Digital Navigation Program

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Hennepin County’s Office of Broadband & Digital Inclusion launched a new Digital Navigation program in 2022, which provides technology supports to residents through individualized coaching, training and provision of devices. Modeled on national best practices, the Digital Navigation program staff accepts referrals from frontline county teams, evaluates each individual’s level of digital literacy, and provides a tailored package of technology training, broadband connectivity options, and laptops, including Chromebooks for youth. Clients with greater digital literacy needs are referred for additional training and support. All navigation clients complete an internet-safety course, and exit the program prepared to engage the digital world safely and successfully. Hennepin’s program also invests in a rich ecosystem of organizations that provide a variety of digital literacy training programs. Digital navigation is provided in various languages and in multiple communities across Hennepin’s 45 municipalities, with a targeted objective of reducing disparities in access to broadband and digital tools. Program results have been tangible: The Digital Navigation team will soon issue its 10,000th laptop; it has provided new fiber connections for more than 2,500 households. Hennepin has seen a gain of 4 percentage points among households that say they have a home broadband connection.