[TRAIL] provides important foundational knowledge for users to begin assimilating themselves into today’s fast-paced digital age. Providing users with the proper skills and tools, the platform attempts to put all users on a level playing field so that no individual is technologically “left behind” and is able to stay current with the evolving online marketplace.

Jay Nath, Chief Innovation Officer,

City of San Francisco

Over 60 million Americans do not know how to meaningfully use the Internet.

This figure nears almost 6 billion worldwide.

TRAIL works to address this problem and aims to bring the next billion Internet users online.

TRAILCompany Profile

URL: discovertrail.co

Tagline: Discover Your Path.

Founded: 2012

Industries: Education Technology / Lifestyle Management / Productivity

Products:

JobScout (myjobscout.org) HealthScout (Launching 2013)CivicScout (Launching 2014)

Founders:

Christina Gagnier, CEOStephanie Margossian, COO

Partners:

LINK AMERICAS FoundationCalifornia State LibraryCalifornia Department of TechnologyConnect2CompeteCalInnovates

What’s Next:

• Launch of JobScout Spanish in September 2013

• Launch of JobScout for Android in September 2013

• Launch of HealthScout (Late 2013)

High-speed Internet access and online skills are not only necessary for seeking, applying for, and getting today’s jobs, but also to take advantage of the growing educational, civic and healthcare advances spurred by broadband.

Statistics show stark demographic disparities in digital literacy. Senior citizens, Spanish speakers, adults with less than a high school education, and those living in low-income households are the least likely adults to have Internet access. Moreover, only 6 in 10 Americans go online wirelessly with one of their own devices, so public institutions are serving a crucial need in providing access to the American public. But do they have the resources and the tools to provide Internet literacy trainings to those who need it most? 

That’s where TRAIL comes in.

Research shows that the biggest barrier to digital literacy, aside from cost and access, is the misperception that the internet is not relevant or necessary. TRAIL creates “Scouts,” relevant online learning platforms that help people learn the essential digital literacy skills to find work, manage healthcare and effectively participate in our increasingly online world. TRAIL meets people where they are, equipping people with the skills they need to effectively manage their everyday lives online. Whether users need to start from scratch learning basic Internet skills, or they just want easy-to-use streamlined tools, people use TRAIL to discover their paths online.

What does TRAIL do?

TRAIL is the first to market with an open learning platform that leverages powerful data to help community advocates and educators alike to empower users. The goal of TRAIL is to provide a suite of lifestyle management applications, rooted in a core digital literacy curriculum and partnered with state, federal and non-profit institutions to provide effective and empowering solutions to social issues. Right now, TRAIL’s first web platform, JobScout, is getting people to work.

We create lesson content: Our Digital Literacy core content appears in each one of our Scouts, creating a uniform experience for our users. The educational content in TRAIL applications is mapped directly to California’s Basic Digital Literacy Skills Framework.

We build tools: Each platform has custom tools built hand-in-hand with non-profit, government and industry partners. We work with our potential customers to make sure we get it right before we bring our tools to their community.

We curate resources: We may not be experts in every subject area for our Scouts, but we partner with experts to make sure we are curating the best content for our users.

We use a dynamic approach: TRAIL uses gamification of its educational materials to engage users in a fully guided process of learning everything about navigating the Internet. The JobScout platform, for example, provides 39 lessons to users, ranging from "Introduction to Internet Browsing" to "Using the Internet to Prepare for an Interview." Users take lessons and earn badges, which demonstrate competency in the subject matter. Features Across Platforms

➡ An easy-to-use dashboard for seamless navigation of the site.➡ Internet skills core lesson content developed with government digital

literacy content guidelines.➡ COMPASS data analytics system to track user progress.

Who we serve: Our user base ranges from first-time jobseeking Millennials to Boomers who are reentering the workforce. We know that our tools provide step-by-step help for first time Internet users as well as those who are Internet savvy.

Why TRAIL is Different

Our mission is to build applications that 1) teach people the essential Internet skills they need and 2) streamline parts of their everyday life, whether it be finding a job or managing your health and wellness.

What’s Next

At nearly 6 billion non-Internet users worldwide, we are building our presence first in North America and then will expand to other regions such as South America and beyond. While we are currently in development on JobScout and HealthScout, we are actively planning and in motion on philanthropic seed investment for:

➡ CivicScout➡ CollegeScout➡ FinanceScout➡ EnergyScout

Our first Scout, JobScout, adopted a subscription model for its data analytics platform COMPASS, which is available to program administrators and other partners. There are two subscription options for partners: JobScout CONNECT at $100 per month and JobScout PRO at $300 a month. JobScout also provides additional development through white-label solutions. We offer significant discounts for larger systems seeking to roll out JobScout to multiple sites.

Much like our partnership and pilot development models, each Scout will adopt a strategy that has worked successfully for the particular market that it will serve.

Success to Date

Today: TRAIL’s JobScout has rolled out to every public library in California and is moving into other state library systems and social service centers.

January 2013: JobScout launches its iOS application.January 2013: TRAIL launches COMPASS, its’ data analytics system for customers.November 2012: TRAIL content featured on Connect2Compete’s EveryoneOn website.

October 2012: Los Angeles County Office of Education becomes TRAIL’s first customer.

October 2012: TRAIL receives seed funding for HealthScout.

June 2012: TRAIL’s JobScout becomes a part of White House Ignite, the next generation Internet project.

February 2012: JobScout is a finalist in the 2012 Digital Learning and Media Competition sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation and Mozilla.

January 2012: JobScout launches in 130 libraries across California.

September 2011: JobScout partners with the California Technology Agency.

August 2011: JobScout partners with the California State Library.

July 2011: JobScout and the LINK Americas Foundation partner.

TRAIL