Community Connects Method Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How can I determine if the Community Connects methodology is the right program for me?
Q2: How much does it cost to start this program in my local community?
Q3: Okay then, how do I get started?
Q4: How should I interact with the individuals and the management at the Community center?
Q5: What should I consider when analyzing a facility’s computers and ensuring that they are ready to be used by the individuals?
Q6: How do I generate interest via the use of a survey – and how can the survey be worded so I can group the individuals according to the amount of their previous computer and Internet experience?
Q7: How does one format and establish a class schedule?
Q8: What suggestions can help ensure my classes are successful and productive?

A1: Background and Deciding If This Program Is For You.

Community Connects is a proven method of teaching individuals basic computer and Internet skills at their Community Center, computer room in their apartment complex, or computer lab at their school. Through the website, suggestions about how to get started and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are answered. Community Connects is a program for high school students, college students, and exceptional middle school students. This is a program designed to help empower individuals by teaching them how to email friends and family members and access the Internet. In the increasingly competitive environment that we live in, it is a way for mature and self-directed youths to distinguish themselves and show prospective employers, prospective colleges, and/or themselves that they are extraordinary members of their community.

Community Connects is one of the five Net Literacy core programs. If you choose to use this methodology and are a minor, we require you to work with an adult mentor so that he or she can help and guide you. This program has been tested and proven, and following it maximizes the chances of a successful experience for all concerned.

Please carefully read this document and thoroughly review the website. The home page contains links directed to the corporation’s three primary constituents – individuals interested in learning about the Internet, youth volunteers, and community center managers. Show the document to and discuss it with your parent (or guardian) and your mentor (if you are 17 years of age or younger).

When deciding if this program is for you, consider if you have the time available during the weekends or after school to be able to individuals. Generally, each class requires you to meet with one or two individuals for 45 minutes per week for approximately three to five months. In addition, one can anticipate 10-15 minutes of class preparation time per lesson. Once you commit to helping a Community Center, you have to come through for the individuals that are counting on you. Click on the attached project plan (here) to help understand the time and milestones necessary to successfully participate in this program.

If you have questions about the application or anything in the training method document, you can email danielkent (at) netliteracy.org and/or talk with your parents or your mentor. When working with this program, you’ll find that some questions can be best answered by the Community Center, Apartment, or facility’s manager.

One component of the Community Connects program is to help teach leadership, management, and responsibility to youths. Since it is a learning program and since many of our members are students that are 17 or younger, it’s helpful to receive advice from an adult (18 or older) that you trust. Those individuals that are 18 or older are not required to select a mentor – but are strongly recommended to do so. The Community Connects program is oriented towards students that are more self-motivated and can work independently while working with a mentor as opposed to being part of a more formal and structured local organization. Your mentor should be a member of “your team” from which you can receive advice and suggestions, and a person that you can use to bounce ideas off of. A Mentor should be at least 18, and it is recommended that college student volunteers consider an adult both older than them and with different experiences than themselves. Talking with and planning this program together with your Mentor is an experience that students will be able to add to their resource of life-skills that will help enhance their chances for extraordinary successes.

You will also learn more by reading the section for volunteers on the home page – it will pose questions for you to consider and help you understand your responsibilities.

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A2: Costs and Funding

There should be no cost associated to getting involved in the Community Connects program and adopting a Community Center, Apartment, or other facility. The facility that you choose should have or be able to order computers for their members or individuals to use. Some facilities may not be able to immediately participate because they do not have public computers – Community Connects can provide resources or information to help you obtain funding by applying for grant money to assist in this process. If you identify a facility that cannot afford to purchase computers, please send an email to danielkent (at) netliteracy.org. We will tell you what the status of the fund raising is or work with you to try to obtain computers at no cost in your own community.

Net Literacy (and its Community Connects program) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation registered in Indiana. Donations to Net Literacy are always appreciated, however, it’s important that those volunteers using the Community Connects training program not solicit funds or any other compensation from any individual since your real mission is to help teach individuals. Funding that an individual directly obtains for the corporation will be used in that person’s community, if you so request. Please contact danielkent (at) netliteracy.org if you have questions.

