This teen hub wants to expand its tech programming to South and West Philly

The Caring People Alliance R.W. Brown Boys and Girls Club near Temple University in North Philadelphia is a lively teen hub, busy with tech programming that ranges from music production to video game design.

Caring People Alliance, an anti-violence program that supports families and youth in the city, wants to build up that same programming at its other clubs at 15th and Porter streets in South Philly and Cobbs Creek in West Philly.

John Haltiwanger, VP of information technology for the nonprofit, is passionate about bringing technology access to all the young people who visit its clubs. With exposure to the newest tech, he expects there’s a better chance they’ll go on to pursue a tech-related career if they want to.

Haltiwanger was someone who needed guidance when he was young and relates to the kids who need the same. The former computer systems engineer told Technical.ly he faced a lot of challenges getting into the tech industry, being a Black man from Camden, so now he mentor kids so they know their perspectives are valuable.

John Haltiwanger. (Courtesy photo)

He’s also tried to expose the clubs’ visitors to technology through whatever they’re interested in, whether that be coding, gaming or producing music — for example, by installing 3D printers or a mini recording studio. And because 85% of the young people who come to Caring People Alliance’s clubs come from low-income families, Haltiwanger aims to bring in the best equipment and software so students get exposure that they may not get at home or at school. If the students learn how to use music production software or how to code, they will be better prepared for the adult world, he said.

Take frequent club visitor Kamerin Isley as an example: “I’ve always been interested in technology,” he told this reporter during an April tour, during which he showed off the many videos he’s produced. A local production company owner came in the teach video editing. “He mentored me and he motivated me. Now ever since then, this is all I do.”

Caring People Alliance recently renovated teen tech centers it its South and West Philly locations, but its leaders are now fundraising and looking for companies to partner with that will help them bring in new equipment for the students to use. They also want to partner with local organizations and technologists who could serve as mentors.

One of those mentor-partners is local business owner Wayne Nembhard. His company, Digital Innovation, maintains the nonprofit’s security cameras and installed Wi-Fi in its buildings.

Wayne Nembhard. (Courtesy photo)

Nembhard said when he was younger, he had mentors who guided him toward a career in tech. Now as an adult, he tries to pay it forward and be a positive influence within the Boys and Girls clubs. Almost 80% of the kids who visit Caring People Alliance’s clubs identify as Black or African American, and Nembhard hopes that his presence as a Black man with an IT job inspires kids to know that they can also pursue a tech career.

“Just walking through the hallways is a difference,” he said. “We’re walking around, we’re identified with our clothing, it says who we are, and the kids see us. … That starts the curiosity right there. ‘Who is this person that looks like me doing this?’ Right? So, that’s the first seed that’s planted.”

Nembhard aligns with Haltiwanger in the goal to expose the kids to as many different types of technology as possible.

“Future engineers, future inventors, future innovators could be here and we could miss that opportunity to solve a problem much quicker without investing in this,” Nembhard said. “That’s why I really believe that this is important because these young people can help us get to places quicker than we can even imagine.”