Broadband Integration
Once underserved communities have accessible, affordable broadband Internet, it is crucial to integrate it into their lives to the extent they are comfortable.
Integration means fully realizing the many benefits that the Internet offers in their daily lives to accomplish tasks more thoroughly and efficiently.
Whether due to a lack of affordable options, functional knowledge, accessible training, or fear of exploitation, many Latinxs and others in underserved communities fail to integrate technology and telecommunications resources into their daily lives. To facilitate this crucial integration, ALLvanza promotes directly, through programs, and indirectly, through our advocacy, education and training that enable underserved communities to embrace online resources and take full advantage of the many benefits offered from Internet use.
Unfortunately, too many members of underserved communities find themselves paralyzed by the prospect of online abuse, scams, and other possible negative outcomes. While these are very real and valid concerns, ALLvanza seeks to empower underserved communities to integrate the Internet into their daily lives, through formal and informal training and outreach, to learn how to use internet-enabled devices and generally understand how networks operate as well as how to understand terms of use and privacy policies. This knowledge helps users understand how to mitigate online risks and proactively manage their online identity. Even the most risk- and technology-averse within underserved communities cannot simply take a head-in-the-sand approach as their children and grandchildren are technology natives that will spend increasingly more time on the Internet and using new technology.
To take direct action to empower underserved communities, ALLvanza hosts technology information sessions at local schools, speaks at industry events and conferences, and works with congressional leaders to help them understand the important role that education and training plays in integrating broadband into our stakeholders’ daily lives. Another key concept relating to education and training is to ensure that the information is conveyed in the language of preference of the audience. ALLvanza works to ensure that our stakeholders receive the education and training needed, in the language of their preference, to feel comfortable fully integrating the Internet and associated technology into their everyday lives to be able to take full advantage of the many benefits they offer.