The Rural Equity Project is sponsored by the County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency (COIDA), in conjunction with Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, to ameliorate impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic which have exacerbated long-standing rural disparities. Inequities facing our region include limited job opportunities, limited access to communication networks, limited access to health care specialists, and high rates of health risk behaviors. The pandemic also promoted The Great Resignation which has impacted our micro businesses and largest employers. Over time, these factors erode the vitality of communities.
Economic development leaders and regional partners have come together to induce
the expansion of digital literacy and distance learning strategies through the
Rural Equity Project to address complex inequities from economic and digital
divides.
The REP economic and community revitalization initiative pairs CCE’s Small
Farms Program and 16 digital literacy courses with a new suite of flexible
online classes in professional development, digital training, horticulture,
meditation, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and other courses to
improve job-ready skills, health and well being for those living and working in
Orleans County and the GLOW region. Funding for the project ensures Cornell’s
STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts/agriculture, math) curriculum and
robotic workshops can also be adapted for online learners.
The Rural Equity Project is designed to bridge income barriers and digital
literacy barriers that exist in micropolitan communities just beginning to gain
access to high-speed broadband service. In addition to distance learning
programs, the REP imbeds technical (digital) instructors in the community
through COIDA’s small business assistance ‘MAP’ program, Orleans Cornell
Cooperative Extension, Orleans Workforce Development, and the county’s four
NIOGA libraries. COIDA will also work with employers to offer distance learning
and workplace programs that support employee growth and retention.
Related:
The Need for STEM Education in Rural America | RobotLab
It takes a village: Solving the Broadband Adoption Problem in
Rural America | CNET
The Necessary Foundations for Rural Resilience | Brookings
Last updated April 26, 2022