Bridging the digital access divide
The digital realm today is the gateway to so many essentials: health care, education, housing opportunities, social networks with friends and family, civic life, and entertainment—all of which can boost health and well-being. This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it’s a glaring truth and a growing inequity for the many people who are shut out.
Working to reach those who are shut out
The Community Building and Engagement team is committed to helping close the digital divide—the gap between those who do and do not have ready access to technology—in our area.
We are focused on engaging directly with residents and inspiring them to act as peer mentors, ready to help others overcome technological fears and barriers. We are focused on advocacy, and on exploring both the policies that have contributed to the digital divide and the local and national efforts to eliminate it. We also work in partnership: Way Finders is a core partner of the Alliance for Digital Equity, a regional task force working to enact policies and systemic changes to benefit underserved urban and rural communities in western Massachusetts.