Country of Residence
United States
Age
20
Project title
CivicBridge LA: Youth-Led Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech Initiative
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
CivicBridge LA empowers underserved high school youth to bridge the digital divide by refurbishing donated hardware, delivering digital literacy workshops to seniors, and creating accessible community tech solutions.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://www.civicbridgela.org
Project Category
My project is an existing project started by another young person that I am replicating
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
During the winter of 2024, I volunteered at a local community center in East Los Angeles and witnessed two parallel crises: elderly residents struggling to access online healthcare portals and local high school students lacking hands-on STEM opportunities. The "Aha!" moment came when I watched an 11th grader patiently guide an 82-year-old grandmother through setting up her first telehealth appointment on a restored laptop. That single interaction made it clear that technology gaps aren't just technical—they're intergenerational. By connecting tech-eager youth with seniors needing digital support, we could simultaneously build youth civic leadership and eliminate digital isolation in our neighborhood.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Over 15% of low-income households in our target district lack reliable high-speed internet or functioning computers, locking families out of essential government benefits, health resources, and educational tools. At the same time, traditional civic engagement programs for youth often focus on abstract policy rather than immediate, tangible community service. This creates a dual problem: vulnerable populations remain digitally excluded, while young people lack meaningful opportunities to exercise civic leadership and solve real problems in their own backyards.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
High school students receive technical training to repair and configure donated corporate laptops and tablets, which are then distributed for free to families and seniors in need.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
To date, our pilot cohort of 18 high school volunteers has successfully refurbished and gifted 65 laptops to low-income families and led 12 weekend literacy workshops engaging over 140 senior citizens. 92% of senior participants reported feeling significantly more confident navigating online services independently, while 100% of participating youth reported a stronger sense of civic responsibility and interest in pursuing community-focused STEM careers. Over the next year, we aim to expand our network across 5 school districts to reach 500 families.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
Unlike traditional computer distribution charities or passive adult-led computer classes, CivicBridge LA turns recipients into co-creators by leveraging youth leadership as the engine of change. Our model integrates technical skill-building directly with civic empathy: students aren't just learning hardware repair; they are actively designing solutions for their neighbors' lived challenges. Additionally, by incorporating local neighborhood council mentorship into the curriculum, we bridge the gap between grassroots youth action and formal local government structures.
How many people are on your team?
5
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Our team includes 5 core student leaders: 1 Executive Director (managing partner outreach), 2 Technical Leads (supervising hardware repairs), 1 Curriculum Coordinator (developing workshop guides), and 1 Community Outreach Officer (liaising with senior centers and local councils). We practice shared leadership through bi-weekly consensus-building circles and rotating project leads.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Establish formal partnerships with 3 additional local public high schools to launch student-led tech hubs.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
We activate community members through a "peer-to-peer mobilization" strategy. Student leaders present at school assemblies and youth summits to recruit volunteers, while hosting interactive "Family Tech Days" at public libraries to engage community members. So far, we have engaged over 200 community members through interactive workshops, volunteer drives, and local town halls, empowering youth to invite their peers to step up as changemakers.
