The City of Philadelphia launched its digital navigator program to connect residents with community groups to overcome technology challenges and access digital resources, including affordable internet, devices, and digital skills classes, writes Sarah Huffman for Technical.ly.

With help from trusted community partners, the city has managed to build a network of navigators, and that effort has paid off.

“I see it as a missing piece that really supports the rest of the ecosystem and the rest of the activities,” said Kate Rivera, executive director of the advocacy organization Technology Learning Collaborative. “It makes it so that people can access what they need and that they have the support they need to accomplish their goals.”

But while advocates in the digital equity space believe navigators play a key role in improving access to daily life, others question whether the model is merely a temporary solution, delaying the need for larger systemic change.

The program’s organizers believe that both of these things can be true at once.

“We can work towards long-term systems change, but also acknowledging that in the here and now, this is the reality that exists,” said Rivera. “We need to help folks connect to the resources that are available.”

Read more about Philadelphia’s digital navigators and how they are impacting residents in Technical.ly.

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