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A3: Getting Started

Generally, the best person to ask about the appropriateness of teaching members computer and Internet skills is the activity director or manager of the community center that you contact.

Community centers and other facilities can be identified by conducting a Google search, contacting your Chamber of Commerce, or looking in the phone book’s Yellow Pages. There are many other sources for this information but if you experience difficulty, please contact [email protected].

Based upon experience, an introductory phone call to introduce yourself will provide much better results than an email. Call the facility, and ask for the Program Coordinator, Activity Director, Director of Member Services, Executive Director, or the person that coordinates service projects. After offering that person your name, explain that you are interested in providing a service project to their members that will teach them basic computer and Internet skills so they can access the Internet and send emails to their family and friends. Managers and coordinators have a duty to protect their members from the schemes and scams that are far too prevalent in today’s society, and consequently it’s important to make certain that the facility’s representative understands that this is a service project and there is no cost to either them or their members for agreeing to participate in this program. Also it’s helpful to mention either the relevant organization that you have performed community service, if applicable, or the school that you are attending in the event that the manager or coordinator is seeking more information about you. The most important objectives of this phone call is to:

1. Identify a facility that is interested in this program
2. Briefly explain the Community Connects training methodology
3. Generate interest in you providing their members assistance
4. Setting up a meeting where you can meet with the representative of the Community Center

Marketing yourself to the representative of the facility, so they are comfortable inviting you into their facility and participating in the program is very important. Consequently, follow up the telephone call with

1. A letter of introduction that explains who you are, that this is a service project that is without cost to the members and facility, what the facility can expect, and concluding by thanking them for their consideration
2. You resume
3. Two to three letters of reference

A sample letter of introduction is depicted below, but of course it should be relevant to the specific circumstances:

Date

Your street address

Your city, state, and zip code

Name of Director or Coordinator

Their title

Name of Community Center

Their street address

Their city, state, and zip code

Dear Mr., Mrs., or Miss XXXXXXX,

Once you receive the new computers that have been ordered, I would appreciate the opportunity to teach classes at XXXXXXXXXXX Retirement Homes as a service project to help the members learn basic computer and Internet skills. The objective of this training is to empower the members so they can send emails to friends and family members and surf the Internet for news, health information, and other topics that may be of interest to them.

I will use the Community Connects training program when giving classes. This is a proven program that has successfully helped thousands and thousands of individuals. Additional information about the Community Connects program is available at their website, www.communityconnects.org. I have (talk about your previous volunteer experience, leadership positions you have held, your school and extra curricular activities that you participate in, and if appropriate, your GPA).

If you permitted me to help, this would be my plan. Once your computers arrive, I would first check them out and make certain that all critical Windows updates are loaded, anti-virus software is installed and current, and activate the functionality designed for sight impaired computer users. Next, I would prepare a survey for your approval that would allow interested members to sign up for the program and determine their specific computer and Internet experience. With your approval, I would then schedule three types of classes – beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Beginners usually require three months of classes (one hour per week) to gain a basic level of proficiency, and advanced users often have specific questions or areas where they seek additional information. To the maximum possible, I will have small classes with only one or two members in each. You would approve all of my handouts in advance, and I would provide you written reports on a regular basis to keep you informed with my progress.

I am currently using the Community Connects program to help XXXX members at XXXX Community Center (if this is not the first facility that you’ve helped). Next overcome any objections that may have been raised during your phone call, such as, “While I am a 15 ½ years old high school student, an adult will accompany me while I’m on your premises since I am not yet 16” or “I would be happy to take a TB test or any other health tests to protect the members. A copy of my resume is attached. Also, I’ve attached several letters of reference for your informational purposes.

