Canal Alliance offers various technology training opportunities for adults, youth, and small business owners. We also help bridge the digital divide by offering a computer donation program, classes at Pickleweed Park Community Center, and satellite computer stations throughout Marin County.

Community Technology Center – Adult Classes

Canal Alliance has developed a 60-hour technology-training program in Spanish designed to help community residents overcome technology and economic barriers.  Both staff and former students of the program teach all of the classes. 

More than 200 students complete the training, which has 5 modules – PC Computer Basics, Internet/Email, Financial Resources, Word Processing and Spreadsheets (Excel).  Classes are scheduled in the morning, evenings and on weekends so that everyone can find time to take a class.

Our Community Technology Center (CTC) is equipped with 13 computer stations, with broadband Internet access and an LCD projector.  Bilingual volunteers supervise a weekly open lab time for students to practice their skills.  Additional technology classes are also offered less than a mile away at the Pickleweed Park Community Center and Library (see below).

Community Technology Center – Youth Programs

Youth enrolled in Canal Alliance's Youth Education and Development Program use the CTC for homework, supervised Internet research, and learning projects that utilize the Internet and Microsoft Office software.

High school seniors explore college and career opportunities via the Internet, access technology-based test preparation, and use special programs to develop resumes and portfolios. 

In addition to the CTC computers, youth have access to a fleet of 10 laptop mobile computers (our mobile classroom) and 5 dedicate PC workstations for high school students.

Small Business Training and Technical Support

CTC’s small business training program has two components: courses and one-on-one technical support, both in the Spanish language.

Training
We offer different technology classes year-round that focus on building up employment and small business skills.  These are the courses that we offer: Small Business Improvement Workshop, Financial Literacy & Asset Building (utilizing technology), Craigslist.org usage, Resumes, Internet Marketing, Simple Business Websites, Quicken and QuickBooks.

Technical Support
As part of our one-on-one technical support, each month we provide 3 clients with up to 4 hours of intensive small business technical support, for a yearly total of 12 clients. We set goals and work together towards realizing them.  Clients pay directly for this service based on a sliding scale.

Computer Donation

Since 2000, Canal Alliance has placed 185+ high-quality, reconditioned computers in the homes of Canal residents.  Our successful program leverages the strength of another non-organization, ReliaTech in San Pablo, which provides both the refurbished computers and technical support if needed.  

Canal Alliance offers a subsidy to CTC adult students to purchase refurbished computers and assists with computer delivery.    This program enables CTC students to have a computer at home to practice they skills they are learning in class.  Many students connect their computers at home to the Internet immediately with DSL Internet

Pickleweed Park Community Center Classes

The newly remodeled Pickleweed Community Center and Library has a 16-station computer lab that was the crown jewel of community input and runs with very full classes.  In 2006, the City of San Rafael asked Canal Alliance to replicate their successful community technology-training program in their facility.  Currently, Canal Alliance offers 5 classes per week at this site.  

Satellite Computer Stations

Thanks to funding from California Consumer Protection Foundation and computers refurbished by Reliatech, Canal Alliance has established four other public access computer sites in the community. One is located at the Canal Welcome Center and the others at three Homeward Bound of Marin shelters in the Canal area.