Troublesome tech? Mpls. offers free workshops to get online
The city of Minneapolis is sponsoring events in the coming months designed to help residents with little or no access to the Internet get online.
The first Fix-It Tech workshop takes place Saturday at the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center in north Minneapolis. Anyone is welcome.
The workshops are designed to help residents repair Internet devices and learn about online security, said Minneapolis Chief Information Officer Otto Doll.
"We're there to help people understand how to use their technology, to troubleshoot any problems they're having," Doll said. "We are working with various organizations that are providing free computer usage and training throughout the city, so that they can make further connections with people who can benefit from this as well."
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The city's community technology survey released in April found that lower-income residents and minorities had less access to the Internet. Neighborhoods like Phillips and Near-North had the lowest levels of Internet access through phone, computer or tablet.
Doll said that's partly why the Fix-It Tech workshops are centered in these neighborhoods.
"A lot of our world is going online. I use the example of jobs," Doll said. "The ability for people to really take advantage or leverage technology in their lives is more and more important."
The workshops grew out of a pilot project launched this summer. One of the pilot workshops took place at Little Earth of United Tribes in south Minneapolis, an affordable housing complex with a large Native American population.
Students from the Takoda Institute of Higher Education are among those volunteering to help residents with computer problems. Instructor Richard Balderrama said the workshops are good experience for his students and a boon for residents who may not have money to fix broken or impaired devices.
"Lots of people had issues with viruses or downloaded software and then it corrupted their machines, so it wasn't running as effectively," Balderrama said. "Helping people get some basic education about maintenance will help them use their equipment longer."
Arthur Oglesby, who also volunteers with tech project Free Geek volunteered at the pilot event. He said a boy came in with a laptop with a broken hinge. While a repair would have cost over $100, according to Oglesby, volunteers were able to fix the broken part for free and get him safely back online.
"Open access to information, I think that's the battle we need to fight," Oglesby said.