Wanted: employees

Jim farli@qwest.net
Fri, 2 Feb 2001 09:41:14 -0700 

The Scootsdale Boys & Girls Club hosted PLUG meetings at one time Kimi.  
Of course, that was when Wes worked there ;)  They have a great net 
connection and the meeting room was big enough to hold about 40 people 
comfortably.  We usually had the back row filled with members who brought 
in their computers and connected to the Internet.  Don't know who to 
contact at the S B&G Club, but it might be worth looking into.

On Friday 02 February 2001 08:10, you wrote:
> Wes,
>
> What you say is absolutely correct.  I am involved with a non-profit
> organization now that is working with my company and others to assist
> other non-profits with computers and such.  It's still in the
> development stage though.  It's hard to bring everyone together onto the
> same plate and then sort them out to what is needed.  Computers and
> servers are lacking in this type of company.
>
> We are also looking currently for a place to teach classes to those that
> are disabled, such as Hawke has spoken about.  Also to teach classes and
> have hands on for people that cannot afford Al Collins Linux classes or
> Hands On Technology's lengthy wait for such classes.  My husband is also
> disabled and in the process of setting up computer repair/sales/classes
> that will eventually hire or use disabled people, including veterans
> that would like to network and sell services.  These types of people,
> the real community that needs help, often lack in training or the room
> to learn at their own pace.  It's often easy to see the "brainer" people
> because they are high achievers but some people with intelligence just
> cannot find the resources to get the knowledge others have.
>
> All that my company is doing to provide these services is still only
> about 3/4 of the way finished.  I am still looking for space somewhere
> to do some of these things, of course needing to be attached to a T-1.  
> It's always nice to see that great minds think alike!!  Anyone that may
> have some tips, referrals for space or referrals for people to teach
> these things can call or email me.
>
> Kimi Adams
> Unity Wave, L.L.C.
> 623-580-1307
>
> At 2/2/01 12:16 AM, Wes Bateman wrote:
> >Sorry to post to this thread a little after the fact, but I don't read
> > the main list too much these days :)  Hi from Texas ;)
> >
> >Volunteerism might be better found in the not-for-profit sector.  I
> > know that many non-profits are woefully understaffed in technical
> > areas.  They can't really pay to attract and/or retain talent.
> >
> >When I used to work for the Boys & Girls Clubs, I also tried to
> > volunteer at the local senior center.  That got problematic because
> > it's a city agency and not an atonymous organization.  Often also
> > there will already be a "technical" person, who is usually just the
> > person in the office who's the most skilled at using M$ Word, or the
> > like.  Sometimes these folks are a little resistant to others coming
> > in and telling them what's what :)  Those situations either require
> > delicate handling, or perhaps find another charity to assist.  If you
> > can't find one or know of one, you can check your local United Way for
> > some suggestions.
> >
> >Another thing worth noting is that some of these places don't have UNIX
> >box(es).  Some might not even have a server of any sort!  Those are the
> >types of places that can use someone to save them cash by allowing them
> > to realize what they want from their computer systems, while not
> > spending a lot of capital.
> >
> >One final bit of rambling, then I'll shut up :)  Something easy, cheap,
> >and cool would be for some LUG members to scrape together some low-end
> >pentium systems and make a mini-network.  Notebooks would be ideal for
> >this, but not required.  I say this because then you take this network
> > "on the road" and do presentations/classes for groups.  Or you could
> > make a low-budget lab for a charity, etc.  I would focus the classes
> > on real basics, as the clueful will not often be your attendees. 
> > Rather use a single modem in one box to share access to about 4-10
> > other boxes.  Then let folks have hands on, and teach them to browse,
> > set up a free web mail account, etc.  Good way to help some folks out,
> > perhaps place some Linux boxen in non-profits, help educate non-profit
> > employees on how to be productive with Linux (show 'em StarOffice,
> > etc.), maybe even show some businesses how you can make that old P133
> > sitting in the maintenance closet outperform the quad-xeon exchange
> > box they're running ;)
> >
> >Of course some folks won't buy into it, as they'll insist you get what
> > you pay for.  To comfort them, just send them an invoice then ;) hehe
> >
> >C ya all,
> >
> >Wes
> >
> >On Mon, 22 Jan 2001, George Toft wrote:
> > > That gets pretty sticky.  My last employer pursued such labor, and
> > > then got to meet the labor commissioner and ended up having to pay
> > > over $1600 in wages.  It seems he violated something called "The
> > > Fair Labor Standards Act" (State and Federal Law) in that he didn't
> > > pay a wage, and he wasn't cooperating with an accredited school in a
> > > "for credit" program where he could take interns.
> > >
> > > This is not to say it doesn't happen (his ISP does the same thing),
> > > but the chances are slim of finding it.
> > >
> > > George
> > >
> > > Hawke wrote:
> > > > I've got a bit of a question?
> > > > are there *nix houses here that will allow a person to do
> > > > volunteer work as a way of getting the needed provable experience
> > > > to get the job they want?
> > > >
> > > > I am in need of such, if at all possible... I'd like to have a
> > > > paying job,
> > > > but it seems that my current skillset is whoafully inadequate.
> > > >
> > > > let me know..
> > > >
> > > > thanks.
> >
> >________________________________________________
> >See http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml if your mail doesn't
> >post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write mail.
> >
> >Plug-discuss mailing list  -  Plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> >http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>
> ________________________________________________
> See http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml if your mail doesn't
> post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write mail.
>
> Plug-discuss mailing list  -  Plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss

-- 
Jim

Bliss comes from within, ignorance from without