Chicago is the World

Here is a story from one of our interns that connects people with agencies that can help. And nowadays getting the right help is more important than ever for folks searching for new futures.

This is the article from EXTRA:

by Kaaren Fehsenfeld | trad. Víctor Flores

After 27 years of hard work at a factory, Martha Jaramillo was left with a knob in the place of her right hand, limiting her capacity to acquire other skills. Typing on a keyboard and learning to use a computer seemed out of the question.

“I thought I wouldn’t be able to learn,” Jaramillo said. “I had no idea how [computers worked]!” When Jaramillo was laid off two years ago, a friend suggested she enroll in Digital Divide, an adult computer-training program at the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO).

Classes are held in eight to 10 week sessions in UNO charter schools throughout Chicago. A suggested $20 donation covers enrollment. Digital Divide hosts three course levels. In the first course, students learn how to turn on a computer, how to search the Internet and use Microsoft Word.

After the second and third level, students learn how to make a PowerPoint presentation, chat through Skype or instant messenger and even use Google maps to track public transit. The Digital Divide courses also teach students how to protect themselves from identity theft and fraud while using the Internet. For Jaramillo, the class quickly turned from a hobby into a necessity.

“It helped me not feel depressed [after loosing my job],” Jaramillo said. “I met new people. [The class was] like therapy, it raised my self-esteem,” she said.

Enrollment in an education program qualified Jaramillo to receive financial benefits from her previous job, specifically those for laid off employees.

After completing three consecutive course levels, she learned to write e-mails, shop and search for jobs online. “[I] didn’t even know how to write a check,” laughed Jaramillo. “And I learned how to pay my bills online.” Jaramillo is now looking for a computer-oriented job, hoping to move away from physically demanding assembly work.

“Our computer classes are part of a bigger vision for the adult community [toward] American assimilation,” said Masha Chernyak, who emigrated from Russia as a teenager. Chernyak, former adult enrichment program director of the Digital Divide program, now heads the parental leadership program. She said computer literacy gives parents a voice in their community.

“If we have successful parents, we will have successful kids and most likely we’ll have a successful community,” Chernyak said. “[It’s about] building their own power. But there is no American dream if you’re not connected to the Internet.” Chernyak said UNO’s student retention rate is 20 percent higher than the national average for similar adult education courses, while the Digital Divide program has boasted over 2,000 graduating adults in the last four years.

She attributes this success to UNO’s no-nonsense approach to learning, where she says achievement is an “expectation, not a hope.”

“Students make a big sacrifice to come [to class],” said Jaime Leal, a Digital Divide instructor, who recalled a first time father who came to class regularly, though it meant not seeing his newborn son all day. Dámaso Ramírez, co-founder of the United Southwest Chamber of Commerce and owner of an auto and body repair shop in the Southside of Chicago, signed up for a Digital Divide class after he met Chernyak at his shop.

A successful businessman and community leader, Ramírez had almost no first hand experience with computers when he registered. “It’s time to change,” Ramírez said. “You can learn as much as you like,” he said. “We had a lot of fun. The teachers are patient, [and] it’s a good service for the community [because] it helps business owners be more efficient.”

Ramírez now saves money on customer thank-you cards his business sends. He used to pay for their design and printing, but now does it on his own using his home computer. He also uses Microsoft Excel to manage expenses and employee schedules. Ramírez, who studied through the third grade in his native Guanajuato, México, said he valued the opportunity for further adult education.

As for Jaramillo, her connection to the Digital Divide classes was so strong that after completing the three course levels, she returned voluntarily to help incoming students. “There was one woman who was so nervous, she was sweating [just] holding the mouse,” Jaramillo said. “I sat next to her, and [said] ‘don’t be scared, you won’t break it.’ I helped her not feel so nervous.”

For Jaramillo, helping her community became an integral part of the class. “I made a lot of friendships there,” Jaramillo said. “I wasn’t at home, thinking about the problems I had. I liked helping people [learn].” This community growth is what UNO emphasizes in its mission. “[We build] a micro community within the classroom,” Leal said. “[Where] people exchange information and resources.” Computer training program — The Digital Divide courses begins in mid-September; Registration begins the first week of September. To enroll at an UNO charter school near you, call Jacob Pérez, adult enrichment program director, at (312) 520-6937 or (312) 432-6301.