The Avondale Digital Inclusion Project is a collaboration between the Avondale Development Corporation (ADC), Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI), and the University of Cincinnati (UC) to assess digital access, needs, and resources in Avondale. Recognizing the importance of digital inclusion, the project is focused on identifying how to connect Avondale residents to reliable internet, devices, technical support and training.
The need is great. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) estimates that 36 million households do not have access to broadband service. Many of these households live in urban areas, such as Avondale, and are unable to connect to essential services and supports.
In fact, U.S. Census data on digital inclusion confirms that Avondale is a critical site for digital equity and investment. When compared to the City of Cincinnati overall, more Avondale residents report they do not have access to the internet (Cincinnati = 13%; Avondale = 26%), and a greater percentage of Avondale residents do not have access to a computer (Cincinnati = 11%; Avondale = 16%). In addition, disparities also exist among Black residents who do not have access to a computer (Cincinnati = 11%; Avondale = 17%) and low-income residents who do not have access to the internet (Cincinnati = 4%; Avondale = 13%).
The Study: Understanding Digital Needs and Gaps
The project’s first phase focused on gathering insights about specific digital opportunities and needs within Avondale to develop an action plan that fosters digital inclusion and eliminates barriers within the community. Working together, ADC, UCI and UC gathered data using the following methods:
Literature Review: Reviewing and studying best practices, surveys and other data of 17 “trailblazer” cities across the United States that meet best practices indicators within their digital inclusion initiatives.
Organizational Interviews: Interviewing representatives from 10 organizations that support digital inclusion efforts in Avondale; interviews helped to inform focus group sessions and a community survey.
Focus Groups: Recruiting and hosting seven discussions with 21 Avondale residents of specific populations.
Community Survey: Soliciting feedback from 101 members of the broader Avondale community who participated in a community survey. The questions assessed digital awareness, use, and needs of people who live, work, worship, serve and visit businesses within Avondale.
The Results: Pillars of Digital Inclusion
Through the data-collection process, four of the NDIA pillars for digital inclusion emerged as important focus areas in Avondale. For each pillar, current barriers and community assets within Avondale were identified.
Digital Inclusion Pillar 1: Affordable, robust broadband internet service
Barrier: Availability and quality of internet service options and cost of internet service limits access.
Assets: Existing strategies to support internet access include free wi-fi hot spots and free or reduced-cost internet service plans.
Digital Inclusion Pillar 2: Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user
Barrier: Some members of the Avondale community experience barriers in obtaining the proper digital device for their intended uses. Although 90% of survey participants reported they have access to a cell phone, only 60% have access to a computer.
Assets: Existing strategies to support device access include programs providing free or reduced-cost devices, refurbished devices, public-use devices, and device access programs for people participating in community-based programs.
Digital Inclusion Pillar 3: Access to digital skills training
Barrier: Unique, population-specific needs include general digital skills training (older adults), privacy and security (middle-aged adults), and exposure to different devices (young people).
Assets: A variety of existing digital skills training opportunities from local organizations, employers, and schools were identified.
Digital Inclusion Pillar 4: Quality technical support
Barrier: Ongoing support is needed for older adults after training and for students and parents to stay up-to-date with digital technology.
Assets: Formal and informal networks of support within the community were identified to support ongoing technical support needs.
Prioritizing Actions: Four Critical Steps and Potential Strategies
After the data was gathered, ADC, UCI and UC worked collaboratively to develop a preliminary strategy that can be undertaken by both public and private sector partners to further the goal of digital inclusion in Avondale.
Four critical action steps and potential strategies for digital inclusion efforts in Avondale were identified, including:
1. Developing strong support systems for digital skills and technical assistance training by providing digital training that meets the needs of different community populations.
2. Reducing the financial burdens of internet access in Avondale by expanding free, public or reduced Wi-fi options in Avondale and enhancing awareness and enrollment into existing free/subsidized Wi-fi programs.
3. Expanding wi-fi options and enhancing quality service in Avondale by documenting the scope of existing service options, examining and addressing limitations in infrastructure and identifying barriers and solutions to challenges with service installation.
4. Expanding device access to meet the needs of the Avondale community by identifying needs of targeted populations and developing strategies and funding opportunities that can support device distributions and ongoing technical support.
Click here to read the final report.
What’s Next
ADC, UCI and UC are now moving to develop short-term and long-term digital inclusion strategies. The group presented the findings and initial next steps to the Avondale Community Council in December. The group is engaging with key stakeholders to launch a digital skills training program in the first quarter of 2023.
For more information about the project, please contact Brooke Rapp, Director of Community Development and External Relations, Uptown Consortium, Inc. (brapp@uptownconsortium.org).
