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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Stephanie Margossian 415.692.1202 [email protected] January 23, 2012 JobScout Helps California Fight Unemployment by Teaching Digital Literacy Skills Through Online Social Gaming iCALIFORNIA launches with JobScout, an online social gaming platform teaching valuable digital literacy skills to get California jobseekers back to work San Francisco, CA – JobScout, the flagship initiative of the iCALIFORNIA campaign, will officially launch on February 1, 2012. A partnership of dozens of organizations including the California State Library, the LINK AMERICAS Foundation and REALPOLITECH, iCALIFORNIA is dedicated to improving access to high-speed technology and increasing digital literacy rates in the state of California. As the concept of community has moved beyond local to global and virtual, providing access and equitable space online is more important now than ever. For those of us who have access to technology and are familiar with it, it is difficult to imagine not knowing how to use the Internet. From completing small tasks like finding out what is playing at the local movie theater to finding information on vital government services, the Internet has moved from a luxury to a necessity for gathering and sharing information. It is hard then to imagine that in California, the home of Silicon Valley, 1 in 5 people are not digitally literate. For those Californians unfamiliar with the Internet, finding a job in today’s economy is particularly difficult, as fewer employment resources are made available in print. JobScout, available in a beta release at jobscout.caltrail.com , is an integrated web and mobile platform designed to help get Californians back to work, by teaching jobseekers the digital literacy skills they need to find a job. JobScout is specifically designed for those traditionally disenfranchised by the digital divide. JobScout uses game design to teach and reinforce basic digital literacy skills by 1) engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on digital literacy competencies, 2) assisting users in mastering these skills in order to apply online for a job and 3) enabling users to network on and offline.
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JobScout Release 1 23-2012 iCALIFORNIA

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Page 1: JobScout Release 1 23-2012 iCALIFORNIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Stephanie Margossian 415.692.1202 [email protected]

January 23, 2012

JobScout Helps California Fight Unemployment by Teaching Digital Literacy Skills Through Online Social Gaming

iCALIFORNIA launches with JobScout, an online social gaming platform teaching

valuable digital literacy skills to get California jobseekers back to work

San Francisco, CA – JobScout, the flagship initiative of the iCALIFORNIA campaign, will officially launch on February 1, 2012. A partnership of dozens of organizations including the California State Library, the LINK AMERICAS Foundation and REALPOLITECH, iCALIFORNIA is dedicated to improving access to high-speed technology and increasing digital literacy rates in the state of California.

As the concept of community has moved beyond local to global and virtual, providing access and equitable space online is more important now than ever. For those of us who have access to technology and are familiar with it, it is difficult to imagine not knowing how to use the Internet. From completing small tasks like finding out what is playing at the local movie theater to finding information on vital government services, the Internet has moved from a luxury to a necessity for gathering and sharing information.

It is hard then to imagine that in California, the home of Silicon Valley, 1 in 5 people are not digitally literate. For those Californians unfamiliar with the Internet, finding a job in today’s economy is particularly difficult, as fewer employment resources are made available in print.

JobScout, available in a beta release at jobscout.caltrail.com, is an integrated web and mobile platform designed to help get Californians back to work, by teaching jobseekers the digital literacy skills they need to find a job. JobScout is specifically designed for those traditionally disenfranchised by the digital divide. JobScout uses game design to teach and reinforce basic digital literacy skills by 1) engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on digital literacy competencies, 2) assisting users in mastering these skills in order to apply online for a job and 3) enabling users to network on and offline.

Page 2: JobScout Release 1 23-2012 iCALIFORNIA

JobScout is currently being piloted in four library jurisdictions in California. Over 23 million Californians use the library’s resources every year. Many library patrons utilize libraries for their technological resources. Jobseekers without access to the Internet at home can find JobScout available at library branches in the County of Los Angeles Public Library, San Jose Public Libraries, Santa Cruz Libraries and Yolo County Library. JobScout can also be accessed for free on any computer at jobscout.caltrail.com.

iCALIFORNIA officially launches on Digital Learning Day with a live demonstration of JobScout’s newest features and lessons. The iCALIFORNIA launch will take place at the Los Rios Community College Work Force Development Center, 1410 Ethan Way, Sacramento, California on February 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. To attend this event in person, please visit http://www.linkamericas.org/icalifornia.html to RSVP. The event can also be seen live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/jobscout.

About the LINK AMERICAS Foundation

The LINK AMERICAS Foundation fosters collaborative initiatives demonstrating the value of Technology Serving Humanity in the areas of Life, Information, Nature, Knowledge (LINK). The foundation supports educational, environmental and social development, and research projects that further LINK objectives by promoting strategic alliances for systemic and sustained change. Priority focus areas for LINK projects are educational and social media technologies, sustainable resource development, green technologies and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).

linkamericas.org

About REALPOLITECH

REALPOLITECH is a digital public relations and web strategy consultancy. The firm focuses on the development of customizable, interactive campaigns and websites for dynamic public and private sector projects. Through web development and real-time and social digital public relations solutions, REALPOLITECH recruits participants, creating the most valuable asset for any business or cause: digital citizens.

realpolitech.com

About the California State Library

The California State Library advises, consults with, and provides technical assistance to California’s public libraries. It directs state and federal funds to support local public libraries and statewide library programs, and services.

library.ca.gov ###