Thanks very much for your consideration and please let me know if you have any questions. I hope to be able to work with you and the XXXXXX Retirement Homes on my service project.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your telephone number

Your email address

There is no obligatory structure that dictates how a resume should be constructed or formatted, but it should be prepared in such a way to give the facility manager a sense of your past experience and qualifications. Also, it will help the manager get to know you a little better, which is important since the facility is considering inviting you to interact with their members – members that they have both a duty and responsibility to. While a resume is a document that will help let the community center get to know you, it should accurate and not exclude any material omissions that would be important for a manager at an community center to consider when determining if you’re the right person to help their members. A sample resume is depicted below:

Your name

Your street address

Your city, state, and zip code

Your phone number

Your email address

Education

The name of your high school (or college) – which grade or class you are in

Your Grade Point Average, if applicable

Clubs, sports, student government, or any other activities

National Honor Society or any academic honors

The name of your junior high school (or high school)

Your Grade Point Average, if applicable

Clubs, sports, student government, or any other activities

National Honor Society or any academic honors

Recognitions

If applicable

Volunteer activities

Volunteer Using the Community Connects program – 200X to present

Using the Community Connects program, I have assessed Community Centers and other locations in my community to determine those facilities whose members may be interested in receiving basic computer and Internet training

Helping Community Centers and other facilitates by upgrading their computer labs and teaching their members basic computer and Internet skills. Currently, I am teaching XX individuals at XXXX Community Center

I have worked with XXXXX facilities and taught a total of XX members basic computer and Internet skills.

Other relevant information

Volunteer Activity – Name of Organization – date you worked there

What you did

How it impacted others

How it affected you – or what did you learn from this experience

Volunteer Activity – Name of Organization – date you worked there

What you did

How it impacted others

How it affected you – or what did you learn from this experience

A letter of reference should be written by any adult that is not a family member. It could be a teacher, a religious leader, or even an adult leader in a volunteer organization or club that you belong to and knows you well. Two to three letters of reference to include as attachments to the letter are ideal.

Preparing for the introductory meeting at the Community Center is very important. Make certain that the attire that you wear to the meeting is appropriate and “church or business casual.” Spend enough time reviewing the Community Connect website so that you can explain the program, highlight the mission statement, and explain the four primary classes that you will be teaching (basic computer skills, basic Internet skills, search skills, and email skills). If this is your first time using the Community Connects methodology and you sense that it would be helpful, consider bringing your mentor to the meeting – it’s your choice. If you have helped other Community Centers and other facilities using this program, offer to provide them and the manager or coordinator that you worked together with as references. Tell the Community Center Program Director a little bit about yourself – since the Community Center manager is really considering whether to become involved with you and to trust you to work with their members. Make certain that you emphasize any other volunteer work that you’ve helped with in the past, the clubs that you belong to, any current or previous leadership positions that you’ve held in school, clubs, or associations, and anything else that you believe would help them make a decision to entrust you to help their members. Sometimes just talking through your resume is a good way to talk about yourself.

When talking about the Community Connects methodology of teaching individuals computer and Internet skills, you can explain that the course work is based upon the experiences of teaching thousands of individuals. The approach of taking the training to Community Centers and other facilities and all other methodology is based upon actual experience by students using the Community Connects approach.

Specifically, the Community Connects method is a self-directed approach of providing training to members living primarily in Community Centers and other facilities. While usually we’re not a club or formal organization that everyone “joins,” the mythology it is a proven process to train individual and a Website where other volunteers can provide you feedback, ideas, and suggestions to any questions that you may have.

When you contact a facilities that is interested in this program, they may have detailed questions about the program. If so, consider directing them to the Community Connects website, and encourage them to ask any questions they have via email to [email protected]. Please email us in advance if you know a facility will be contacting us, so we can better respond together to their questions. Our practice is to copy you on our replies.

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A4: Interacting with individuals and conduct training at the Community Center.

Often times, students will teach the members after school during weekdays and during the weekend, when the manager may not be available. It is recommended that a weekly typed update be prepared so that the manager has detailed information about how the program is progressing. If an urgent situation arises, contact the manager (and your mentor) immediately rather than waiting to provide a weekly update.

If a member offers a tip for helping them, you should never accept it. An important aspect of this program is to not accept money or any form of direct or indirect compensation from any individual. If a individual insists, ask them to thank their facility manager since that individual allowed you to bring this program to them. Failing that, suggest that they make a contribution to their favorite charity.

