Digital Equity Steering Committee

Purpose

Gloucester’s Digital Equity Steering Committee guides Gloucester’s advancement towards digital equity and a future where all households have the information technology capacity to fully participate in our society, democracy and economy.  The Steering Committee oversees Gloucester’s Digital Equity Plan, a comprehensive plan that consists of an existing conditions assessment, community engagement analysis and recommended actions. The recommended actions address the digital divide through increasing under connected residents’ access to the Internet, reliable devices and digital skills training.

Key Functions

The Steering Committee’s key functions are:

• Partnership building: Convene community stakeholders on a regular basis and foster collaboration

• Information sharing: Provide opportunities for community stakeholders to share digital equity initiatives and best practices within their organizations

• Community outreach: Gather feedback from community stakeholders on digital literacy program and device access needs

• Strategic guidance: Guide city-wide decisions on digital equity priorities and policies

• Progress monitoring: Measure and report on the progress of the Digital Equity Plan recommendations 

• Plan implementation and future development:  Implement the recommended actions of the plan and provide direction for future recommendations 

• Secure investments: Identify funding opportunities and forge relationships to expand resources

• Connect with regional efforts: Participate in the regional Digital Equity coalition led by the Essex County Community Foundation