Current Programs

The NYCDLC has secured funding from foundations and government agencies to address the need for technology-enhanced delivery of information and training aimed at improving services for New York City residents.

The Cultures of New York

Project Overview

The Cultures of New York is a project of The New York City Distance Learning Collaborative (NYCDLC). It was piloted during winter/spring 2002 in collaboration with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS).

Project Goals

The goals of the project are to: 1) address an unmet need for training in cultural awareness in a changing urban environment; and 2) use distance learning technologies to deliver valuable content in a cost-effective, time-saving manner.

Project Description

The Cultures of New York uses asynchronous technologies and videoconferencing to deliver content about diverse cultures in New York City. In the pilot, the ACS staff participated simultaneously in seven 90-minute videoconferences at 5 sites located around the city and subsequently engaged in asynchronous activities from their offices and homes.

The training offered through The Cultures of New York focuses on the cultural norms and mores of major immigrant groups in New York. The groups identified for the ACS pilot were: Chinese, Korean; Latino; West Indian; Russian; South Asian; and Haitian. The ACS staff participated simultaneously at 5 videoconferencing sites located around the city and subsequently engaged in asynchronous activities from their offices and homes.

Each videoconference features two experts: one, a member of the CUNY faculty who provides content from an academic perspective, and the other, a guest expert from the featured community, who offers a view "from the street." A series host provides continuity. Each videoconference allows ample time for audience participation.

A project-wide listserv posts background, biographical and other information, enhancing the sense of community and maximizing strategic use of the bi-weekly videoconferencing session. Content delivered via the listserv includes: case studies, mini-lectures, polling, critiques and experience-sharing. The listserv allows participants to post problems and discuss possible solutions with co-workers as well as experts and community resource representatives.

A Web site offers ongoing access to experts and community resources. For example, guest experts' responses to questions most frequently raised by course participants are incorporated into the Web site. Links are provided for other Web site resources pertinent to the culture groups.

Need for Training in Cultural Competence

As New York City experiences a dramatic wave of immigration, many government agencies are struggling to provide understanding and awareness to their workers who must serve a new and radically changing population. Appreciation for cultural differences is a need continually identified as crucial in providing effective services to the public.

Project Participants — Pilot Phase

The New York City Distance Learning Collaborative at the CUNY Graduate Center comprises practitioners and developers of distance learning technologies. It promotes the application of these technologies in New York.

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services is the central training resource in New York City government and offers learning opportunities and programs targeted to improve the skills, performance and career opportunities of City employees.

The Administration for Children's Services is the municipal agency responsible for the protection of New York City's children. ACS investigates reports of abuse and neglect; provides foster care settings and adoption services to families; enforces the payments of child support; and provides Head Start programs as well as day care services.

Assessment

The ACS pilot drew 80-100 staff. The evaluation study conducted at the close of the pilot indicated enthusiastic response to the project. Participants were overwhelmingly appreciative of the content, the format of the program and the opportunity to use new technologies for learning, for saving time, and for becoming acquainted with colleagues. In particular, respondents urged adoption of the project by other groups.

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Online Training To Increase Immigration Legal Assistance
For Low-Income New York City Immigrants

Project Overview

The immigration services training is an ongoing project of the NYCDLC. It will be an on-line training course to prepare staff at community-based organizations (CBOs) to become "Accredited Representatives" able to practice before the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Once accredited, representatives can help immigrants to prepare documents, and those with advanced training can accompany immigrants to INS proceedings of various kinds and serve as their legal advocates.

Need/Problem

Forty percent of the population of New York City is foreign born. Over the past decade experts on New York City immigration issues have focused on the crucial need for quality, affordable legal services to help immigrants understand and comply with complex and constantly changing immigration laws.

Despite the enormous need, the availability of quality legal services for immigrants is in very short supply. Without access to legal services, immigrants are in danger of being deported or barred from the United States for years, and thousands of immigrants are unable to apply for citizenship or to sponsor family members to immigrate.

Opportunity

Community-based organizations (CBOs) can help close the legal services gap by achieving "recognized" status with the INS and by designating some number of staff for training to become Accredited Representatives. Asynchronous technologies provide an opportunity to develop a cost-effective, convenient, and time-saving approach to acquiring this important training.

The Project

An on-line pilot training module will be provided to staff selected to participate in this training. Many of the CBOs have Internet access at the work site. Written training course materials will be adapted for asynchronous delivery, allowing for continuous update of the course materials. Approximately 25 staff members are expected to participate in the pilot project training.

Anticipated Outcomes

Due to turnover and increasingly complex INS regulations, each organization will have an ongoing need to train additional staff members each year. This will create a potential for several hundred trainees annually for a fully implemented course in New York City alone, thus guaranteeing much broader availability of high quality legal services.

The full implementation can be expanded to serve the hundreds of agencies and faith-based organizations that serve New York City's burgeoning immigrant populations. This initiative also has clear application throughout New York State and nationwide. It is intended to be replicable on a statewide and national basis, perhaps using New York City as a hub from both a technological and program standpoint.

Significance

Such training can eventually benefit the seven to nine million undocumented aliens in the US in addition to many millions of legal immigrants, many of whom need ongoing legal services. The training will respond to needs currently being identified as critical by both local and State government as well as by the Federal Government.

The September 11th terrorist attacks have resulted in the enactment of anti-terrorism legislation that significantly changes the legal rights of immigrants in America. These changes, combined with other major new immigration laws adopted since 1996, have highlighted the need for an expansion of quality legal services for immigrants. The project will not only expand the availability of legal services to immigrants, it will also introduce the use of on-line technologies to the immigrant community, where they have the potential to address other needs as well.

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