Item 5 Backup — original pdf

Backup

Digital Equity Needs Assessment Topline Insights Project Purpose Travis County and the City of Austin conducted a study to better understand the needs, barriers, and assets available for digital access prioritizing low-income communities, communities of color, and other communities that have been historically and systemically marginalized. This involved: 1) a needs assessment to collect, analyze, and share data about community members’ access to affordable and reliable digital connectivity and resources that enable digital access (e.g. skills, devices), as well as 2) co-design and evaluate possible strategies and recommendations to increase internet connectivity and access for all What is digital equity? Internet Access Digital Devices Digital Skills Laws Electric grid Population growth Topography Technology change Global economy Percentage of Travis County Households without Internet Subscriptions Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 - 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, Table B28004 Project Key Activities PHASE I JANUARY - APRIL PHASE II PHASE III MAY - AUGUST SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2025 Survey and Advisory Community Circles Data Convenings Report 1382 Survey Responses 19 7 Organizations in Non-Profit Working Group Community Share Outs and Solutioning Activities 44 Participants in 3 Advisory Workshops 193 Participants in 11 Community Conversation Circles Data Collection and Resource Sharing Design & Administration Top Challenges & Opportunities Circles: Top Challenges What kinds of things make it more difficult for you to get access to or use the internet? • Cost/Affordability • Digital Skills • Internet Service Problems • Accessibility • Device Issues • Security and Safety Concerns • Language Barriers • Public access – Transportation – Paywalls (e.g. purchase • Barriers to Internet Service (e.g. documentation, credit history) for password) – Awareness of resources Survey: Top Recommendations Do you have any ideas of how Travis County and the City of Austin can help our communities improve internet access? (n=351) (*Themes of open-ended responses) 95 31 43 44 31 31 19 13 18 24 2 Survey: Barriers to Get Internet at Home What is a barrier for you to get internet at home? (Check all that apply.) Respondents without internet at home: n=211 Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023 Circles: Solutions If money or resources where not a problem, how would you improve the community's access to internet and technology? • • • • Improve and Increase Digital Skills Support and Training Increase Access or Availability of Free or Discounted Devices Increase Free or Public Internet Access (includes increase access to power/charging for devices) Improve Internet Infrastructure and Increase ISP Choice • Improve Accessibility • Expand and Improve Tech Support Resources • Build More Coordination Between Social and Digital Services • Improve & Increase Security and Safety – Protect Consumers Top Insights Basic Technology Training 59% of survey respondents expressed interest in basic technology skills training for themselves or someone in their household, if it were free. Only 7 out of 1373 respondents (0.51%) indicated that they would be willing to pay for basic technology skills training. "Would you be interested in basic technology skills training for you or someone in your household?" By Individual Annual Earnings – Survey Responses 6% 17% 93% 83% 26% 72% 75% 69% 25% 31% 86% 14% Less than $25,000 (n=302) $25,000 - $34,999 (n=308) $35,000 - $49,999 (n=235) $50,000 - $74,999 (n=110) $75,000 - $99,999 (n=71) $100,000 or more (n=41) No Yes, and I would be willing to pay for it Yes, but only if it were free Internet Access Inside and Outside the Home 91% of survey respondents who had no internet at home, accessed the internet outside the home through mobile data. 99% of survey respondents who had internet at home, accessed the internet outside the home through mobile data. Note: n for survey respondents without internet at home is 215. n for survey respondents with internet at home is 1162. Causes for Disruption to Mobile Internet Why did you experience loss or disruption of mobile internet (cellular, hot spot)? Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023 Circles: Help and Resources When you have challenges with your internet or your technology devices, how do you get help? Common Resources Challenges with Resources Uncoordinated Exclusion How can we leverage this knowledge? Full report https://www.traviscountytx.gov/images/its/Doc/TravisCounty-CityofAustin-Broadband-Report.pdf Recommendations How might we support all populations in accessing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet? 5.1.1 - Provide targeted support to populations that have higher digital barriers • Elders, immigrants/refugees, disabled, low-literacy, justice impacted, low-income, ESL or other language barrier, racial or ethnic minorities, rural residents, unemployed, unhoused, veterans and their families 5.1.2 - Identify and support strategies to make sure all consumers know what low-cost internet options are available and how to compare and sign up for plans • Cost and affordability are top barriers. With the sunset of ACP, we need to focus on what low- cost options are available and how to compare and sign up for plans. 