PARTNERSHIPS
TGH’s mission is to empower communities to access and use digital tools to overcome barriers and advance their lives. We partner with schools, non-profits, and community organizations to address the three components of the digital divide: fundamental computer and internet skills training, a device, and internet access. Together TGH and its partner sites have trained thousands of learners in the Greater Boston area.
PARTNERSHIP OVERVIEW
Tech Goes Home partners with other agencies (schools, nonprofits, libraries, and others) that work with people who need access to technology. Our program is a 15-hour digital skills course. Learners who complete the course earn a computer or tablet and one year of paid internet access from TGH. Partner sites contribute staff time towards implementing the course. After being certified as TGH Instructors, the partner site's employees then run the TGH course at their site. Our courses are completely customizable so that instructors teach three core digital skills and can then focus on the apps, websites and online resources that are most useful for their specific learners.
STEPS TO BECOMING A TGH PARTNER SITE
1. Fill out the Partnership Inquiry Form
Please complete this New Partnership Inquiry form to send TGH your details. We will review your information and reach out to you via email with more information.
This meeting (either by phone or video) will be an opportunity for TGH to learn more about your organization, for you to learn more about TGH, and for us to discuss what a potential partnership might look like. Initial meetings must include the site executive of your organization (Executive Director, Site Director, and/or Head of School).
3. Decide to partner
Take any time needed to figure out the details of who/when/where/how the TGH program will be implemented at your organization. TGH will request one person to the the TGH Program Supervisor for your site and at least one other person to be the TGH Instructor (See step 4 and 5).
4. Identify one person to be the TGH Program Supervisor at your site.
The TGH Program Supervisor must be an employee of your site. This person will be responsible for:
-
Keeping TGH up-to-date on staff changes related to instructors and site leadership
-
Supervising the TGH program, instructors, assistants, and volunteers at your site.
-
Answering inquiries and questions about the TGH program at your site that may be asked by TGH instructors at your site or individuals interested in becoming instructors at your site.
-
TGH will ask the Program Supervisor to step in if TGH has issues with communication, logistics, or compliance with any instructors, assistants, or volunteers from your site.
The TGH Program Supervisor will be asked to attend an orientation to learn about the TGH program, its role, and the responsibilities and logistics that TGH requires of the site, instructors, assistants, and volunteers.
5. Identify people who will apply to be the TGH Instructors at your site.
Please identify at least one employee from your organization to implement the TGH course. These instructors need not be computer experts but should be comfortable using the internet, particularly tools such as email, Google search, Google Apps, and other basics. Most importantly, they should be welcoming, patient, and passionate about helping people learn life-changing skills!
This person will be responsible for:
-
Assisting learners in signing up for Internet service
-
All course logistics (such as tracking attendance and collecting learner feedback)
-
Prepping curriculum and teaching the course
7. Certify your TGH Instructors
Once your site partnership is official, you will receive instructions to share with your staff about an instructor application. They must complete a four-step process to be certified as a Tech Goes Home Instructor.
-
Complete an online instructor application
-
Pass a short “Internet Basics” assessment with a score of 85% or higher
-
Attend a 4-hour Instructor Orientation with our team.
-
Complete a background CORI check.
8. Apply to start a course
Certified instructors at official partner sites can submit a course application for each cohort they would like to teach. While we can not approve every course that our partners want to teach, we do our best to meet the demand. Once the course is approved, the site may recruit participants and run the course!
Program Calendar
TGH PROGRAM CALENDAR
6. Complete the official partnership application
Once we’ve mutually agreed to move forward, TGH will email you an official partnership application to gather information about the people who will be running the TGH program at your site. This application must be completed by the site executive of your organization (Executive Director, Site Director, and/or Head of School).