From Tech Goes Home:
Partnership to help incarcerated individuals gain digital skills to help them succeed upon reentry
Today, Tech Goes Home (TGH), a leading Massachusetts-based nonprofit committed to closing the digital divide, announced partnerships with Essex County Sheriff’s Department’s Supporting Transitions And Reentry (STAR) and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Resource Center — marking a first for TGH in working with reentry programming —as well as a coinciding partnership with Worcester County House of Corrections as part of an expanded effort to bring digital resources and skills training to incarcerated adults and youth.
“We’re excited to partner with Sheriffs Evandelidis and Coppinger as we expand our work to help justice-impacted individuals gain valuable digital skills needed to thrive as they prepare for life beyond the wall,” said Dahlia Bousaid-Cox, interim CEO of Tech Goes Home. “Since launching earlier this year, TGH has expanded its efforts to five correctional facilities and graduated more than 80 incarcerated learners from our courses, where individuals learned life-long skills to help them succeed in their careers, keep up with personal health, connect to stable housing, reengage with family, and so much more. We’d like to thank our program partners, Ameelio and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, for their continued support in this effort and steadfast commitment to advancing digital equity and justice across the Commonwealth.”
“We always focus on ensuring that inmates have the skills to succeed upon their release,” stated Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis. “An important aspect of rehabilitation and re-entry processes is offering opportunities to enhance digital literacy. Technology is constantly evolving, making it challenging to maintain certain standards of digital literacy during a period of incarceration. Tech Goes Home aims to bridge the gap in accessibility by providing both physical and intellectual resources, ensuring that those reentering society possess the necessary skills to thrive.”
“At the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, we know that successful reentry starts with preparation,” said Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger. “Through our STAR program, we are committed to giving individuals the tools they need to rebuild their lives. Tech Goes Home brings a critical piece to that effort by ensuring our participants have the digital skills and access they’ll need to find work, secure housing, connect with family, and navigate an increasingly online world. This partnership is another step forward in helping people return to our communities stronger and better prepared for the future.”
The latest partnerships in Essex and Worcester counties are the first at county-run reentry programs and an expansion of TGH’s work with Ameelio, a technology nonprofit providing communication and educational tools for incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. The effort is made possible through a $6 million grant awarded last year by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s (MBI) Digital Equity Partnerships Program, of which $4 million has been allocated to TGH and Ameelio to bring digital skills courses to more than 3,600 justice-impacted adults and youth housed in county jails and Department of Youth Services (DYS) facilities in Massachusetts. Programming supported by the grant is already underway in Barnstable, Franklin, and Suffolk counties.
More than 8,000 individuals are currently incarcerated in county and local jails in Massachusetts. The majority of correctional facilities and reentry programs have limited and outdated technology, making it difficult for individuals to acclimate to the rapidly advancing digital world upon release. By reaching learners during their incarceration, TGH is helping to address barriers before release, equipping individuals with tools that reduce recidivism and open pathways to employment, continued education, and stronger community connections.
In late July, TGH traveled to the Resource Center in Webster and to STAR program centers in Lynn and Lawrence to pilot digital skills courses, with a focus on workforce development, online safety, and navigating public resources upon release. In August, TGH expanded its programming in Worcester County to include the House of Corrections in West Boylston. As part of the program, Ameelio will provide incarcerated learners with a facilities-approved tablet.
Upon reentry, program graduates who complete 15 hours of coursework will receive a Chromebook and a hotspot, provided by TGH, with one year of no-cost internet. TGH is also working with corrections facilities staff to promote TGH community partner courses already underway to support relatives of incarcerated individuals accessing reliable internet connectivity, devices, and skills to connect with loved ones.
About Tech Goes Home:
Tech Goes Home is a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the digital inequities that pose a significant barrier to opportunity and success for thousands of students, workers, and families across Massachusetts and the country. Working in partnership with schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations, Tech Goes Home provides curated support – including access to digital devices, network connectivity, and robust training in how to utilize digital resources – to help individuals and families pursue economic mobility, support academic achievement, access critical resources, and engage with their community and loved ones.
You can learn more about Tech Goes Home’s work, and ways to become involved, at techgoeshome.org.
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