Ways to Support Community Computing

Ideas for individuals

  • Volunteer at a local organization, school, afterschool program that engages young people in technology.
  • Design a computer-based project and teach it to a group of kids at your local elementary school or community-based organization.
  •  Locate local community technology initiatives and support them. Schools, community organizations and even local goverments are all good places to start.
  •  Donate working software and hardware to a local community organization or school. Then volunteer to teach the organization how to use the equipment.
  •  Be an email pen pal with a child from a different state or country. You could even connect with children in a local classroom.
  •  Make a donation to an organization that increases access to technology for children and adults.

 

It doesn't take a "techie" to help out
  • You can assist community computing efforts by answering phones for a few hours a week, assisting with a mailing, editing a funding proposal or even writing one.
  • You could tutor children or adults to increase reading comprehension, a crucial stepping-stone to computer literacy.
  • Communication and internet technology policy is being developed at the state and national levels. Stay informed of major developments in technology policy, and let your representatives know how you feel.

 

Ideas for companies

  • Whether a company is directly involved with the computer industry or not, the corporate community can be a vital resource to community computing efforts.
  • Your company can "adopt" a school or community organization and provide software, training, and/or volunteers.
  • Your company can donate educational software titles to a local school, or accounting software to a community organization.
  •  An ISP could provide discounted or free internet connectivity to a community center or retirement center.
  •  During product development, consider the implications of the product for increasing access and interaction or reinforcing the gap between information "haves" and "have nots".