By Richard Chabran

Computers and the Internet are rapidly changing the skills employers expect, the way people get jobs, and the way communities solve problems.

But many residents of low-income communities are deprived of the opportunities of the information revolution. A 1997 report by the Benton Foundation, "What's at Stake 2: Defining Public Interest in the Digital Age," shows that this is a contrast to those who use computers on the job each day and earn 43 percent more than other workers.

At the Mississippi Educational Technology Luncheon in January, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Irving Larry told the audience that those without access to new technology skills will not be qualified for the 1 million new computer-related jobs opening in the next 7 years.

Proactive policy measures are needed to address the divide between those who have access to technology and those who don't. That's where the Computers In Our future program comes begins.

A Promising Model: CIOF

Funded by The California Wellness Foundation, Computers In Our Future (CIOF) is a network of 11 community-based organizations in low-income communities across California which have integrated community technology centers into their programs.

CIOF is drawing young people and adults who have experienced limited success in their lives, have few job skills, and have little hope for the future. Residents are gaining marketable skills, employment assistance and a growing sense of community while local businesses have a new pool of skilled workers.

Early results from CIOF are highly promising. CIOF is reaching California populations where the greatest need for access exists. Eighty-five percent of those using the centers are Hispanic, African American, Asian-American and Native American. From September 1997 to April 1999, CIOF centers hosted nearly 10,000 users who logged over 30,000 visits.

CIOF is changing lives, dramatically. In San Diego's technology center, the Casa Familiar, the staff recounted the story of one man who initially just dropped off his children at the technology center and left. After he began using the center himself and completed an introductory class, he started using a computer at his job for the first time in the two years he had worked there.

These 11 centers cater to tremendously diverse populations, from Native American youth in Northern California or urban youth in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles, to limited English speaking adults, seniors and children in San Ysidro. The centers' community roots are their greatest strength.

The Strength of Community-Based Organizations

CIOF has found that community technology centers housed in community-based organizations are effective ways to provide access and training.

These organizations are friendly and inviting places for learning and social gathering that are established and respected in their neighborhoods. They often have skilled staff and resources to deal with needs such as low literacy, unemployment or lack of housing.

To support these community-based centers, two public policy initiatives deserve attention:

1. Raise Levels of Technology Literacy in Low-Income Communities by --