5.1.3 - Increase availability, accessibility, and awareness of free public- access internet options • Access points should be abundant, accessible, and easy to find and utilize. How might we support all populations in accessing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet? (Cont.) 5.1.4 – Support mobile connectivity • Public wi-fi, charging stations in public locations like bus stops 5.1.5 - Advocate for the accessibility of services, programs, and information online, especially on mobile • The ubiquity of mobile use and the reliance of many on mobile means that content and services should be fully accessible via a mobile device. How might we promote and maintain the community's access to quality, low-cost devices? 5.2.1 - Identify, support, and promote sources of low-cost devices 5.2.2 - Increase the availability, awareness, and affordability of options to have devices repaired or receive technology support How might we improve the community's access to free digital skills training and development opportunities? 5.3.1 - Teach community members what they want to know • Items listed earlier in the presentation as well as how to find safe and reliable information 5.3.2 - Provide digital skills training in diverse ways that meet different learning styles, contexts, and schedules • 1:1, group, online, self paced, repetitive, fresh, narrow, broad, multi-lingual, geographically diverse, nights, weekends, business hours, etc. How might we advocate for consumer's rights on issues relating to digital equity? 5.4.1 - Support people's ownership of their own data as a default 5.4.2 - Provide the public with information on anti-spam laws 5.4.3 - Support the decision-making autonomy of tenants when it comes to their decisions about internet and technology Questions? Methodology & Background Background 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Digital inequities have been a key issue for Central Texas residents for many years. The COVID pandemic elevated those digital inequities, as well as a need for broader investment in better internet. In November 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law which established the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program investing $42.5 billion in federal funding to expand internet availability. In the spring of 2022, Travis County Technology and Operations and the City of Austin Office of Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs (TARA) came together to identify ways to jointly address this issue. Travis County committed $250,000 to the project, hired a Program Manager to lead digital equity initiatives, as well as hosted a Fuse Corps Executive Fellow. The City of Austin committed $80,000 to the project, as well as support from existing staff in the TARA office. The partnership received further investment from the St. David’s Foundation at $150,000. Data Collection Approach 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Travis County and the City of Austin conducted a study to better understand the needs, barriers, and assets available for digital access prioritizing low-income communities, communities of color, and other communities that have been historically and systemically marginalized. With these priorities in mind, we designed our data collection taking a purposive sample approach, particularly for the survey and focus groups. In each case, we prioritized geographies and populations with disproportionate rates of digital inequities. The data collection approaches were also iteratively designed, and depended on community engagement and feedback loop strategies. Purposive Survey Sample Priority geographies informed by DDI 2022 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Digital Divide Index Source: Gallardo, R. (2022), Digital Divide Index (DDI). Purdue Center for Regional Development, http://pcrd.purdue.edu/ddi 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Survey Sample Distribution and Counts by Zip Code Final survey sample responses total for analysis: 1382 Designed survey iteratively, with input from Digital Empowerment Community of Austin (DECA) members, survey outreach team, and pilot data collection. Initial survey items informed by Roberto Gallardo's digital capital survey, Dona Ana NM's Broadband survey, the Social Inclusion Taskforce 2020 survey, and the 2018 UT digital inclusion survey. Final items adapted through feedback and multiple phases of qualitative pilot testing. Purposive sample: Geographic data collection strategy, prioritizing census tracts with higher digital divide, as identified through the Digital Divide Index. Collected data through combination of door to door and at public spaces (e.g. stores, community centers). Verbal survey administration in Spanish and English. Documented on tablet with cellular data. Every question was voluntary. N’s vary by question. NOTE: Total survey responses analyzed is 1382, however, Multiple survey responses did not have complete zip codes, or zip codes were not included, and therefore are not displayed in the sample map. Sample displayed n is 1376. Advisory Workshops Sample 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights 3 Workshops, 44 Participants 2 hours each, facilitated focus group model 1 in-person, 2 virtual 2 in English, 1 in Spanish Recruited through partners. Workshop participants provided feedback on the second phase of the project. Community Circles Sample 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights 11 sessions, 193 participants All sessions in-person, multiple notetakers each session. 