When working at an apartment complex, do not enter an individual’s apartment – even when they ask to use their own computer for a lesson. It is important that you utilize the facility’s public computer labs. The negative of using someone’s personal computer is that it may have hardware or software problems that prevent you from teaching a lesson. Also, if the computer is damaged or breaks while you are using it or shortly after you have used it (or if this appears to be the case), the individual may hold you responsible for the damage and ask you to pay for it. Further, you may be held responsible for any damage that inadvertently occurs in the apartment. Consequently, the Community Connects method only allows teaching in public or common areas with the facility’s equipment. However, some individuals may feel quite strongly that you should help them on their computer in the apartment, and you may wish to discuss how to respond to individual’s questions with your mentor or the manager of the facility.

If something unexpected happens while teaching at the facility, always use good judgment and whenever there is any doubt, immediately discuss the situation with your mentor, the manager at the facility, a parent, and/or another adult that you trust. There is no situation that you shouldn’t discuss with your parent (or guardian), mentor or the representative at the community center that you are working with. In fact and when in doubt, make certain that you do discuss anything that is concerning you or that you feel your parent (or guardian), mentor, and/or the facility manager may be interested in knowing about or should know about.

When conducting classes at the facility, you should dress in a manner that an individual will not find inappropriate. Consider that you have been invited into the home (e.g., at an Community center) where other people live so you should dress conservatively and in a respectful manner. Casual “church attire” or “business attire” is appropriate. If you have questions about your attire, consider discussing this with the facility manager.

If you are teaching a class and your cell phone rings, don’t answer it and apologize that it rang. One should turn your cell phone off or to vibrate when teaching a class so that any distractions are minimized.

Ideally, classes are most effective when taught on a one-to-one basis and the individual is able to spend most of the time using the keyboard and mouse to access the computer and the Internet. However, it is very difficult to teach more than two individuals simultaneously, and the Community Connects program recommends against teaching more than two individuals unless you are able to have another volunteer assist you during the class.

Because homework and tests can be difficult to predict, it is recommend that only one 45 minute session be scheduled after school during a weekday. During the weekend, it is recommended two classes be scheduled during the weekend. From painful experience, scheduling four or more classes in one day can be exhausting!

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A5: Suggestions to use when checking a facility’s existing computers.

Prior to starting class, make certain that there is sufficient seating by the computer to accommodate all of the participating individuals. The temperature shouldn’t be too hot nor too cold. It is important that each computer be checked well in advance of the first lesson to determine that they are operating properly, that all critical updates have been completed, the anti-virus software is current, and each is able to access the Internet. A form of checklist follows:

Report all discrepancies to the facility manager, and obtain the manger’s permission prior to making any changes or updates to any of the facility’s computers. A form of letter to the facility manger (with the findings at an actual Community center) follows:

Date
Your street address
Your city, state, and zip code.
The manager’s name
The manager’s title
The name of the facility
The street address of the facility
The city, state and zip code of the facility
Dear XXXXXXX,
Thank you for allowing me to review the computers on the third floor computer lab.

Both appear to be functioning properly, but require some maintenance that I would like to do with your approval. I would like to do as follows:
• Install Norton Anti-Virus Software (that would be self-updating as new viruses are identified by Norton, AVG, or another antivirus application).
• Complete a Windows scan and update both PCs with all recommended Windows critical updates.
• Delete the Internet cookies and temporary files that have built up over the years – this will improve the performance of the computers
• Complete the Microsoft recommended scandisk and defrag maintenance functions which will make the computers operate more quickly. It appears as if these functions haven’t been completed for a while.
Modify the accessibility functions so that the icons would be larger and easier for the individuals to see and activate.

