Community Technology and Community Building: Early Results from the Camfield Estates-MIT Creating Community Connections Project

October 17, 2002

Randal D. Pinkett, Ph.D.BCT Partners, LLC.

Atlanta Technology Summit

Building Community TechnologyBuilding Community TechnologyPartnersPartners

http://www.bctpartners.com

An IT consulting company that worksAn IT consulting company that workswith businesses and non-profits who use technology towith businesses and non-profits who use technology to

support change strategies, andsupport change strategies, andimprove their organizational effectiveness.improve their organizational effectiveness.

AgendaAgenda

I.I. OverviewOverview

II.II. MethodologyMethodology

- Web-Based Community Portal- Web-Based Community Portal

III.III. Early ResultsEarly Results

AgendaAgenda

I.I. OverviewOverview

II.II. MethodologyMethodology

- Web-Based Community Portal- Web-Based Community Portal

III.III. Early ResultsEarly Results

BackgroundBackground

Camfield Estates, Roxbury, MACamfield Estates, Roxbury, MA 102 units, approximately 300 residents102 units, approximately 300 residents Predominantly African-American (75%)Predominantly African-American (75%)

– 32% Hispanic / 68% Non-Hispanic32% Hispanic / 68% Non-Hispanic Camfield Tenants Association (CTA)Camfield Tenants Association (CTA) Participant in US Department of Participant in US Department of

Housing and Urban Development’s Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) “Demo-Dispo” Program(HUD) “Demo-Dispo” Program

Project OverviewProject Overview

Camfield Estates-MIT Creating Camfield Estates-MIT Creating Community Connections Community Connections ProjectProject

A model as to how individuals, A model as to how individuals, families, and a community can use families, and a community can use technology to support their technology to support their interests and needsinterests and needs

Project SupportProject Support Camfield Tenants Camfield Tenants

Association (CTA)Association (CTA) MITMIT W.K. Kellogg W.K. Kellogg

FoundationFoundation Hewlett-Packard Hewlett-Packard

CompanyCompany RCNRCN Microsoft CorporationMicrosoft Corporation Williams Consulting Williams Consulting

ServicesServices ArsDigita CorporationArsDigita Corporation

Massachusetts Housing Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MHFA)Finance Agency (MHFA)

US Department of Housing US Department of Housing and Urban Development and Urban Development (HUD)(HUD)

US Department of US Department of CommerceCommerce

Lucent TechnologiesLucent Technologies Institute for African-Institute for African-

American eCulture (iAAEC)American eCulture (iAAEC) Trotter InstituteTrotter Institute Youth Build-BostonYouth Build-Boston

Project ContextProject Context Camfield Estates-MIT Creating Camfield Estates-MIT Creating

Community Connections ProjectCommunity Connections Project

INFRASTRUCTURE:INFRASTRUCTURE:

- State-of-the-art computers & software- State-of-the-art computers & software

- High-speed Internet- High-speed Internet

- Comprehensive training- Comprehensive training

- Neighborhood technology center- Neighborhood technology center

- Web-based community building system- Web-based community building system

AgendaAgenda

I.I. OverviewOverview

II.II. MethodologyMethodology

- Web-Based Community Portal- Web-Based Community Portal

III.III. Early ResultsEarly Results

INTRODUCTORYCOURSES

SPECIFICASSET-MAPPING

PRE-ASSESSMENT& AWARENESS

Surveys,Interviews &Marketing

IndividualSkills &Abilities

SPECIALIZEDCOURSES

Activity-Based&

Theme-Based

CreatingCommunity

Connections (C3)System

GENERALASSET-MAPPING

BroadCommunityBoundaries

SOCIOCULTURALCONSTRUCTIONS

& ASSETMOBILIZATION

COMMUNITYTECHNOLOG

Y

COMMUNITY

BUILDING

POST-ASSESSMENT& EVALUATION

June 2000June 2000

September 2000September 2000 June 2000June 2000

January 2001January 2001

August 2001August 2001

ProjectProjectMethodoloMethodologygy

November 2000November 2000

Camfield Catchment AreaCamfield Catchment Area

INTRODUCTORYCOURSES

SPECIFICASSET-MAPPING

PRE-ASSESSMENT& AWARENESS

Surveys,Interviews &Marketing

IndividualSkills &Abilities

SPECIALIZEDCOURSES

Activity-Based&

Theme-Based

CreatingCommunity

Connections (C3)System

GENERALASSET-MAPPING

BroadCommunityBoundaries

SOCIOCULTURALCONSTRUCTIONS

& ASSETMOBILIZATION

COMMUNITYTECHNOLOG

Y

COMMUNITY

BUILDING

POST-ASSESSMENT& EVALUATION

June 2000June 2000

September 2000September 2000 June 2000June 2000

January 2001January 2001

August 2001August 2001

ProjectProjectMethodoloMethodologygy

November 2000November 2000

AgendaAgenda

I.I. OverviewOverview

II.II. MethodologyMethodology

- Web-Based Community Portal- Web-Based Community Portal

III.III. Early ResultsEarly Results

Early ResultsEarly Results

Reinforced and expanded local tiesReinforced and expanded local ties Heightened awareness of Heightened awareness of

community resourcescommunity resources Improved communication and Improved communication and

information flowinformation flow Positive shift in participants’ Positive shift in participants’

attitudes and perceptions of attitudes and perceptions of themselves as learnersthemselves as learners

Question 2000 2001 t p

Residents recognized by name 29.7 39.5 -1.108 0.283

Residents talked to on a regular basis 10.2 9.2 0.604 0.553

Residents invited into your home 4.4 4.5 -0.043 0.966

Residents invited into their home 3.4 4.2 -0.790 0.440

Residents telephoned 2.4 4.6 -1.542 0.141Residents e-mailed 1.3 3.0 -1.978* 0.063

* Denotes statistical significance (|t| > 1.96 ; p < 0.05)

Reinforced and Expanded Local Reinforced and Expanded Local TiesTies

Social Network DataSocial Network Data

N=26

Resource 2000 2001 t p

Skills and abilities of other residents atCamfield Estates

11% 32% 3.284* 0.004*

Associations and organizations thatserve the community

26% 58% 1.278 0.217

Volunteer opportunities in thecommunity

0% 42% 3.684* 0.002*

Institutions located in the community(e.g., schools)

74% 84% 0.809 0.429

Social services and programs providedfor the community

26% 63% 3.240* 0.005*

Community projects, activities, andevents

11% 58% 4.371* 0.000*

Businesses located in the community 53% 63% 0.224 0.826

Products and services sold by localbusinesses

32% 32% 0.357 0.725

Employment opportunities in thecommunity

5% 37% 1.924 0.070

*Denotes statistical significance (|t| > 1.96 ; p < 0.05)

Heightened Awareness of Community Heightened Awareness of Community ResourcesResources

“Very Well Informed” and “Well Informed”“Very Well Informed” and “Well Informed”

* Denotes statistical significance (|t| > 1.96 ; p < 0.05) N=26

Improved Communication and Information Improved Communication and Information FlowFlow

Web Server LogsWeb Server Logs

Improved Communication and Information Improved Communication and Information FlowFlow

Proxy Server LogsProxy Server Logs

Rank Domain Rank Domain1. blackplanet.com 11. musicmatch.com2. yahoo.com 12. nick.com3. msn.com 13. wwf.com4. launch.com 14. gohip.com5. espanol.yahoo.com 15. peoplelink.com6. camfieldestates.net 16. shockwave.com7. oneplace.com 17. uproar.com8. boston.com 18. microsoft.com9. aol.com 19. simmons.edu10. collegeclub.com 20. nbci.com

Shift in Perception and Shift in Perception and AttitudeAttitude

Qualitative ResponsesQualitative Responses

“[The project] has changed my life in more ways than one. A good example of this is that I found enough courage to teach myself HTML. Had I not had this opportunity, I might still be looking to muster up the courage. I know that technology is key to the future and I know that I could personally do anything with it that I put my mind to.”

- Participant C33

Community Technology and Community Building: Early Results from the Camfield Estates-MIT Creating Community Connections Project

October 17, 2002

Randal D. Pinkett, Ph.D.BCT Partners, LLC.

Atlanta Technology Summit

Lessons Learned and Lessons Learned and RecommendationsRecommendations

Understand individuals, families, Understand individuals, families, and the communityand the community

Understand the social and cultural Understand the social and cultural environmentenvironment

Demonstrate relevance clearlyDemonstrate relevance clearly Acknowledge and support process Acknowledge and support process

and productand product Integrate community technology Integrate community technology

and community building holisticallyand community building holistically