Delete the Divide Initiative

INTERNAL SERVICES DEPT

County Spending Category
1.4 Digital Divide
Federal Expenditure Category
Assistance to Unemployed or Undermployed Workers (e.g. job training, subsidized employment, employment supports or incentives)
Project Launch Date
04/05/2021
Anticipated End Date
01/30/2026
Interpretation Languages
  • Spanish
Written Languages
  • Korean
  • Spanish
  • Traditional Chinese
  • Vietnamese

Project Contacts

Indicators & Metrics to Date

  • Delete The Divide Member on-line registrations
    3322
  • Civil Service application filed for DTD Paid internship/pre-apprenticeship
    1881
  • Civil Service applications accepted..
    71
  • Hired for paid internship/pre-apprenticeship
    280
  • Interns/pre-apprentices hired in full-time IT or related field at $50,000 or higher
    44
  • Weekly Check In with DTD Program Manager
    832
  • DTD Members that enrolled and completed IT Professional Certification
    243
  • DTD members that complete any digital training/literacy pathway or course
    2548
  • DTD Intern/pre-apprenticeship assigned community based projects
    183
  • DTD Member Small Businesses On-boarded
    189
  • DTD Member Small Businesses receive business health assessment
    207
  • DTD Member Small Business receives 1:1 consultation
    131
  • DTD Member Small Business receives business listings, style guide, and/or website - "full service"
    66
  • Percent participants reporting feelings of preparedness at end of program.
    64
  • Percent small businesses that received services.
    100

Target Populations

  • Systems Impacted Individuals
  • Small Businesses
  • (Amended 11/15/22) Expand services along the corridors where Broadband Expansion is planned.

Project Description

On October 20, 2020, during the peak of Covid-19 Pandemic, the Board of Supervisors authorized ISD as the lead agency on the Delete The Divide Initiative (DTD). Through an innovative public-private partnership model, Delete the Divide seeks to unify efforts to provide youth, young adults, and small businesses in disadvantaged communities, identified through Covid-19 high-priority areas in Equity Explorer and U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey Data “high-need areas”, who are adversely impacted by the digital divide with direct access to modern technologies, as well as training and support services, educational programs, technical certifications, job shadowing, mentoring, corporate tours, paid internships, academic scholarships, practical hands-on experience, entrepreneurial opportunities, and pathways to well-paying careers. According to 2021 United States Census data, the median annual household income in the State of California is $81,575. The estimated median annual household income in Los Angeles County is $69,778, yet more than 1.3 million people in the County of Los Angeles are reported at Below the poverty level . Additionally, the 2021 Census data reports that 125 thousand households in Los Angeles County do not have a computer and 242 thousand households lack a broadband internet subscription. These households are disproportionately located in low-income areas and the populations are predominately Black and LatinX. The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the severity of the digital divide within Los Angeles County. In an effort to reduce the spread of the virus, a number of health safety protocols related to physical distancing were implemented by State and County health officials. As a result, constituents encountered a greater dependency on technology to perform routine and daily activities such as working remotely, distance learning among schools, and the exchange of products and services. The sudden and large-scale transition to a virtual environment brought in clear view the vast disparities in access to information and communication technologies within underserved communities. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to experience hardships due to technological barriers. Major initiatives are underway to provide computer devices and broadband connectivity to underserved communities. These are necessary and critical steps to ending the digital divide. However, equally important is the knowledge and awareness of how to effectively utilize and navigate the resources available through technology. The combination of access and awareness can expand opportunities for growth, achievement and advancement among disadvantaged populations. Delete The Divide is building partnerships and alliances with various entities that can support the digital empowerment agenda. These entities include government, private corporations, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, philanthropists, and the sports and entertainment industries. Collectively, we can contribute resources to underserved communities to connect residents and small businesses to opportunities through technology. The resources will be centrally available through the Delete The Divide program and provide more direct pathways to personal development and economic growth.

