Rachel Rosner

The Role of Community Technology Centers in Promoting Youth Development

Recent data suggest that the digital divide between White and minority youth persists, particularly in terms of home access to computers and the Internet. Community technology centers (CTCs) are an important alterative access point, especially for low-income youth of color. Such institutions, however, do much more, providing not just access, but general youth development, including the opportunity for youth to voice their stories, contribute to community-building, and expand networks. The authors use qualitative data collected at five CTCs nationwide to examine the ways that youth engage in CTCs and link these activities to a youth development framework.The authors draw lessons for future CTC practice, highlighting the importance of both bonding and bridging social capital in thinking through future programming.

An "Option for the Poor": A Research Audit for Community-Based Regionalism in California's Central Coast

Community-based organizations are increasingly interested in tackling issues of regional economic development to address the inequality and resource shortfalls that plague their constituents. Some groups have conducted regional audits to understand the economic and political terrain and select entry points that will maximize their impact. This article reports on a collaborative effort between university and community partners in Californias central coast that involved the development of a researchbased audit, and explains how the complex interplay of economic clusters, environmentalist traditions, and demographic changes led to an initial emphasis on housing. The authors note how the conscious power-building aspects of this approach can help with economic and community development and draw lessons for community-based regionalist efforts in other parts of the country.