Do we need to be technical to run this? No. The Learn and Solve tracks need a room, a projector, sticky notes, and a good facilitator. Software only enters at Build, and only if a real need shows up.
Why start with education instead of the tools? Because tools nobody trusts don't get used, and people can't trust what they don't understand. The sessions also tell you which tool is actually worth building.
Is this anti-AI? No. It's pro-people. It teaches where AI helps, where it fails, and how to stay in charge of it.
Does it replace 311 or city services? No. It helps residents use them well and hold institutions to their promises.
Can we use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or other cloud tools? For facilitator demos, yes, with no personal information typed in. For tools that residents type into, prefer a local model on hub hardware.
What data do you keep about participants? None, by default. Sessions count heads, not names. If the host organization keeps an optional follow-up list, the host organization holds it. Stipend payments go through the host organization or a fiscal sponsor. See the Threat Model.
Are participants paid? Yes. $30 per 90-minute session, and $20/hour for peer helpers, the same rate Kansas City Documenters pays. See Budget and Hardware.
Do you summarize city council meetings with AI? No. We link to Kansas City Documenters notes, which are fact-checked by The Beacon, or to official minutes. We never publish an AI summary of a meeting that a person hasn't reviewed.
Where does it happen? KC Digital Drive’s Digital Services & Support Center at the LAMP campus is the Linwood program home: 1801 Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64109. Libraries can be additional venues. Check the sessions page for confirmed dates.
Can the city or police get access to the data? The Safety Doctrine prohibits integration with or sharing to law enforcement or immigration systems. The data layer is designed to hold public records and aggregates, not information about individuals.
We want to use it in another city. Can we? Yes. The education program works anywhere. The software needs new data connectors for your city. See Launching a New Neighborhood.
Who owns it? See Handoff and Licensing. Short answer: it's open for community use.
Who do we ask for help? Start with this wiki. For partner conversations, email KC Digital Drive. For code, open a GitHub issue.