Town of Swansea Launches Digital Equity Plan to Bridge the Digital Divide Among Seniors and Underserved Residents

SWANSEA — Town Administrator ​Mallory Aronstein and Assistant Town Administrator/Community Development Director John Hansen Jr. are pleased to announce the release of Swansea’s first-ever Municipal Digital Equity Plan.

The plan is the result of a year-long effort to assess local needs and establish a framework to improve access to digital infrastructure, resources and skills among residents who are least likely to benefit from existing services.

Developed in cooperation with the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) and funded through the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, the plan places particular emphasis on serving the Town’s growing population of older adults, as well as veterans, residents with limited income and individuals with limited digital literacy.

Public participation played a substantive role in shaping the plan. The project began in the early summer of 2024 with a Steering Committee formed by Community Development Director Hansen. The Committee included Swansea Free Public Library Director Jocelyn Tavares, then-Swansea Council on Aging Director Laurie Pimental and Swansea Community Network’s Adam Kitchen.

Input was collected through a staff questionnaire, a town-wide public survey, structured interviews with stakeholders and a series of in-person events designed to reach residents directly, including tabling sessions at community gatherings and facilitated charettes.

This process enabled the planning team to document challenges related to internet access, device availability and digital skill-building while also gathering practical suggestions from those most affected by these issues.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration recognizes these eight groups as covered populations regarding digital equity: low-income households, aging individuals, incarcerated individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, individuals with a language barrier, individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group and individuals who live in a rural area.

The Plan identifies four main goals:

• Create more opportunities for underserved communities to access fast and affordable internet.
• Ensure plan implementation by leveraging and supporting community partnerships.
• Ensure all Swansea residents, especially covered populations, have access to adequate devices that meet their needs.
• Assist vulnerable and underserved populations in safely and effectively navigating the internet and provide resources for troubleshooting digital devices and the internet.

“The Town has prioritized senior- and veteran-friendly programming and the identification of goals to enable aging-in-place to be a bit easier for folks is part of that effort,” said Town Administrator Aronstein. “The completion of this Plan provides the town with a practical and actionable roadmap for addressing accessibility, cost, and digital proficiency concerns in a coordinated and sustainable manner.”

As part of SRPEDD’s collaboration with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute in the fall of 2023, staff compiled a list of digital equity assets throughout the Southeast region of Massachusetts, including several in Swansea that are already engaged in this work.

• The Swansea Free Public Library has expanded its digital skills programming with the support of a grant from the Public Library Association. It has begun offering workshops covering topics such as cybersecurity, device operation, and video communication.
• Similarly, the Swansea Council on Aging manages a tablet lending program and has hosted small-group classes for seniors seeking to increase their comfort with technology.
• The American Legion offers a computer that veterans can use.
• Although not specifically a digital equity asset, the Swansea Housing Authority was identified as an important community asset and resource for many members of covered populations in town.

The plan also recommends exploring inter-municipal collaborations with the Town of Somerset and evaluating additional state and federal grant opportunities that may assist with implementation. Specific funding sources, such as the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Digital Equity Implementation Fund and Residential Retrofit Program, are referenced throughout the plan.

To view the full Swansea Municipal Digital Equity Plan, click here.

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