We collaborate on projects.
We support projects that harness technology to improve the lives of older adults and people with disabilities in San Francisco.
Interactive Map of Aging Project
SF Tech Council has partnered with a team of eight undergraduates in the UC Berkeley Data Science program’s Discovery Project. Over the course of the semester (Fall 2021), students are developing an open-source, interactive map of essential digital inclusion services and resources available to older adults in San Francisco (i.e., libraries, computer labs, adult day programs and senior centers, and affordable device and connectivity resources) as well as aging-related socio-demographic data and residential patterns.
Fung Fellows & Digital Literacy
During Spring 2021, SFTC partnered with two teams of students from the Fung Fellowship Program at UC Berkeley to create digital literacy assessments for older adults. One group focused on basic digital literacy assessment and goal setting (i.e., getting online, email, zoom). The other worked on developing a digital literacy assessment of older adults seeking employment.
The Fung Fellowship is an entrepreneurship and innovation program that trains multidisciplinary undergraduate students to develop tech solutions that address societal challenges as they work alongside community and industry partners.
Keep Us Connected Campaign
In August 2020, the SF Tech Council collaborated with Community Living Campaign, the Coalition of Agencies Serving the Elderly, the Dignity Fund Coalition and the Budget Justice Coalition to launch the third Keep Us Connected Campaign. When the Board of Supervisors’ annual budget was finally adopted in September, the group secured $300,000 in addback funding directed to the Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) for digital inclusion. DAS allocated the first $200,000 to existing SF Connected contractors, proportional to the size of their existing contract to assure the funding could be put to immediate use, directed the remaining $100,000 toward the recently launched Adult Day Services Digital Connections Pilot.
In July-August 2020, SFTC partnered with LessonsUp, a San Francisco startup, to launch a pilot offering 60 free tech-related lessons to 12 different clients (60+) of Tech Council member organizations. LessonsUp shared their experiences, best practices, and data from every stage of the learning process.
Free Tech Sessions with LessonsUp
Since 2015 we have. . .
-
Promoted broad support of the Comcast Internet Essentials program, which has helped hundreds of low-income seniors enroll in low-cost broadband access programs.
-
Co-sponsored and helped plan for SF Public Library’s Annual Connect with Tech Week since it began in 2017. This event brings together the city residents, community organizations, tech companies, businesses, city government and others as sponsors, organizers, leaders and trainers.
-
Partnered with Mayor’s Office on Disability, Dignity Fund Coalition, Felton Institute, DAS, and Jobs Now! in the first-ever Job Fair for older adults and adults with disabilities in 2019, an event sponsored by the Mayor’s Offiice of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD).
-
Supported the deployment of 46 refurbished computers from the DAS SF Connected Program to 11 SF nonprofits with support from the SF Digital Equity pilot and Tech Exchange.
-
Assisted with distribution of the San Franciscan’s for Municipal Fiber community survey to assess resident demand for universal broadband.
