Digitunity Announces Partnership with VNL, Helping to Advance Digital Equity
We’re excited to announce that Visible Network Labs has been contracted to be a collaborative partner by Digitunity, a 501(c)3 public charity nonprofit organization. Digitunity helps advance digital inclusivity by facilitating the reuse of technology, helping connect schools, nonprofits and public agencies with devices and tools that are “worthy of a second productive life for developing human potential.”
The collaborative partnership between Digitunity and Visible Network Labs involves utilizing VNL’s PARTNER CPRM (Community Partner Relationship Management) tool to map networks of partners – organizations and institutions working to coordinate improvements to digital equity systems – in several cities across the United States in order to better understand the current landscape of digital equity efforts.
PARTNER CPRM allows for the tracking and visualization of community partnerships over time, enabling the demonstration of shared impact, helping guide stakeholders in finding more effective and strategic ways to collaborate. VNL’s highly skilled team of network and data science experts assist at every stage of the process.
On collaborating with Digitunity, Kaley Bachinski, MSc, VNL’s Senior Project Manager, said: “While we may have known that our world is living in the “Digital Age”, COVID-19 reinforced how important access to technology is. Unfortunately, when the pandemic hit the inequities related to access to devices and the internet widened. It has been amazing to partner with Digitunity, whose goal is no small feat — to create a world where every person has uninhibited access to device ownership, internet connectivity, digital skills, and all supports necessary to fully participate in the digital world.”
Read on for more information regarding the project in the press release from Digitunity below.
Press Release from Digitunity
NORTH CONWAY, NH – The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a deep, persistent digital divide in Washington, DC, and across the United States. Millions of people were cut off from school, employment, healthcare, and community as a result of lacking access to the digital tools and support they need to succeed. In the U.S. alone, 36 million people do not have a computer.
To better understand the current state of digital equity across the United States, Digitunity contracted Visible Network Labs to develop a survey that visualizes how local organizational relationships and partnerships impact digital equity in Washington. Digitunity invites organizations from all sectors, including business, government, nonprofit, philanthropy, schools, and libraries in selected cities, to contribute their insights by completing the survey. Washington is one of the cities where the survey is being implemented.
“Digitunity believes digital equity requires connections among local, state, regional, and national assets. As a national organization, we direct resources to people in need while integrating them with community assets so they have what they need to participate in our digital society. Participation in this survey ensures Washington’s efforts toward digital equity are visible, providing an incredible, first-of-its-kind platform for connecting and enhancing services for residents,” said Karisa Tashjian, Digitunity’s Director of Programs.
The results of the survey will enable the visualization of relationships across sectors and create opportunities for new or enhanced partnerships, demonstrating the power of collective action for achieving digital equity. As a result of this visualization, residents of the Washington, DC, metro area will have increased access to the digital tools, services, and support their community has to offer.
Each respondent will receive a personalized, confidential profile of their results with data and maps demonstrating, along with a summary of the aggregated results, on how their work fits within their city’s wider digital equity efforts. The survey should take about 20-30 minutes to complete. Participants can expect to receive the results by September 2022. Any and all organizations in the Washington, DC, metro area are invited to complete the survey. To learn more about this survey, please visit Digitunity.org.
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About the Author: Will Jacobson
Will Jacobson is the Business Development Representative on VNL’s Marketing and Communications Team. Originally from New York City, Will loves living in Colorado and all the outdoor life it has to offer. He’s also a pretty big foodie!
