HandsOn Tech members, including the Pittsburgh team, are tasked with training and supporting local nonprofits so that they can serve their clients and communities better. The full HandsOn Tech description is as follows:

HandsOn Tech AmeriCorps VISTAs will increase the effectiveness of the Pittsburgh's nonprofit sector’s use of technology (prioritizing cloud based/online applications and applications specifically for the nonprofit community). By supporting the sector’s use of technology, organizations will realize greater efficiencies and be better able to address the needs of low-income communities, ultimately improving outcomes for children and families.

The three members of Pittsburgh's HandsOn Tech team will engage in the following activities:
  • Aiding nonprofit organizations in increasing their effective use of technology with the ultimate goal of increasing community resources and improving outcomes for low-income communities and families
  • Assisting local low-income community members with technology training to help bridge the "digital divide"
  • Identifying and engaging "Skills Based Volunteers" to create an infrastructure of support for the local communities to further support nonprofits and the low-income community.
As HandsOn Tech are members of a VISTA project, we want our work to be sustainable.  This means that we want our efforts to continue long after the service year is complete. This is a fundamental part of the work that AmeriCorps VISTA's have done for over 40 years.

An important element of our program is centered around capacity building.  Capacity building happens by starting, or growing, programs that allow an organization to do better.  It is developing or enhancing their ability to do great things--like serving the low-income community.  With technology, this could be helping a nonprofit more effectively manage their emails -- allowing them better communication, increased collaboration and, ultimately, enabling them to get more work done.  

When it comes to the community, we are working in the area of community empowerment.   It is the engagement of the community to help plan, develop and implement programming and service activities to address local needs. This means providing them opportunities to learn about technology that can enhance their own lives -- personal finance/budgeting, resume writing tools, online job search, job skills, etc.  

Our work can happen in many forms, but ultimately we want to engage skilled volunteers to help us create a sustainable effort in your community -- generating positive growth for nonprofits and the community, beyond August 2012.

Measurable Objectives

Throughout the HandsOn Tech service year, there are several key outcomes and outputs that we aim to capture.  There are four main focus areas for the HandsOn Tech team:
  1. Skills Based Volunteers (SBV's) - volunteers from the community who have specific knowledge and skills
  2. Nonprofit Assessments - "deep dive" evaluation and assessment of nonprofits current technology infrastructure, challenges and needs to evaluate opportunity for capacity-building
  3. Nonprofit Trainings - technology training for nonprofits to expose them to available and emerging technology
  4. Community Member Trainings - technology training for low-income community members to expose them to accessible technology and help develop technology skills (in part, needed skills are identified by community leaders)