Goals & Objectives

Goal Description 1. Expose youth, young adults, and residents to the equalizing power of technology and prepare them to pursue one of the following: a) post-secondary education; b) employment in a well-paying technology field, or c) entrepreneurship. 2. Small businesses develop/enhance website presence, e-commerce, and digital marketing capabilities. Delete The Divide is employing 200 of the 1446 DTD members as pre-apprentices. The DTD members that are not employed as pre-apprentices have full access to all of DTD's free resources such as IT professional certification training programs, technology training, digital literacy training, attendance at DTD sponsored events, etc.

Objective Description Delete The Divide's target service areas are among the most disadvantaged within Los Angeles County and our overall objective is to increase working opportunities and educational resources for the underserved. In addition, to transform the neighborhood businesses operating in the most disadvantaged communities through a wide array of partnerships with public, private, non-profit and CBOs.

Activity Description For youth and adults, we are partnering with private industry (e.g., Google, Facebook, ESRI, Cisco, etc.), other County departments (e.g., DPSS, Probation, and WDACS), various school districts (e.g., Compton, Antelope Valley, etc.), community colleges (e.g., LACDD), community-based organizations (e.g., Brotherhood Crusade, EmpowHer, etc.), non-profits (e.g., LA Tech, Boys & Girls Club, AJCC, etc.) and other municipalities (i.e., LA City Department of Youth Development) to promote DTD and source members for receipt of IT certificate scholarships and the DTD internship program. We are working with organizations that serve our target service areas to see where we can fill the gaps for youth and adults that will lead to the continuation of post-secondary and seasonal education (i.e. college, apprenticeship, professional IT Certificate), full-time employment in well-paying technical fields, and entrepreneurship. When our tech partners resume on-site operations, we will coordinate field trips to their offices for DTD youth/adult members to broaden their exposure to tech and see people of color in successful careers.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome (Amendment 11/2022) Internship Program Months 12.00 24.00
4 Program Outcome Youth Interns 75.00 100.00
5 Program Outcome Internship 75.00 150.00
6 Program Outcome Delete The Divide Member on-line registrations 500.00 1500.00
7 Program Outcome DTD On-Line registrations 500.00 1500.00
8 Program Outcome Civil Service application filed for DTD Paid internship/pre-apprenticeship 500.00 700.00
9 Program Outcome Civil Service applications accepted.. 75.00 150.00
10 Program Outcome DTD members hired for paid internship/pre-apprenticeship. 75.00 150.00
11 Program Outcome Hired for paid internship/pre-apprenticeship 25.00 50.00
12 Program Outcome Interns/pre-apprentices hired in full-time IT or related field at $50,000 or higher 35.00 75.00
13 Program Outcome Weekly Check In with DTD Program Manager 52.00 60.00
14 Program Outcome DTD Members that enrolled and completed IT Professional Certification 25.00 50.00
15 Program Outcome DTD members that complete any digital training/literacy pathway or course 20.00 40.00
17 Program Outcome DTD Intern/pre-apprenticeship assigned community based projects 25.00 75.00
19 Program Outcome Small Businesses that are onboarded 50.00 200.00
20 Program Outcome Small Businesses Onboarded 50.00 200.00
21 Program Outcome Small businesses that receive business health assessment report 50.00 200.00
22 Program Outcome DTD Member Small Businesses On-boarded 50.00 450.00
23 Program Outcome DTD Member Small Businesses receive business health assessment 50.00 450.00
24 Program Outcome DTD Member Small Business receives 1:1 consultation 50.00 310.00
25 Program Outcome DTD Member Small Business receives business listings, style guide, and/or website - "full service" 5.00 25.00

Outcome Description 1. Expose youth, young adults and residents of underserved communities to the equalizing power of technology and prepare them to pursue one of the following: a) post-secondary education; b) employment in a well-paying technology field, or c) entrepreneurship. 2. Small businesses develop/enhance website presence, e-commerce, and digital marketing capabilities.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Program Outcome Percent participants reporting feelings of preparedness.
2 Program Outcome Percent participants reporting feelings of preparedness at end of program. 50.00 90.00
3 Program Outcome Percent small businesses that received services. 50.00 90.00