The YourVoice initiative is focused on answering six Key Questions:

1. What is the level of communications technology in our communities today?

2. What are our communities' immediate (up to 3 years) communications technology needs?

3. What are our communities' future (3-15 years) communications technology needs?

4. What are the differences in communications technology needs and interests among our communities?

5. What is the role of local government in meeting the communications technology related needs of our community?

6. What has been the impact within our communities of existing public benefit requirements of the cable communications franchise agreement?

And seeks answers to these questions through six ascertainment Categories with associated Elements and Lead Questions:

Access to Technology
Content
Regulation in the Public Interest
Civic/Community Engagement
Economic Development
System Capacity

 

Our Partners

 

The YourVoice initiative is fortunate to have developed unique and valuable partnerships with local nonprofit organizations. Our Partners include:

Caldera
Caldera's mission is to be a catalyst for transformation through innovative art and environmental programs. Founded in 1996, Caldera's youth program began as a summer-season experiment, introducing a group of underserved Portland children to the beauty of the Cascade Mountains. In the past thirteen years it has grown dramatically into a comprehensive, long-term, year-round arts and environmental mentoring program that has impacted thousands of young lives. Caldera begins mentoring kids in sixth grade, and stays with them through the end of high school and beyond, helping them to transition to jobs or college.

The YourVoice initiative is partnering with Caldera’s Careers in Creative Technology youth program to visually document the phases and process of the YourVoice initiative and to create an easy to understand and accessible Report to the Community.

re:Active
re:Active is a nonprofit, arts-education program for youths 13-19. re:Active uses the production of a theme-based magazine (titled "re:") about issues affecting youth as the vehicle for introducing students to design thinking and the creative process in general. We help youth to see a path that makes sense for them by introducing them to jobs in the fields of design, writing, illustration and photography. Our first set of classes began in 2004. Re:Active has made magazines with many incredible organizations and youth including: Street Poets LA, 826 Valencia, Caldera Arts and the Echo Park Film Center.

The Caldera youth program is partnering with re:Active to develop the Report to the Community.

• Portland Community Media
• MetroEast Community Media
• Comcast

The MHCRC contracted with CBG Communications, Inc. to design and implement the YourVoice initiative.

 

 

1120 SW 5th Ave., Rm 1305, Portland, OR 97204 • tel: 503.823.5385 • YourVoice@mhcrc.org

Disclaimer

 

The target “communities” for the YourVoice initiative are geographically located within the Cities of Gresham, Fairview, Portland, Troutdale and Wood Village, and Multnomah County, Oregon.

We have referred generically to the terms ‘communities/sectors’ and ‘communications technology’. The definitions for these terms can be found here.