Category: Digital Inclusion - digital literacy

The Research & Program Development Department at The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) presented this November 2023 webinar series exploring the use of technology and hybrid delivery in ESL literacy classrooms.

In this November 2023 INCLUDE+ workshop, Irene Mackintosh, part of the team of Mhor Collective, explored how digital inclusion work is at its most meaningful when it’s part of real holistic support.

In this January 2024 webinar, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) brought their community together to host an AI and digital inclusion discussion. Topics included an overview of AI, generative AI, use cases for generative AI, risks and considerations, and resources to continue to educate yourself.

As I look forward into 2024, I thought I'd look back. In 2023 I posted 146 articles, 28 publications, and 5 good ideas on this site. That's not enough publications and good ideas, given how much is out there, and how much folks in the sector want, need, and like to hear about interesting projects and insightful resources. My goal for 2024 would be to post more of those.

The WESO project's client digital literacy experiment sought to answer a simple but complex question: what is the bare minimum training for Newcomers that would improve the likelihood that they might access online services? The ultimate goal of the training was to change clients’ behaviour and get them to use online/digital services.

What's in the CFP related to digital that should be acted on?They'll fund your tech. But what should you ask for? I don't have a crystal ball or insider view of IRCC, and they're being vague in some areas. But there are a few areas that seem fairly clear to me where I want to make recommendations. I'm also pointing out areas of the CFP that you need to make sure you actually find and read.

The Connecting Families Initiative (CFI) is a Government of Canada program that provides more affordable Internet services to eligible Canadians. Those eligible for Connecting Families will be contacted directly. However, a number of the participating Internet Service Providers also offer other targeted programs for low-income Canadians to access low cost internet and mobile services. In some cases this includes Government Assisted Refugees. Find out more.

This November 2023 Pre-Arrival Community Partners Committee session convened by the YMCA of Greater Toronto examined how AI can play a role in the pre-arrival settlement sector, by examining how it is already being used and looking at the challenges and success of implementing this technology in program processes and service delivery.

IRCC appears to be funding two basic digital supports that you need to apply for in your proposal - Digital Navigators and Device Lending. I'm going to outline why these are going to be crucial for you to ask for and operationalize. And where in the CFP documentation IRCC outlines what you can ask for.