Austin Connects

Austin Connects recently received a grant from the One Star Foundation to build a fully integrated, searchable, dynamic community technology services map and database on our website.

Click here to learn more!

Austin Connects is inviting Austin area professionals with an interest in Community Technology to participate in focus groups!  Austin Connects has received a grant to build a web-based community technology service directory with mapping capability.  This powerful tool has the potential to be a great resource for community technology and human services providers and we need your input to make it the best it can be!  Your feedback and expertise will shape the design and implementation of the online service directory and the future of Austin Connects.

Plentiful parking available.  Refreshments provided.  Each panel is limited to 10 participants.

August 16, 2010

Focus group for community technology professionals:
10:00 am – Noon

Focus group for social services providers:
1:30-3:30 pm

Channel Austin Conference Room
1143 Northwestern Avenue
Austin, TX 78702

Thanks to the participants of the Community Technology Symposium, Austin Connects has identified areas of interest to community technology professionals. On Tuesday, May 4th we addressed the first: Youth Engagement.  Austin Connects held an exciting morning workshop at American YouthWorks which allowed participants to learn more about what other organizations in Austin are doing to get young people excited and involved with technology.  Topics included creative professions, computer refurbishment, technology and learning plus networking activities.

Founder and Executive Director of the Media Diversity Council, Carl Settles Jr, spoke about how he leverages social media and technology through Media Xperiments to engage hard to reach youth. To view a video of his presentation click here.

Matt Stawicki of American YouthWorks took the group on a tour of their computer refurbishment lab and introduced us to students in the program. He explained the details of the program, showed a short video created by students and walked us through a typical day.

Also included was a yummy breakfast from Sweetish Hill and a networking game called “Human Bingo” in which participants found out fun and interesting things about each other while filling out a score card to win prizes. Many thanks to Bat City Awards and Apparel for providing some of our prizes!

Laura Morrison, Austin City Council

On January 12th, 2010 Austin Connects hosted a Community Technology Symposium to educate, share information and build a cooperative plan on how best to serve Austin.  The event featured opening and welcome from Austin City Council Member Laura Morrison followed by  Key Note Speaker David Keyes, the City of Seattle’s Community Technology Manager on defining community technology.

Key Note Speaker – David Keyes

Over 90 participants shared a day of education, networking and camaraderie. Keynote speaker David Keyes’s presentation was informative, entertaining and engaging as he shared the secrets of Seattle’s winning Community Technology program.  Participants also learned about technology barriers to health care, legal resources for the underserved, challenges to disabled students in our schools, trends in workforce development and the upcoming City residential technology survey.  The afternoon also included break out groups on user generated topics ‘engaging youth participation’, ‘computer recycling’ and ‘outreach to engage reluctant Internet users.’ All three groups presented their ideas to the group at large including action items to be posted on the Austin Connects website.  The day concluded with thoughts on how Austin Connects may serve the needs of the participants going forward and a request to fill out a brief survey.

TweetUp at Aloft

The final stage of the symposium was a “TweetUp” and happy hour at the Aloft in the Domain.

The setting was modern and comfortable with attentive bar staff and amazing food, so popular that the hotel struggled to keep it replenished.  More connections were made, stories shared and a great time was had by all.

To see videos of three of the presentations, including the Keynote, visit the Video page

For more photos see our on-line photo album.

Event Sponsors: