New Program to Involve Youth Previously Excluded from the Internet

In his book 'Growing Up Digital,' Don Tapscott writes: " The most widely feared prediction surrounding the digital revolution is that it will splinter society into a race of information haves and have nots - a digital divide. This revolution holds the promise of improving the lives of citizens but also the threat of further dividing us."

I*EARN (International Education and Resource Network) realizes this threat but is working to prevent it. In an innovative outreach initiative, I*EARN is extending telecommunications and use of the Internet to youth who may not be enrolled in schools and for whom accessing the Internet may depend on non-profit organizations serving their interests. I*EARN feels that the voices of youth who are homeless, runaway or orphaned (whether by choice or circumstance); recent immigrants; youth challenged by a disability; and adjudicated youth need to be heard. Through its new program I*EARN, with the goal of "Youth making a difference," offers forums for interaction and sharing to integrate these youth into global on-line project work. To launch this initiative I*EARN is working with such organization as PS 106, the public school of Covenant House in New York, the Fourth World Movement, as well as with Church groups in Harlem and the South Bronx.

The need is not solely in the United States. Young people living in institutions all around the world are often discriminated against at school and later by employers. Through this initiative, these young people will explore an inclusive network as a resource for answering their questions and as a media for articulating their opinions to destroy long-held prejudices. This also a possibility for these youth to find each other via a worldwide telecommunications network and work on projects with their peers around the world. Through this work, they will gain technical skills, as well as experience in cross-cultural awareness. Most importantly, research and experience have demonstrated that their motivation for continued education will be dramatically enhanced.

I*EARN is organizing special workshops for educators, staff members, and young people from these institutions and offers personal and on-line help in making connections and engaging in collaborative project work.

The program started at the end of 1997 as a pilot in New York City. Until now there have been two workshops in the metropolitan area, but institutions from as far away as California and New Mexico have shown an interest. Youth-service organizations in Poland, Hungary and Romania will be joining the project as well.

"An I*EARN workshop in Hungary last summer included two foster home teachers and 4 students from two other institutions," notes Judit Lafferthon, the former I*EARN-Hungary Coordinator and staff member of the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation). "Since then they have become active members of the network, working on international and national projects. They enjoy the inclusive atmosphere of the community and believe that participation is the best way to fight against prejudice."

Since 1988, I*EARN has pioneered the use of innovative technology for educational telecommunications work. I*EARN enables students and teachers worldwide to conduct collaborative projects with the goal to help young people to better understand the inter-connectedness of the world and to empower them to take personal and collective action on behalf of their local and global communities.

Using this technology, I*EARN has created a community of educators around the world who share the vision that student telecommunication project work can enhance and reform education.

I*EARN has teachers and students participating in project work in over 45 countries. I*EARN distinguishes itself from other telecommunications projects on three levels 1) it has true global representation; 2) the projects are developed by the participants, and therefore speak to real needs and interests, and 3) the projects are both process and product oriented with the process being highly collaborative and the product making some meaningful difference in the health and welfare of the people and planet. In Central and Eastern European countries I*EARN was introduced and is sponsored by the Soros Foundation.