Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative

The National Digital Equity Center’s “Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative” program was launched in 2018 and promotes and advocates for Digital Inclusion for Maine and it’s people. Included is the expansion of digital literacy services to traditionally underserved populations to provide job training/employment-related education as well as technology training to older adults. The program has engaged and trained digital literacy instructors to provide computer skills/digital literacy instruction to adult learners throughout Maine.

Digital Literacy assessment and skills training play a critical role in technology and workforce skills development that increase employability of program participants, improve job-seeking skills, and create a more highly skilled, job-ready workforce across Maine. The program also helps older adults “age in place” by offering classes and workshops on how to use technology tools that will help them remain in their homes, as they grow older.

As part of the Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative, The National Digital Equity Center offers free online learning in the form of interactive instructional webinars, as well as onsite classes at partner locations throughout Maine. Before participating in our free classes and tutoring, each participant must be enrolled in the Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative (MDII) at www.digitalequitycenter.org/enroll.

NDEC classes fall into three curricula designed for the digital literacy needs of adults where they are in their life – whether it be raising a family, going to school, improving employment opportunities or running a business, or looking forward to retirement and or aging in place:

• For Work & Business – classes designed to help develop workforce and small business skills
• For Home and Education – classes that meet general digital literacy needs and that of educators
• Aging Well with Technology – our classes designed for residents 55+

The National Digital Equity Center has an Affordable Devices Program, funded through the Maine Office of Community Development, that provides free devices to Maine residents 18 years of age and older who are of low to moderate income.  Devices include tablets with cellular connectivity for individuals without internet access and refurbished laptop and desktop computers.

Additionally, the National Digital Equity Center works with communities to develop Digital Equity and Digital Inclusion Plans and local Affordable Broadband Benefit subsidies.

Other programs include the Affordable Device Referral Program, Partner Onsite Program, and our Volunteer Program- Make a Difference in Maine.

The National Digital Equity Center is proud to offer these digital inclusion resources to Maine residents and businesses, and provide communities across Maine with the expertise needed to mobilize broadband technologies through digital inclusion, literacy efforts, education, resource planning, funding research, infrastructure leveraging and stakeholder engagement.