Community Voice Mail : A Link for the Disconnected

1. Community Voice Mail :A Link for the Disconnected TOP Networks for People Conference 6 December 2001 Jennifer Brandon, Executive Director Community Technology Institute

2. Island County Bellingham Whatcom County Halifax Nova Scotia Cleveland Everett Snohomish County Detroit Skagit County Seattle Springfield Pioneer Valley Toledo North Central Wa New York City Yakima Chicago Spokane Tacoma Boston Vancouver Clark County Albany Portland Salem Twin Cities Minn/St Paul Eugene Lane County Philadelphia Wilmington New Castle County Chattanooga San Francisco San Jose Santa Clara County Hampton Roads Memphis Shelby County Raleigh Wake County Los Angeles Aiken County Phoenix Atlanta San Diego Houston Bermuda New Orleans St Petersburg COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE CVM Federation 2001

3. What is the need? • More than 5 Million American households are without telephone service • Public payphone rates have doubled in most regions • Estimated 30,000 people are connectedto CVM every day

4. Participating Agency Direct Service Provider Selects-enrolls clients Provides Intake / Outcome Information to Host Participating Agency Direct Service Provider Selects-enrolls clients Provides Intake / Outcome Information to Host Participating Agency Direct Service Provider Selects-enrolls clients Provides Intake / Outcome Information to Host COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE How Community Voice Mail works: Community Technology Institute Coordinates CVM Federation – Provides Technical Assistance – Defines Best Practices Host Agency Coordinates CVM in community Provides CVM numbers to Direct Service Providers Collects Outcome Information Touching lives by keeping people in touch... To move to next slide – strike any key 

5. COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE Community Voice Mail connects the “phoneless” to: • Emergency Services • Supportive Services • Social Workers • Job Clubs • Child Care providers • Schools • Training programs • Support networks • Probation officers • Family and friends • Employers • Social Services • Case Managers • Welfare-to-Work • Health care • Job Counselors • Employment Agencies • Housing programs • Landlords • Shelter services • Safe communication • Chem-Dependency Treatment Touching lives by keeping people in touch... To move to next slide – strike any key 

6. 7692 3017 Client Outcomes 8000 6751 6500 7000 6004 5862 6000 5295 5000 4025 3793 4000 2965 2481 3000 2088 2000 1000 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 Found Housing Found Employment Received Safe Communication

7. CVM Evaluation Goals • Obtain information from CVM users on helpfulness and user patterns. • Obtain information from CVM social service providers on the helpfulness of the voicemail system for communicating with their clients and on the service guidelines used to distribute the CVM service. • Engage in a learning process regarding CTI’s role in evaluation of CVM Federation sites from a national perspective.

8. HIGHLIGHTS: PROVIDERS • 189 Provider Sheets Returned “How helpful is CVM to you for providing information to your clients?”

9. HIGHLIGHTS: CLIENTS • 689 Client Surveys Returned “How helpful has your voicemail been…?” 78% Very Helpful in Job Search (N=577) 68% Very Helpful in Housing Search (N=447) 72% Very Helpful in Medical/Health Care (N=434) 69% Very Helpful in Child Care/Services (N=179) 91% Very Helpful in Safe & Private Place (N=623)

10. HIGHLIGHTS: CLIENTS • 689 Client Surveys Returned

11. HIGHLIGHTS: CLIENT MSGS • The majority of the responses clearly indicated that these users find their voicemail very helpful, useful, and/or important (95%). • Several of the respondents also described using their voicemail to: Look for work (95%) Look for housing (55%) Coordinate medical appointments (11%) Stay in contact with family and friends (5%) Have safe and private communication (3%)

12. HIGHLIGHTS: CLIENT MSGS • 907 Client Responses to Broadcast Msg • CVM and Homelessness • “I was in the YWCA family shelter for two years and I am in an apartment now…so it did help me get housing, also look for work, get appointments and services for my son. I’m going off the service soon. Call me if I can help publicize.” (Boston) • CVM and Employment • “The voicemail has been extremely helpful without it I wouldn't have been able to get messages from employers or anything like that and I just got a job today so thank you. (Wenatchee) • CVM and Safety • “CVM has helped me a great deal. I got the number when in shelter and it helped to keep me and my child safe. I’m going through a child support case and it’s important that the lawyer can leave me message. Good for doctors appointments too. Truly awesome. Thank you.” (Twin Cities)

13. COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE For more information, contact: PO Box 61385 • Seattle, WA 98121 Email: cvm@activevoice.com Phone: (206) 441-7872 Web: http://www.cvm.org Jennifer Brandon Executive Director Community Technology Institute (206) 441-7872 ext 175 Email: jbrandon@activevoice.com Roderick Mills Community Technology Institute Program Manager (206) 441-7872 ext 190 Email: rmills@activevoice.com Or visit us on the Web: www.cvm.org CVM Federation Connecting thousands of people every day Click on hyperlink to reach contact or strike any key to end slide show 