Unemployment in California reached 12% last year, with over 2 million unemployed residents. The document describes jobScout, a free online platform that teaches digital literacy skills to help Californians find jobs. It uses gaming elements and badges to motivate users to learn at their own pace. jobScout is supported by partnerships between the California State Library, LINK AMERICAS Foundation, and REALPOLITECH to address the digital divide among job seekers. The document encourages people to take the jobScout pledge by volunteering or donating resources to support the initiative.

1. Become a Scout Master:
Take the JobScout Pledge
Unemployment and the Digital Divide
Unemployment reached 12% last year in California, and approximately 2,007,000
Californians are currently unemployed. Despite recent dips, unemployment remains a
critical problem that calls for new solutions. While California is known the world over for
Silicon Valley and its revolutionary technology, 1-in-5 Californians lack the digital skills
necessary for today’s market demands.
In today’s economy, digital literacy is an essential skill for finding a job. jobScout seeks to
bridge the gap between digital non-natives and finding employment.
jobScout: Developing Internet And Employment Search Skills
jobScout, a free online social platform designed to get Californians back to work by
teaching them the digital literacy skills they need to find a job using online resources, is
designed specifically for those disenfranchised by the digital divide. jobScout uses gaming
elements to create a friendly and accessible entry point for those unfamiliar with the
Internet. It engages users and motivates them to cultivate new skills by being awarded
badges with each skill developed. jobScout activities and lessons are self-led, which enables
users to learn at their own pace.
jobScout’s Support System
Even though jobScout’s platform allows users to learn at their own pace, they are never
alone on the TRAIL to becoming Scout Master. Users are provided top-quality customer
support made possible by a community of stakeholders. Supported by a partnership
between the California State Library, the LINK AMERICAS Foundation and REALPOLITECH,
jobScout has been provided the financial, technical and educational resources needed to
bridge the digital divide for California's job seekers.
Get Involved
This cooperative effort between the public and private sector is actively recruiting scouts,
and showing them the essential skills they need to survive in the wilderness of the current
market. Together, we make up the current team of Scout Masters. We are looking for more
California librarians to stand out as leaders within their community, and become Scout
Masters by encouraging library patrons to use jobScout as a means of seeking out both
digital literacy and employment. You can show your support by requesting a Buzz Kit
equipped with posters, stickers, brochures and buttons for your branch.
Take the Pledge
Whether you are a private foundation that wants to support projects helping California's
jobseekers, a private corporation looking for workforce training solutions, an education
expert or an organization that provides career services to job seekers who can benefit from
jobScout’s features, we encourage you to take one of the following pledges.

2. I PLEDGE, to raise awareness about jobScout amongst:
☐ Patrons served by my library branch.
☐ Constituents served by my state agency.
☐ Constituents served by my organization.
☐ Students served by my on-campus career center.
I PLEDGE, to explain the benefits, and give a jobScout tutorial to:
☐ Friends
☐ Family members
☐ Neighbors
☐ People I just met
I PLEDGE, to share the “MyJobScout.org” web address with 10 people:
☐ Per month
☐ Per week
☐ Per day
☐ I will not stop talking about jobScout.
I PLEDGE, to donate/volunteer the following resources to the jobScout initiative, each of
which will help make jobScout available to future Scouts:
☐ Library or public display space for jobScout promotional materials.
☐ Hang a poster in my community center.
☐ On-site access to jobScout from your library, office or computer lab.
I PLEDGE, to volunteer my time and expertise to jobScout by:
☐ Working with jobScout’s development team on new games and features.
☐ Working with jobScout’s content team on new curriculums and resources.
☐ Working with jobScout’s public affairs team to raise awareness about jobScout and
recruit users.
I PLEDGE, to provide support to jobScout in the following ways:
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Thank you for taking the jobScout pledge! Please tell us who you are by providing your
name, your organization's name and your email address in the space below.
Name:
Association Title:
Phone: Email: