VITA Student
In a Co-lab course at Miami I explored the nascent field of public interest technology. During the semester I learned the ways which civic-minded technologists work with policymakers and activists to make technology better serve the public, as well as evaluate the inclusivity and usability of existing government technologies. By the end of the course I had developed my own technology and design artifact that aims for social change.
The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program is a service provided to United States taxpayers to provide free tax help to those who qualify (individuals who generally make $58,000 a year, have disabilities, or speak limited English). US taxpayers can volunteer for a variety of roles in the VITA program and are the forces driving this program. VITA functions at capacity and serves over 3 million taxpayers annually, however, the IRS estimates that there are over 19 million individuals and families in the U.S. who could utilize this service. This is ultimately due to a lack of outreach, and a deficit in volunteers. The VITA program managers need a way to attract and obtain more volunteers so that they can serve a larger segment of taxpayers who are in need.
The public interest technology artifact that I developed over the course of the semester is a program called VITA Student. VITA Student is a program partnered with the Federal VITA program that offers college credit to students who volunteer their time as VITA tax preppers. This program is directed at college students, as they are incentivized by a number of factors including service hours, work experience, personal tax experience, resume building material and more. These students also are reported to have higher levels of motivation and efficiency, more leisure time, and will hold a higher likelihood of retention to the program.
This flier is an example of how this program is marketed towards its audience. This flier is likely to stick out to a college aged demographic, as it is inspired by the “Got Milk” campaign. This campaign is eye-catching as it is inspired by something that the college aged demographic grew up with, but draws the reader in with the offer of something that all college students need more of- credits. Students who are enticed with this offer are encouraged to learn more about the benefits they can receive through VITA Student by scanning the QR code and visiting the program's homepage. (Scan the QR code to visit the homepage yourself!)
The mobile and desktop friendly site provides a clear call to action, as well as additional resources regarding the program that is presented in a clean, straightforward, and user friendly design.
Spring ‘22
