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RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
From left: North End Connect Inc.\u2019s Shanleigh MacKenzie, director of community outreach, and Courtney Comber, executive director, are part of a team working to advance digital equity and build community in Winnipeg\u2019s North End.<\/p>\n
The Indigenous-led, non-profit community service organization is dedicated to advancing digital equity and fostering reconciliation in Winnipeg\u2019s North End. Despite its rich heritage, the North End faces continuing challenges, including economic disparities and limited access to digital resources.<\/p>\n
With a mission to bridge the digital divide by providing affordable internet connectivity, access to technology and digital literacy training tailored to the unique needs of the community, North End Connect is aligning efforts with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission\u2019s recommendations, working to create inclusive opportunities that honour Indigenous knowledge and traditions.<\/p>\n
The collective effort is one of several local community groups, technical experts and researchers sharing the view that there are barriers to their clients\u2019 ability to access and safely use online resources and services, and something needs to be done to change that.<\/p>\n
Courtney Comber, executive director of North End Connect Inc., is an Indigenous woman born and raised in Winnipeg. She spent some time in foster care and has experience growing up in the North End. She had no internet as a teenager and remembers the long walks to get access.<\/p>\n
For a decade she worked in data entry, then studied a trade and was eventually recommended by another organization to join North End Connect as a support person.<\/p>\n
Comber remembers the interview with project manager Joel Templeman early last year and the realization that she was in the right place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Joel. He was my teacher in Grade 5. The cosmos aligned,\u201d she said, adding that it was a good fit, first starting as director of operations and then quickly moving to become executive director.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to do something more fulfilling,\u201d Comber continued. \u201cWhen I joined the team, I thought it was likely a one- or two-month temporary position, but they saw my work ethic. I\u2019m loving the job. I think what I appreciate the most is the challenge, honestly. Since I was brought on it\u2019s been an uphill learning curve: jumping into a new role \u2014 grant proposals\u2026 I appreciate all of the knowledge that I\u2019m learning and helping the community in a tangible way.\u201d<\/p>\n
North End Connect initially began as a research project, with community members and organizations reaching out to have the research done, asking for support and help. Now incorporated, it has a team of three full-time employees and two summer students providing additional support. The organization has had volunteers, as well, and is open to having more.<\/p>\n
Part of its success and the enthusiasm surrounding it is the deep sense of community it fosters and its partnerships with other local organizations. Located at 541 Selkirk Ave., North End Connect shares space with Merchants Corner and with other groups, including Community Helpers Unite on Jarvis Avenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur objective is to bridge the digital divide in Winnipeg\u2019s North End,\u201d said Comber.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur programs tackle three main barriers, the biggest being financial. A lot of people can\u2019t afford computers and the monthly fee for internet. Our programs are designed to combat that. We provide refurbished computers. We work with Community Helpers Unite to bring them to the North End. Travel and transportation is another barrier for community members,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that kind of leads to digital literacy. If people don\u2019t know how to use them, we work with St. John\u2019s Library, where we provide digital skills classes in a curriculum-based program,\u201d she said, noting that the content meets the users where they are to serve their individual needs.<\/p>\n
Tech Tuesdays at the library help participants gain confidence and tools to access emails and navigate sites of interest.<\/p>\n
North End Connect\u2019s biggest initiative is to create a community-owned network, which involves putting antennas on rooftops throughout the neighbourhood. The ultimate goal is to see the entire North End covered so that everyone has access to the network.<\/p>\n
Internet connectivity will open up a whole new world for many who\u2019ve long had to live without it. Facilitating communications with clients and partnerships with schools, encouraging community members to go into IT as a career and building capacity throughout the area have all generated excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done workshops with local high schools, with students,\u201d said Comber. \u201cWe teach them, introduce them to a different path they might not have considered before. They learn about computer refurbishment \u2014 how to crimp ethernet cables \u2014 routers and modems and how the internet works. The last workshop we had was a panel discussion with IT professionals speaking about their experiences. The guidance counsellor said one of the students from the workshop had decided to pursue IT in secondary school,\u201d she added, happily.<\/p>\n
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Computer and cellphone donations are always welcome. Through its partnership with Computers for Schools Manitoba and Mother Earth Recycling, sustainability and community-building are at the heart of North End Connect.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are on the right path,\u201d said Comber. \u201cWhile we do go into schools and work with youth and students, it\u2019s the digital literacy classes, Tech Tuesdays at the library, that are more commonly filled.\u201d<\/p>\n
A priority for North End Connect is to have the project led by community members and remain community-based so that everyone can benefit from having free access to the internet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love it,\u201d Comber said of the groundbreaking-work. \u201cI\u2019m always learning something. We are building something together. It feels like a little family.\u201d<\/p>\n
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Imagine not having access to accounts, information, resources; no way to apply for jobs, connect with friends and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":627532,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":["post-627531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-winnipeg","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-winnipeg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=627531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/627532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=627531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=627531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=627531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}