The computer specifications are depicted below:

PC Position	Left	Right
Operating System	Win XP	Win Vista
Screen Resolution	640X480	640X480
Manufacturer	Dell	Dell
Used/Free Hard Drive	5/500 Gb	7/500 Gb
RAM Capacity	8 Gb	60 Gb
IE Browser Version	9.0	9.0
CD/DVD	DVD	DVD/CD

The following repairs are recommended (list repairs/upgrades) and your approval is requested. As I complete these modifications, I’ll let you know if I identify any other issues.

Please let me know if it’s okay for me to proceed.

Thanks very much,
Your name

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A6: Interest can be generated via the use of a survey – and the survey can be worded so the individuals can be grouped according to the amount of their previous computer and Internet experience.

A individual interest count can be obtained by conducting a survey as depicted below. Prior to distributing it, please make certain that you receive prior approval from the facility manger. Note that the font is 18 point and that the type is bolded. This is to make it easier for the individuals to read.

 

XXXX Computer and Internet Interest Survey

XXXX Community Center will be offering computer and Internet classes to individuals interested in learning how to use email or access the Internet to find information about health, local news, and other information. Classes will be conducted by XXX XXXX, two students at XXXXX High School.
Please compete the following if you are interested in participating or learning more:
1. Do you have experience using a computer? Please check the appropriate box
None – I haven’t used one yet. . . . . _____
Just a little bit of experience . . . . . _____
I have a year or more of experience _____
2 Have you accessed the Internet before? Please check the appropriate box
Not yet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _____
I have sent or received email . . . . . _____
I have visited websites (surfed
the Net) to obtain information . . . . _____
3. What would you like to learn most by attending these classes?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
4. Do you have any questions or comments?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Depending upon the number of individuals that are interested in participating, classes will begin in January on Saturdays at 11:00. They will last 30-45 minutes, after which (your name) will be available to answer questions and provide individual help. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please return this survey to Mrs. XXXXX by ____________. Thanks very much.
Individual’s name ___________________________________

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A7: How to format and establish a class schedule.

Once you have received the results of the survey, you should establish a class schedule for the individuals. There are several ways that this can be accomplished – discuss the alternatives with the organization’s manager. One method is to work together with the manager and match individuals, their skill level, and the available times. Another alternative is to allow the individuals to sign up themselves on a sheet (as depicted below). Note the bolded 16 inch font that is used since some of the individuals are sight impaired. No matter which method is used, each individual should receive a note with their class’ times and dates a few days before each class, as a reminder.

Saturday – Date

10:15-10:45 – (private lesson – one individual) _____________ _____________

11:00 – 11:45 – basic computer training class #1 for individuals that would like to start at the beginning (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 – 2:00 – (semi-private lessons – two individuals) _____________ _____________

2:00 – 2:45 – (private lessons – one individual) _____________ _____________

Saturday – Date

Sorry – I have to take the SATs on Saturday so there will be no class

Saturday – Date

10:15-10:45 – (semi-private lessons – two individual)

_____________ _____________

11:00 – 11:45 – basic computer training class #2 for individuals that would like to start at the beginning (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 – 2:00 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

2:00 – 2:45 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

Saturday – Date

10:15-10:45 – (semi-private lessons – two individuals)

_____________ _____________

11:00 – 11:45 – basic Internet training class #1 for those individuals that want to learn basic Internet skills (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 – 2:00 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

2:00 – 2:45 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

Saturday – Date

10:15-10:45 – (semi-private lessons – two individuals)

_____________ _____________

11:00 – 11:45 – basic Internet training class #2 for those individuals that want to learn basic Internet skills (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 – 2:00 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

2:00 – 2:45 – (private lesson – one individual)

_____________

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A8: Hints to help ensure my classes are successful and productive.

Preparing for your first class is extremely important. Consider practicing by helping your own parent, grandparent, a friend’s grandparent, or a friend’s parent. Use the training process and since this will be a more comfortable situation, you’ll be able to dry run the lessons before presenting it to an actual class. Explain why you want to practice and ask the grandparent to let you know if something isn’t clear to them or if they have questions. If you ask your mentor to watch you and take notes, your mentor may also have some helpful suggestions for you.

