Boys & Girls Clubs and Comcast: Bridging the Opportunity Divide

One of the best parts of my job is getting to connect resources with young people who need us most. But even better is getting to see those kids experience the joy and exhilaration those new possibilities and opportunities bring. 

Digital inclusion is a powerful force for good, one we’re humbled to partner on with Comcast. Today and every day, we’re proud to stand should to shoulder with Comcast as we bridge the opportunity divide for youth across America. Comcast is opening doors of opportunity for the over 25 percent of youth who lack home access to broadband internet. Without the internet, many things are harder than they need to be. 

Digital literacy can bridge many divides in our nation. The opportunity divide, the innovation divide and even the homework divide (a whopping 79 percent of teachers have students access or download assignments online) can all benefit from more equitable technology access. From answering a burning question to trying a new recipe, technology powers possibility and independence. 

Research tells us there’s an important difference between whether young people are set up to utilize or create digital media. A recent Pew Research Center study found lower-income Americans are more than twice as likely as those in other income groups to be digitally unprepared. This stat hits especially close to home for me, as our experience tells us every great future starts with opportunity. 

One of Comcast’s top priorities is to help more people participate in the innovation economy, regardless of where they’re from or circumstances they were born to. Together, we’re using technology as a catalyst for equity. Because we know that when everyone has a seat at the table, the increased diversity allows us to craft solutions that work even better for more children and families. Innovation shouldn’t be limited by income, skin color or ZIP code. And I’m proud that Clubs are working every day to make sure that’s the case. 

Boys & Girls Clubs and Comcast are celebrating the power of digital inclusion to drive positive change. With the help of Comcast, we launched the interactive digital platform My.Future, which enables kids to interact with programs ranging from digital literacy essentials to visual arts and game design. More than 4 million young people have access to the platform. 

As we set our sights on 2025 – when we’ll serve twice as many kids by moving outside Club walls – we know technology will continue to be a game changer for the way that we do business. 

Posted by Julie Teer, Chief Development and Public Affairs Officer for BGCA.