USDA distance learning and telemedicine Project school, health clinic and community center resources Introduction     Calendar     Rural News    GIS Maps Master Family Program Many communities are familiar with their local Master Gardner organization. Skilled gardeners who volunteer their time to teach others the skills of Gardening. RAIN has taken this model and shaped it to provide the framework for Neighborhood level Technology Literacy education. Working with families in each of our USDA RUS sponsored Communities RAIN provides intensive training for volunteer families who want to serve as "Change Agents" in this technology era, agreeing to provide Internet skills training for neighbors during the next year. These "Master Technology Families" become the key tool in bringing Internet skills out into rural and underserved urban communities. Neighbors teaching neighbors, kids teaching parents, all working together to build new skills that will help make a real difference in their community. The Neighborhood Technology Master Family program is an important investment in training infrastructure - that will have a lasting impact in each community. The Master Families will be positioned (via direct training and the provision of public and home access technology) to train, encourage and lead fellow families into the use of technology for family and community betterment. A core focus of this neighbor-to-neighbor technology training method is to bring parents, children and neighbors together at local community centers, primarily libraries and schools, where the project has provided public access technology and connectivity. These public library and school sites form the end user hubs that provide direct connectivity to the central program hub, and open communication between all participating rural hubs. In this way the entire community can benefit from the installation of a low cost technology center, and economic and social barriers to the use of the technology are more easily overcome in a non-threatening, familiar community setting. If you are interested in becoming a Technology Master Family for your community, please Send us e-mail!