Ideally, the volunteer instructing the class should have a computer that each individual can watch as you demonstrate each aspect of the lesson, and each individual should have their own computer to use so they can get mouse and keyboard experience and practice everything that you are teaching. Consequently if you are teaching one individual, it’s ideal to have to computers (although sharing one between the two of you can work). When teaching two individuals in one class, it is ideal to have a minimum of two computers so that both individuals are able to practice what you are teaching and receive the maximum amount of computer “hands on” time.

By maximize the chances that this will be a great experience for the individuals and by being able to answer the questions they have, you will increase the likelihood that most of your individuals will stay through the classes and learn how to access the Internet. If you have specific questions about how to conduct a great class, discuss them with your mentor, parent, or email [email protected]. However, there are several rules that seem to be particularly effective at keeping your classes interesting. First, make it fun. This is definitely not your high school or college classroom. Get to know the individuals in your class. Remember that your job is to help them and you only succeed if they do. Show them where the card games are on the desktop. When someone catches on to something that was giving them difficulty, smile or give them a pat on the back. When someone makes a mistake, tell them a story about a mistake you made when learning about the Internet.

Next make it relevant to them. Ask them about their hobbies and what interests them, and then show them how they can search and find the things that are of interest to them on the Internet. If it’s relevant to them and if they can see how the Internet will be valuable to them, the process of learning will be more “fun” and they’ll stick through your classes until they are able comfortably surf and send emails.

Thirdly, change your teaching style to meet the needs of each student. One of the reasons why the Community Connects method of teaching recommends that you teach no more than two individuals at one time is so that you can modify your teaching style to meet the needs of the individual. Some folks learn best by doing as you talk them though each step, others learn best by watching you perform a function and then trying it, and still others do best by reading a handout and first understanding what they need to do before they commence the process itself. Be sensitive that everyone learns a bit differently.

Fourthly, be flexible! Remember that we all have good days and days that are not so good. Sometimes the gift you are giving these individuals is not merely teaching them how to send emails to friends and family members, but kindness, patience, and a smile. While classes are generally scheduled for 45 minutes, some individuals may only be able to comfortably handle a 20 minute or 30 minute class. They are trying their best so we shouldn’t take it personally if a individual excuses themselves in the middle of a class. They may be trying their best – and they just become too tired to absorb additional information. If possible, end each class with a question and answer period so you can assess how everyone is doing.

Fifth, maximize the amount of hands-on-time each individual is able to spend on the computer. Recommend that they spend 20 to 30 minutes once or twice a week practicing what you’ve gone over in class between each lesson. Ask them to write down any questions they have during the week – and by coming a few minutes early to class, tell them that you’ll be able to go over and answer any questions that they may have on a one-to-one basis.

Sixth, give each individual a disc or thumb drive so they do not have to store anything on a public computer. Explain the importance of keeping their confidential information private and using their floppy disc. The Community center may have some extra discs or may be able to procure them for you. If you are unable to obtain discs for the individuals that you are teaching, email [email protected] for assistance.

Seventh, repetition is very important. Repetition is very important. Repetition is very important. As human beings age, their short term memory is sometimes affected, and it makes it difficult for some individuals to remember everything that you are telling them. And like everyone else, folks don’t like to tell you they don’t understand or to repeat something because they don’t understand. Consequently, anticipate this issue and review what everyone learned in the last class before starting a new lesson, and repeat anything that you feel the individuals may not completely understand.

Eight, handouts and reference materials are very helpful to some individuals. Feel free to copy any of the materials on this Website to give to individuals that you are helping. Obtaining one of the many “dummy” instruction books and loaning it or giving it to the facilities library also will be very helpful to some individuals. Alternatively, summarize the information from some of the resource links – this can be helpful when providing written instructions to specific questions.
Some individuals have not gone to class for many years, or because of the aging process, may feel uncertain or even scared about attending your classes. And different individuals learn and different rates. Sometimes, it might be helpful to schedule a private one-on-one lesson with an individual that is having difficulty catching on in class – so you can focus your attention on that person and help them in private. One must respect individuals that are interested in learning more – and all of the individuals in your classes are doing exactly that.

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