Working together to help the homeless with technology skills classes in Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO, March 6, 2018–
Homeless Gear, a Fort Collins-based nonprofit that provides a continuum of services to individuals and families who are homeless, and Digital Workshop Center (DWC), a Fort Collins-based community center for technology skills training, are launching a new partnership to help provide computer skills to the homeless through the Hand Up program.
The Hand Up program is a one-on-one, employment-focused case-management program that serves as the only employment program at the Murphy Center, a resource center for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Hand Up empowers individuals and families who are homeless or near-homeless to transition from (a) unemployed to employed, (b) stuck to unstuck and (c) homeless to self-sufficient.
Established in 2006, Digital Workshop Center (DWC) is a community center for education, coworking, and professional development. With classes on Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, digital marketing and photography, DWC focuses on live, hands-on training at their Fort Collins, Denver and online campuses.
Together, DWC and Homeless Gear are offering introductory Word and Excel classes to those in need. According to Stu Crair, Training Director for Digital Workshop Center, “the goal of this partnership is to help job seekers who may be experiencing homelessness to learn the technology skills they need to advance their job search.”
Rachel Kirkland, Program Manager for Hand Up, says “the classes offered through DWC are just what a client might need in order to step into a new job field that is more sustainable in their journey of escaping homelessness or maintaining housing. The Hand Up program, and the clients we serve, are beyond grateful for the opportunity DWC is providing us and are hopeful that this relationship will be meaningful and long lasting.”
Classes will be held in April and July, with additional class schedules to be released later in the year. All interested participants should contact Rachel Kirkland at Rachel@homelessgear.org to learn more about this opportunity and register.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Liz White at 970-980-8091 or email at liz@digitalworkshopcenter.com.