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 Citizen Insights SummaryOver the course of May, we collected insights from citizens of Washington D.C.,with the focus on answers to one question:“What problems or ideas do you have that can be addressed with technology?”We received 220+ insights from 1100+ voters, and had 5300+ votes cast.You can see all of these here:http://insights.appsfordemocracy.org Our goal was to give the citizens of D.C. a voice to help YOU, the technologydevelopers, better understand the wants, needs, and desires for tech in D.C.This document is meant to serve as a summary of that insight so you can easilydigest what was collected—and so you’ll have some food for thought as youcompete in the Apps for Democracy technology development contest.Insights summary:
 
[Top Voted Insight]686 Votes -Where are Washington, DC's social entrepreneurs? Washington, DC is full of social entrepreneurs. But where are they and how can I find them? What inspiring, game changing, and innovative projects are theyworking on? Washington, DC needs an internet-based open source platform that can help identify social entrepreneurs so that they can collaborate to help DCgovernment, local non-profits, for-profits, universities, hospitals, communityorganizers, teachers, parents, students, filmmakers, musicians, artists, andinnovators of all ages. How difficult is it to find a group or individual in this cityinterested in exactly the same project you are working on? An internet platformlike this can help individuals interested in social good network with other like-minded individuals or groups. This open source platform will aggregate all thedata in a customizable process so that more participants can engage theirtarget audience via the internet and mobile devices.
 
Developer take-away: a platform that focuses on social entrepreneurs willaggregate the right kind of audience around 311 data. Social entrepreneurs arethe ones who are passionate about solving issues in a city and will be the most likely users of your proposed solution.
 
[Another Top Insight]368 Votes -Guide to Public and Private Social Services in DC To provide a user friendly, interactive and up to date guide to (1) District residents, (2) District community/social services providers and (3) District government employees that:1.
 
Provides current & actively updated information on the provision of servicesand benefits from both public, non-profit and private entities2.
 
Allows individuals to search for a type of social service/benefit depending ontheir need in one easy to access location. Benefit categories could include(but are not limited to):
 
Food resources – food resource guide, pantries, food programs
 
Housing resources – DC housing search, accessible housing resources,homeless shelters, transitional housing sites/programs
 
Medical resources – clinics, mental health services, hospitals
 
Benefits – local and federal benefits (e.g. entitlement programs), IncomeMaintenance Administration info
 
Jobs – employment info including Rehabilitation Services Administration,Department of Employment Services, TANF employment vendors,supported employment, contextual learning and community providers
 
Clothing/household items – donation locations
 
Transportation: Metro access, MTM, Wehts, WMATA (senior/disabilitydiscounts)
 
Case management services: provider organizations, government agencies3.
 
Allows individuals to search for information about:
 
providing entity/organization
 
the location of the benefit (e.g. my neighborhood feature)
 
how to access the service/benefit – contact info, hours, website
 
the types of services provided
 
eligibility criteria for the services4.
 
Increases operational public-private-nonprofit collaboration
 
Allow DC government agencies, private and non-profit providers, andindividuals to have access to and collaboratively build a shared, robust and easy to search data set.5.
 
Allows user input/comments on servicesDeveloper take-away: people are interested in having all social service-relatedinformation in one place. This could be a big traction builder for your proposedsolution.

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