TRAIL provides online learning platforms called "Scouts" that teach digital literacy skills to help users find jobs, manage their health, and effectively participate in today's digital world. The platforms aim to equip all users with the necessary skills to stay current in the evolving online environment and close the technology gap. TRAIL's first platform, JobScout, teaches users skills ranging from basic internet browsing to using the internet for job searches and interviews. It has been adopted by public libraries and education systems across California.

1. [TRAIL] provides important
foundational knowledge for
users to begin assimilating
themselves into today’s fast-
paced digital age. Providing
users with the proper skills and
tools, the platform attempts to
put all users on a level playing
field so that no individual is
technologically “left behind”
and is able to stay current with
the evolving online
marketplace.
Jay Nath,
Chief Innovation Officer,
City of San Francisco
Over 60 million Americans do not know
how to meaningfully use the Internet.
This figure nears almost 6 billion worldwide.
TRAIL works to address this problem and
aims to bring the next billion Internet users online.
TRAIL Company Profile
URL: discovertrail.co
Tagline: Discover Your Path.
Founded: 2012
Industries: Education
Technology / Lifestyle
Management / Productivity
Products:
JobScout (myjobscout.org)
HealthScout (Launching 2013)
CivicScout (Launching 2014)
Founders:
Christina Gagnier, CEO
Stephanie Margossian, COO
Partners:
LINK AMERICAS Foundation
California State Library
California Department of
Technology
Connect2Compete
CalInnovates
What’s Next:
• Launch of JobScout Spanish in
September 2013
• Launch of JobScout for Android
in September 2013
• Launch of HealthScout (Late
2013)
High-speed Internet access and online skills are not only necessary for
seeking, applying for, and getting today’s jobs, but also to take advantage of
the growing educational, civic and healthcare advances spurred by broadband.
Statistics show stark demographic disparities in digital literacy. Senior citizens,
Spanish speakers, adults with less than a high school education, and those
living in low-income households are the least likely adults to have Internet
access. Moreover, only 6 in 10 Americans go online wirelessly with one of their
own devices, so public institutions are serving a crucial need in providing
access to the American public. But do they have the resources and the tools to
provide Internet literacy trainings to those who need it most?
That’s where TRAIL comes in.
Research shows that the biggest barrier to digital literacy, aside from cost and
access, is the misperception that the internet is not relevant or necessary.
TRAIL creates “Scouts,” relevant online learning platforms that help people
learn the essential digital literacy skills to find work, manage healthcare and
effectively participate in our increasingly online world. TRAIL meets people
where they are, equipping people with the skills they need to effectively
manage their everyday lives online. Whether users need to start from scratch
learning basic Internet skills, or they just want easy-to-use streamlined tools,
people use TRAIL to discover their paths online.
What does TRAIL do?
TRAIL is the first to market with an open learning platform that leverages
powerful data to help community advocates and educators alike to empower
users. The goal of TRAIL is to provide a suite of lifestyle management
applications, rooted in a core digital literacy curriculum and partnered with
state, federal and non-profit institutions to provide effective and empowering
solutions to social issues. Right now, TRAIL’s first web platform, JobScout, is
getting people to work.
We create lesson content: Our Digital Literacy core content appears in each
one of our Scouts, creating a uniform experience for our users. The
educational content in TRAIL applications is mapped directly to California’s
Basic Digital Literacy Skills Framework.
We build tools: Each platform has custom tools built hand-in-hand with non-
profit, government and industry partners. We work with our potential
customers to make sure we get it right before we bring our tools to their
community.
We curate resources: We may not be experts in every subject area for our
Scouts, but we partner with experts to make sure we are curating the best
content for our users.

2. We use a dynamic approach: TRAIL uses gamification of its educational
materials to engage users in a fully guided process of learning everything
about navigating the Internet. The JobScout platform, for example, provides 39
lessons to users, ranging from "Introduction to Internet Browsing" to "Using the
Internet to Prepare for an Interview." Users take lessons and earn badges,
which demonstrate competency in the subject matter.
Features Across Platforms
➡ An easy-to-use dashboard for seamless navigation of the site.
➡ Internet skills core lesson content developed with government digital
literacy content guidelines.
➡ COMPASS data analytics system to track user progress.
Who we serve: Our user base ranges from first-time jobseeking Millennials to
Boomers who are reentering the workforce. We know that our tools provide
step-by-step help for first time Internet users as well as those who are
Internet savvy.
Why TRAIL is Different
Our mission is to build applications that 1) teach people the essential Internet
skills they need and 2) streamline parts of their everyday life, whether it be
finding a job or managing your health and wellness.
What’s Next
At nearly 6 billion non-Internet users worldwide, we are building our
presence first in North America and then will expand to other regions such as
South America and beyond. While we are currently in development on
JobScout and HealthScout, we are actively planning and in motion on
philanthropic seed investment for:
➡ CivicScout
➡ CollegeScout
➡ FinanceScout
➡ EnergyScout
Our first Scout, JobScout, adopted a subscription model for its data analytics
platform COMPASS, which is available to program administrators and other
partners. There are two subscription options for partners: JobScout CONNECT
at $100 per month and JobScout PRO at $300 a month. JobScout also
provides additional development through white-label solutions. We offer
significant discounts for larger systems seeking to roll out JobScout to
multiple sites.
Much like our partnership and pilot development models, each Scout will
adopt a strategy that has worked successfully for the particular market that it
will serve.
Success to Date
Today: TRAIL’s JobScout has
rolled out to every public library
in California and is moving into
other state library systems and
social service centers.
January 2013: JobScout launches
its iOS application.
January 2013: TRAIL launches
COMPASS, its’ data analytics
system for customers.
November 2012: TRAIL content
featured on Connect2Compete’s
EveryoneOn website.
October 2012: Los Angeles
County Office of Education
becomes TRAIL’s first customer.
October 2012: TRAIL receives
seed funding for HealthScout.
June 2012: TRAIL’s JobScout
becomes a part of White House
Ignite, the next generation
Internet project.
February 2012: JobScout is a
finalist in the 2012 Digital
Learning and Media Competition
sponsored by the MacArthur
Foundation and Mozilla.
January 2012: JobScout launches
in 130 libraries across
California.
September 2011: JobScout
partners with the California
Technology Agency.
August 2011: JobScout partners
with the California State Library.
July 2011: JobScout and the LINK
Americas Foundation partner.
TRAIL