1106 notes were analyzed for unduplicated frequency across sessions. 9 sessions hosted in English, 2 sessions hosted in Spanish, with additional sessions with Spanish interpretation available. 19 organization non-profit working group helped co- design the circles strategy and protocol. Purposive sample recruited through partners in working group and additional network intermediaries. Partners served key populations prioritized in the study, groups who are historically or systemically marginalized and/or disproportionately experience digital inequities. Co-Interpretation Events 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Once summary descriptive data from the survey and the most frequent themes from the community circles were analyzed, the project team summarized the results and shared with community members by hosting two online events and attending multiple community resource fairs and events. A high-level preliminary summary of the data was shared along with top themes which were converted into “how might we” statements. This was intended to get community member’s feedback and ideas for how to address key issues or challenges that emerged in the study. Examples of “how might we” statements that were asked: • How might we improve and increase digital skills training • How might we increase availability of free or discounted and support? devices? • How might we increase public or free internet access? • How might we improve or increase affordable power/charging options outside the home? Materials were available in both English and Spanish with Spanish interpreters available at some events. The resource guide with Central Texas digital resources and ACP flyers were also shared. Sample Demographics Sample Demographics For all three types of data collection activities (survey, workshops, circles), a demographic questionnaire was administered as part of the process. The demographic questionnaire was anonymous and completely voluntary, and each question could be skipped. There were different response rates for the demographic questionnaire across the three data collection activities, and a different response rate to each individual question. Demographic data questionnaire completion was especially low for advisory workshops conducted online. In some cases, the number of responses for specific demographic categories or identities, especially within specific data collection activities, were very small. To reduce risk of identification but also allow for the most demographic categories to be reported, we have chosen to report demographic data aggregated across the data collection activities. This allows more demographic categories or identities to be shared in the published results. In cases where less than 5 responses were available for a specific demographic category, response categories were combined and noted. Demographics Questionnaire Response Rates by Activity Data Collection Activity Questionnaire Response Rate Questionnaire Administration Advisory Workshops Total 44 Participants 52.3% At conclusion of workshop as participants exited. Administered on paper and online. Community Circles Total 193 Participants Surveys Total 1382 Participants 78.8% 99.8% During orientation and consent process at beginning of workshop. Administered on paper. Built into survey as final questions. Verbally administered. Income / Annual Earnings What were your individual annual earnings over the past 12 months? Percentage of respondents indicating different individual annual earnings (total item respondents n=1496) 22.2% 23.2% 21.5% 17.3% 8.1% 4.9% 2.8% Less than $25,000 $25,000 - $34,999 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $74,999 $75,000 - $99,999 $100,000 or more Prefer not to say Sample Comparison Individual Income Sample Comparisons with County Population Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 1-year estimates, Table(s) S2001 and Travis County and City of Austin Study conducted February 7th, 2023 to December 4th, 2023 Gender Identity What is your gender? Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023 Age How old are you? Race and/or Ethnic Identity What is your race/ethnicity? 20Sept23 - Travis County and City of Austin Preliminary Topline Insights Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023 Education Level Completed What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed? Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023 Current Employment Status What is your current employment status? Source: Travis County and City of Austin In-Person Survey conducted February 7, 2023 to April 28, 2023