Seattle IT celebrates the Prison Scholar Fund, a Seattle-based non-profit that provides educational opportunities, professional development, transitional support, and advocacy for those impacted by incarceration.
The Prison Scholar Fund (PSF) was a 2023 recipient of a $35,100 Technology Matching Fund (TMF) grant to launch “Sparking Reentry,” a program to provide recently incarcerated community members with skills for the digital age. The program teaches participants basic Zoom use, how to perform detailed internet searches, the benefits of utilizing Google Workspace, proper social media and email use, smart devices, and how to protect themselves online. The classes are tailored to help improve the skills of a population disconnected from society for years, often decades. Other participants had been unhoused, without devices or opportunities to upskill, and Sparking Reentry served as a gateway to help participants get back to society.
To leverage the breadth and success of the Sparking Reentry program, PSF partnered with the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Amazon Web Services, Coding Dojo, the Center for Ethical Leadership, the State Department of Corrections, as well as other community organizations to provide this necessary training to recently incarcerated individuals. Despite having a slow start, the program finished the year exceeding expectations – originally targeting 160 individuals, they reached 182. To date, over 1,134 people have signed up for the program, and it has been a smashing success.
Sparking Reentry provides a path to success for individuals who have been incarcerated. Many participants need the knowledge (and laptops) to further their educational goals, participate in the digital world, and explore new employment opportunities. In addition to the basic skills, Sparking Reentry teaches students how to access online employment platforms and discusses general tactics for finding employment online. Some of the justice-involved participants went on to the coding boot camp, learning the necessary skills to earn an average starting salary of $94K.
Danny O’Neal served 15 years in prisons throughout the State of Washington. While housed at work release, he completed the digital literacy program and was subsequently offered a scholarship through our partnership with the Coding Dojo. As an exceptional student, Danny was offered a $105,000 contract before graduating from the program and successfully transitioned from spending half his life in prison to a six-figure career upon reentry.
“Digital equity is essential for those reentering society after incarceration,” said O’Neal. “By offering access to technology and digital resources, we create opportunities for connection, learning, and a fresh start. Digital inclusion can be a transformative force, fostering social reintegration and empowering those seeking to rebuild their lives with a sense of hope and possibility, which creates a better society for us all.”
“This grant helped PSF develop the curriculum and attract the expertise to expand our program into new frontiers,” said Dirk van Velzen, CEO of the Prison Scholar Fund. “It’s a huge value-added outcome. The TMF funding enabled volunteers to earn a stipend for their efforts in creating and teaching the curriculum. What’s more, as other funding became available (albeit temporary), we’ve been able to add added paid staff positions for diverse community members and formerly incarcerated citizens”
To learn more about the Prison Scholar Fund and their inspiring work, visit www.prisonscholars.org.
Technology Matching Fund Grants are part of the City’s Digital Equity Program. TMF was established in 1997 to support the community’s efforts to close the digital divide and encourage a technology-healthy city. Over $5 million has been awarded since 1998. The fund continues the legacy of Bill Wright, a Central District community leader who embodied the program goals of creating digital equity and opportunities for all, and of using technology tools to engage residents, improve communications and strengthen communities.
The City of Seattle’s Information Technology Department (Seattle IT) oversees the City’s Digital Equity Program. To learn more about digital equity programs like the Technology Matching Fund Grant program and past winners, reduced-cost cable and internet opportunities, and other programs, visit www.seattle.gov/tech. Seattle IT is a trusted partner that provides secure, reliable, and complaint technologies, enabling the City to deliver equitable and responsive services to the public.