HCC: Small: Life-Work Bridges: Design Knowledge for Information Systems that Connect Homeless Young People to Institutions

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Homeless young people, like most adolescents in American society, frequently use digital media, for life and work. Even if gaining access to computers is difficult, homeless youth, aged 13-25, go online for many purposes: to communicate with family and friends; to find and apply for jobs; to participate in popular culture; and in general to seek and use information in all its forms. Yet, this adoption of digital media presents a significant challenge to community-based service agencies. These organizations, focused on supporting youth's basic needs, are largely unprepared for bringing digital media into their programs. To tackle this challenge, this three-year project will first investigate how homeless young people conduct themselves in relation to digital media, especially at social networking sites such as MySpace. Then, seeking to accommodate their abilities and interests, this project will develop a web application that positions youth to successfully communicate with employers. Specifically, the system will enable youth to create appropriate online identities, to build dignified resumes, to find and apply for suitable work-related openings, and to share experiences. Finally, the system will be deployed at a service agency located in Seattle, WA and evaluated for its overall effectiveness in brokering relationships between youth and employers. In summary, this project will discover social and technology approaches for developing usable information systems that enable homeless young people to better communicate with institutions. Research findings, including theory, design methods, and guidelines, will contribute to a national dialog about the use of digital media for escaping homelessness.