 4 key skills to foster household broadband adoption: a) basic digital literacy (e.g., introduction to devices, broadband technologies, and popular applications); b) digital conduct (e.g., online safety, privacy management, responsible social media practices, etc. ); c) online resources and tools (e.g., food support, education/training, employment search, healthcare, childcare, government benefits, etc.); and d) Internet subscription/enrollment and device purchase (e.g., introduction to service plans, government subsidy programs, community resources, and enrollment support). In addition, the Navigators will help local small businesses develop online commerce literacy (e.g., using social media to promote awareness, using business tools). The navigators will also provide laptops to households in the priority neighborhoods that have only smart phones and mobile plans. In addition to the Community Navigator program, CSU will upgrade its campus Internet connection to meet the increasing campus demand for bandwidth.

This program would enable CSU to serve as an informational hub for resources related to the social, economic, and educational missions of partners in the area, such as high schools, community colleges, small businesses, community organizations, and the public. Students, faculty, staff, and community members will have improved access to high-speed, reliable connectivity to realize educational, research, and outreach goals.

This project will serve the students of CSU, NEIU, and UIC, as well as their anchor communities in Chicago, IL, with a focus on returning citizens, seasonal transitory and undocumented workers, single parents, and unemployed and underemployed individuals without high school diplomas, as well as their households and the small/micro businesses that serve and employ them. Returning citizens will gain transferable employment skills and access to new support resources. Seasonal transitory and undocumented workers will be able to connect to essential resources without fear of adverse state action against them. Single parents will have a more expansive support network for childcare and self-care and a pathway to adaptive lifelong learning. Those who are unemployed or underemployed will be able to more readily access benefits and connect to opportunities for reskilling and upskilling. The children within the households impacted will be able to study safely at home with access to online resources. Community Navigators will benefit from increased self-esteem and confidence, transferable employment skills and competencies, and connection to community resources.

Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) will be subrecipients for this project. NEIU will: hire and manage Community Navigators. Both NEIC and UIC will coordinate and provide select training; provide facilities for training and community engagement; and help conduct community-based participatory program evaluation.