from the 2017 MN Broadband Conference

1. Mission:
To strengthen and enrich our community by facilitating
the integration of people who are ethnically diverse.

2. Technology Education for Refugees & Immigrants
•Began in 2011 as part of
Winona’s Minnesota
Intelligent Rural
Communities (MIRC)
project
•67 people participated in
hands-on training, very
basic practical curriculum
•48 participants received a
home computer through a
collaboration with PCs for
People

3. Digital Inclusion for Refugees & Immigrants
2012-2013
•2012
•80 participants, 71 computers distributed
•Laptop use
•Technology tutors
•2013
•53participants, 10 computers distributed
•Online research & PowerPoint
•Computer stations & tutoring

4. Connecting Communities 2014
•40 participants
•Social Media
•Safety
•Training
•Community
•Facebook pages for
diverse community
groups
• Hispanic page
908 friends
•Hmong page
1,580 friends

5. .COM (Creative Online Marketing ) 2015
•Focused on building online
presence for local refugee and
immigrant owned businesses
•40 businesses participated
•17 developed an online marketing
plan
•10 created a new website or social
media page

6. Learn To Code 2016-2017
•Coding and app development for
youth from refugee and immigrant
families
•50 afterschool participants
•16 summer day camp participants
•10 volunteer mentors
•Visits to technology-related
businesses and MN State College
Southeast

7. Lessons Learned
 Know your audience
 Remove barriers whenever possible
 Concentrate on what’s necessary
 Have patience – learning takes time!
 Engage community partners
 Blandin
 City of Winona
 HBC
 PCs for People
 Winona State University
 Benchmark Electronics
 Minnesota State College
Southeast
 Winona Public Schools
 St. Charles School District
 Computer donations
(businesses and individuals)
 Volunteer tutors & mentors