Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 17:12:54 -0400 (EDT)
From: CWHITCOM@bentley.edu
Subject: Virtually Wired article
Sender: CWHITCOMB@bentley.edu
To: madeline@rmi.net
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A REPORT FROM A DEN MOTHER

by Coralee Whitcomb



This is a story about a little miracle happening in decaying
downtown Boston, Massachusetts.  Much as Boston is equated with
high tech activity, there remains an incredible lack of ubiquity
to computer access.  Virtually Wired Educational Foundation is a
neighborhood learning center consisting if about 3000 sq. ft. of
space, 30+  386 computers, a donated ISDN link and Internet
service, 70 volunteers, and whole lot of heart.  The street
level  space came from a visionary with access to used
computers.  He set up the physical space and, as many
visionaries do, moved on.  It fell to me to breathe life and
purpose into this shell of promise.



With nothing more than a sign soliciting volunteers in the
window for one month, 35 people stopped in expressing interest
in the concept.  At the time the Yahoo search engine was just
becoming know, we opened the doors for drop in visitors to
receive a friendly, supportive and free introduction to the
Internet.  We coupled the drop in service with a heavy schedule
of low cost classes covering the introduction to various
computer topics. The vast majority of the machines were
connected to the Internet and most had access to the standard
office applications. Due to the age of the machines, games and
other graphically based software were out of the question. 
Fully believing that if we built such a place, the world would
pound down our doors. We opened on May 1, 1995 ready to deal
with the masses of underserved eager to learn all about
Cyberspace.  



Wrong



We've learned a lot since.



Who comes to such a place?



There are no public schools nearby and with  no games we don't
get the gaggle of teenagers one might expect.  Though we hand
out free daily passes to many nearby homeless shelters, we get
few visitors.  In fact, if you looked through our window most of
the day, you'd see mostly middle class white males.  In the last
21 months we've learned that a huge number of the underserved
and computer illiterate among us are not dying to get on the
Internet - in fact - they're not even paying attention.  Our
determination to reach these folks has us going through the
nonprofit organizations that serve them.  



Much like parents eager to get their kids online, nonprofit
staffs are eager to add a computer component to their services.
On numerous occasions we've hosted various groups on either
field trips or a series of weekly visits.  As a result of
monthly mass mailing, we're getting more and more interest from
nonprofit staffs as the realization slowly sinks in that the
Internet might also have some value to their organization.  In
spite of the many resources available in the Boston area, the
enthusiastic, low budget nonprofit is constrained from exploring
the Information Superhighway either by the price of commercial
training or the limited number of accessible hours.



The most compelling reason for a new user to pay us a visit is
their job search.  The ever growing number of sites of job
listings and the need for basic computer skills is the greatest
motivator to overcome one's fear of humiliation and potential
responsibility for nuclear war.  We've found the combination of
solitaire and the Web are most valuable in bringing people past
their fears and onto the Internet and computers.   Solitaire is
a great way to develop the eye/hand, drag/click coordination
needed with the mouse.  The web distracts the fearful away from
the fact they're using a computer by drawing them into an
exploration mindset.  Interest in the Web, alone, however, will
not suffice to get a new user to invest in repeated visits.  The
Web must serve as an effective research tool or the user must
discover an interactive Internet application such as email or
newsgroups to keep coming back.  An educated guess on my part
would claim that under 10% of our regulars use the Web for any
period of time during their visits.



When women visit, they are clearly on a mission.  The only all
day female visitors always arrive with a specific objective -
one that cannot wait. Most are preparing for work.  Their
activities are learning basic office applications, practicing in
preparation for skill testing by temporary agencies, or job
searching on the Web.  It appears that women never casually
"surf" unless it is in the process of learning how to use the
Net.  From the early days we've used Tuesday nights as Women's
Night (we received too much flak for calling it Ladies' Night). 
These nights are never terribly busy.  Children under 12 are
welcome, only women are allowed, and all the volunteers are
women.  Most women who visit on Tuesdays don't really need help
but come because of the all-woman environment.  I haven't
noticed much difference in the casual usage by women.  Just as
with men, interactivity and communication is the ticket to
repeat use.  Downtown Boston is not exactly on the beaten track
for most women in the evening hours - I believe our location is
largely responsible for the small number of our Women's Night
visitors.



I've often found that in the nonprofit world, glowing reports
are often not justified by the day to day reality of the
nonprofit's work.  I'm saddened that we can't be more honest
about our disappointments.  Sharing these disappointments might
help us to identify the unexpected successes hidden by our
agenda.  Virtually Wired is far from stabilized. After a year of
knocking ourselves out giving services away to pre-schoolers,
the homeless, youth at risk, and others, I've had to halt our
good deeds in the interest of finding funding and making
ourselves better known.  Our revenue just barely pays the light
bill and our subsidized existence rests on a landlord currently
in bankruptcy.  My personal financial picture has become
desperate.  Daily I'm ready to throw in the towel and seek
relief in employment where someone else is the boss.  Then I run
into a volunteer.  



The true miracle of Virtually Wired is our volunteers.  Our
pennilessness has been a key factor in bringing together and
changing the lives of a most remarkable group of people.  I
don't know what draws these people through the door in the first
place, but we've developed a core group of about 20 volunteers
with the most remarkable stories I've ever known.  Almost every
one is homeless or formerly homeless.  And, somehow, Virtually
Wired is putting them back on their feet.  Rachel is a victim
of a bad marriage and suicide attempt.  To avoid developing a
shelter mentality she spends her day greeting newcomers. 
Rachel is a writer.  She's currently re-editing a novel she's
written that has received interest from a publisher.  Eric built
one of the most successful music production studios in Boston,
but his heroin addiction brought him to poverty.  In one year,Eric
 has become a total expert in computers, tutors our disabled
clients from Mass. Rehabilitation Commission, and has been clean
for 15 months.  Greg arrived, sober for only a few weeks, last
August.  Since that day he has spent every day fine-tuning our
old computers to the point that they can run Windows '95.  Greg
recently qualified and moved into the first permanent housing
he's enjoyed in years.  These are just a few examples.  In a
world where miracles are seen as quaint myth, Virtually Wired
would bring a tear to your eye.  The only capital we have to
share is our sense of well-being.  The women volunteers need
good conversation.  The men need pats on the back and hugs. 
Based on this meager compensation, our doors are open 45 hours a
week.  All visitors get the help they need at whatever level
they need it.  Our machines are all almost always working, our
bathrooms are clean, and little by little, I'm able to build an
outreach campaign that will, finally, hopefully, put more than
love in our pockets.  



The world of "virtual" often seems like it's redefining the
definition of intimate and personal.  But in a little corner of
Boston, old-fashioned love and family is the fuel that is
bringing the Information Age to those waiting longest for its
benefits.