Neighborhood Technology and Training Program

Mission

Our goal at the Neighborhood Technology and Training Program (NTTP) is to address a critical issue affecting the low-income communities of Boston, access to the computer technology industry and participation in the resultant resources and wealth. This program gives area residents the opportunity to gain skills in technology applications and computer repair for future employment and allow us to provide affordable, high quality computers to the community.

NTTP helps YBB's students and their families to access the technology and information necessary to advance in today's economy. The Construction Program, Project Advantage, and After School Drop-In/Summer Reading Programs all teach computer literacy as part of their services. We have a twelve-workstation Internet connected lab for these classes. All of the computers have a GED preparation program provided by Jobs for Youth. Since 2002 we have offered free computers to all of our Construction and Project Advantage Graduates as well as the for AfterSchool Drop-In Program interns. In addition, through our new Computer Scholarships we give computers to Summer Reading Program families who do not own computers. Donations of computers and funding of individual Computer Scholarships fuel this kind of program.

Computers for Community

The major component to the NTTP is what we call "Computers for Community". We provide the community with access to quality, low-cost computers. These computers are of at least a Pentium III and are equipped with CD-ROMS, modems, soundcards, speakers, a color monitor, keyboard, and a mouse. We are now working with other agencies like Boston Raiders Football to target our computers to families with school age children.

"Since I bought my computer, my children have been doing much more homework. The best investment I ever made."
Sonia Lopez, Computers for Community recipient

We accept hardware donations for the community.

Technology Internships

Our Internship program will allow participants to explore of the career opportunities in the technology industry by providing a chance to gain practical hands on training and experience. By spending a few hours a week under the supervision of trained computer technicians, participants will learn to troubleshoot and repair Pentium computers.

As part of their training, the students will also perform repairs and upgrades as well as refurbish donated computers in order to provide affordable, quality computers to residents, community-based organizations, local small businesses, and schools.

We are also in the process of hiring part-time high school interns from the community.

Technology Collaborations

Since it began, The NTTP has been working with other local organizations to provide technology and the needed support to area residents. In 1999 we worked with the former East-West Foundation to provide 300 computers to middle school students in Boston. We have a seat on the advisory board of the Uphams Corner Computer Collaborative, a member of The City of Boston's Technology Goes Home Program. In the summer of 2001, in conjunction with MIT's Center for Reflective Practices, we hired several local youth to conduct a survey of area non-profits to create a benchmark of the level of technology in the Dudley Empowerment Zone. From those results we met with a number of the survey participants to explore ideas such as sharing costs to hire a IT person that would rotate among the agencies or sharing an internet connection. Presently, we are working with Children's Services of Roxbury to share support and backup ISPs and Harbinger Partners in a project to prevent redundancy of services offered in the area.

Contact Gregory Mumford or Ivy Taylor for more information on this program.

Purchase Form - Acrobat / PDF format  | Word document 
Application - Acrobat / PDF format  | Word document 

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