People’s Emergency Center (PEC) - May Member of the Month

People’s Emergency Center (PEC) began its Teen Technology Network (TTN) in 2004 teaching computer repairs to students with the aim of connecting young adults ages 14-21 to professional training and empowering digital literacy. We are able to offer 2-4 project cohorts each year by leveraging community assets and interagency partnerships. Each cohort has a unique experience based on the goals of the teens who participate in the program’s design. Teens commit to their collaborative project by meeting twice per week for up to 12 weeks after school and have the opportunity to serve their community with a product or service to share and practice their new skills and then are invited to apply for a Summer internship to gain further professional development and mentorship.

Our teens have served in several ways to impact their West Philadelphia neighbors by refurbishing computer systems, creating an interactive multimedia providing information about our commercial corridor, documenting their advocacy around a neighborhood school closing, creating financial literacy resource booklets, and producing marketing videos for PEC community programs.  

Since partnering with PhillyCAM through our co-membership with both Philadelphia Youth Media Collaborative and Technology Learning Collaborative, we worked together for youth leadership development and community building while aligning with industry trends through media literacy and technology training. Students in our Tech Stars and Teen Technology Network enjoy visiting a real broadcasting studio and having hands-on training with professional equipment. We’ve also successfully referred adult Community Computer Class learners to PhillyCAM who have enrolled as individual members and volunteers.  Our membership has been an invaluable resource in implementing quality programming towards our mission to build a broadband bridge. Thank you, PhillyCAM!