Social Change Rockstar: Meet Daniel Kent

I’ve decided to start a new series highlighting young people making waves in the nonprofit sector. To kick off the series I contacted Daniel Kent, Executive Director and Founder of Net Literacy, a nonprofit that promotes computer access and literacy across the country. He started the organization in high school with some money he saved to buy a car. A few years later the organization boosts hundred of volunteers, thousands of people affected by their work, and an impressive roster of senators and corporations who support them.

Tell us about you:

Sure! I’m a first semester sophomore at Haverford College majoring at Bryn Mawr in the Growth and Structure of Cities. I currently live in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis with my parents, Donald and Susan, and my dog, Cookie. I enjoy volunteering, reading, working on computers, and being engaged in student government on campus at Haverford. I recently finished an internship at the White House under President’ Bush’s administration, working primarily in the USA Freedom Corps office; that was an extraordinary experience. I also enjoy working with Net Literacy.

Tell us about your organization:

Net Literacy is a youth-managed and youth-run 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based in Indiana. The mission of Net Literacy is to promote computer access and teach anyone – from elementary school students to senior citizens – how to use computers. We have over 500 volunteers working to bridge the “Digital Divide” all across our country, having provided computer access to nearly 100,000 individuals already. Net Literacy has partnered with a number of non-profits and large companies to help us achieve our mission. Companies such as Intel, Microsoft, Verizon, Brighthouse Networks, and Comcast have provided us the funds and donations-in-kind that have allowed us to be a success. Net Literacy is also grateful to Asset Forwarding and the Indiana Recycling Coalition for helping us increase the awareness in our communities of the importance of environmentally-responsible computer recycling/refurbishing and disposal.

We have worked closely with Indiana’s Department of Education to create a curriculum that stresses computer and Internet safety and awareness for students in all grades. We recently have filmed over a dozen PSAs regarding safety on the Internet that have been aired all across Indiana and are in the process of filming more highlighting how to safely make purchases online. We are proud to have a Board of Directors that is comprised of 1/2 student volunteers and 1/2 adults, providing our youth Board Members the opportunity to learn about running a non-profit and core-competencies that many of our Board of Directors bring – ranging from Legal expertise to Computers to Education. We are also very proud to have Senator Lugar and Senator Bayh serve as our honorary co-chairs and provide us their insight into how best we can shape digital policy. Net Literacy has successfully lobbied the Indiana General Assembly to promote the issue of digital inclusion and Internet safety.

What was the inspiration behind starting Net Literacy?

The inspiration for Net Literacy started at our public library where teens can volunteer in a number of programs ranging from reading books to elementary school students to shelving books and planning events. I was always very interested in a program where teens served as instructional aids in an adult computer class put on by the reference department that taught everything from computer basics all they way up to e-mail and beyond. I really enjoyed volunteering in these classes and had the pleasure to help out hundreds of adults and senior citizens. After one class, a senior citizen approached me and we chatted about how he really enjoyed learning about computers and had been talking with his friend at his retirement home about them. His friend really wanted to learn how to use computers but was mobility-impaired and lacked adequate, reliable transportation to our library. As a student, I felt that no one, regardless of age, should be denied the opportunity to learn. I wanted to help this senior citizen’s friend.

So a number of my friends and I started to look around for an organization where we could volunteer to help individuals who were mobility-impaired and couldn’t make it to the Library to learn how to use a computer. Unfortunately we could not find any; instead, we decided to form our own organization – Senior Connects.

We initially started teaching computer and Internet skills in retirement homes in my 8th grade year. Soon we realized that many retirement homes and long-term care facilities lacked adequate computer access. Since access is critical, we began to refurbish and repurpose computers that we collected from local businesses and by conducting local computer drives. Everything began to grow and by 2003, we began to expand the population we served to include everyone who lacked adequate access to computers and teaching how to use them in a safe manner.

What were the challenges in starting your own nonprofit and how did you deal with them?

It was really difficult finding initial funding and legal expertise to establish our non-profit. With the several thousand dollars that I saved for my car, I was able to fund the cost of incorporation, and with the help of several gracious attorneys who took some of us on as interns, we were able to file for our 501(c)3 status ourselves and learn from this process.

What resources have been helpful in creating and maintaining this organization?

Above everything, teamwork is the resource that has run Net Literacy from its inception. The motivation and power of the student volunteers has really kept Net Literacy running. While our focus is on providing computers to those in need, we also provide an opportunity for all students to learn important technical, leadership, and life skills and a safe place where students can have fun. Most of the public high schools in Indianapolis have a Net Literacy Club where students can volunteer after school (some even skip their lunch to volunteer!) and learn. All of this is powered through teamwork.

How do you balance going to school while running a non-profit?

Teamwork strikes again! I always wanted Net Literacy to be run by students, for students and the community. We have had a number of generations of youth-chairs who have kept Net Literacy growing beyond what any of us thought we could accomplish from the start. While I’m away at college, we have hundreds of high-school students who manage the organization and help out refurbishing and teaching. All of this, done through teamwork.

What advice would you give to a young person wanting to start a nonprofit?

To all young people wanting to start a nonprofit, I say, reach for the stars! With hard work, teamwork, and a vision, anything can be achieved, anything can be accomplished.

You can find Net Literacy on Facebook and LinkedIn.   And feel free to email danielkent [at] netliteracy [dot] org and check out their website.