In particular, there is a large portion of the population who have never even touched a computer, let alone own one, or understand how it works and how to use it on an everyday basis. I’m talking simple things, like how to type on a keyboard, how to use Word to type their CV and then use email or the internet to help them find a job.

They don’t know how to set up an online email adress from one of  the many free providers like gmail, hotmail, or yahoo. They don’t know how to use the job sites to apply for positions like you or I might do everyday.

This excludes them from a world that we all take for granted. What I would like to do using Striving for Change as a platform, is change this.

I would like to try and set up a learning centre for disadvantaged people in the Midrand and surrounding areas. This is an enormous challenge.

On the face of it, it should be pretty straightforward. First, find a venue for the centre. Second find computers to fill the centre so people can be trained. Third, find people to staff this learning centre. Four, open the doors and start empowering people!

So here is what I would need. It’s what most people need to start something like this. I need sponsors. I need an organisation, or many organisations, in Midrand to stand up and be counted, to agree that it is a tragedy that people cannot either create jobs for themselves or be employed or taken on as interns because they have little or no computer knowledge.

We would need said organisation or organisations to either donate a large space within their physical building in Midrand, or agree to sponsor the rental of suitable premises in central Midrand (perhaps in one of the many office parks around Old Pretoria Road.)

We would need said organisation or organisations to sponsor or donate working computers with legal Windows and MS Office software and we would need internet access sponsored as well.

We would preferably staff the organisation with volunteers who would be prepared to give of their time freely to teach our learners in a group and one-on-one situation.

I would like to have the business evolve from a non-profit scenario to a profit making venture for the following reasons. I would like to create jobs in the community, actual paying jobs. I would like for the initial volunteers to train members of the community who currently do not have jobs, to a level where they can more than competently train our learners. I would then like to take these trainers and make them shareholders in the business. This is always a tricky one though, because the initial aim with this venture is to make this training accessible to individuals in the community, and this means providing the service at either free or very low cost to them.

In general, computer courses are frightfully expensive. They can run into thousands of Rands for sub-par standards of teaching. Disadvantaged members of our community cannot afford this.  The problem is in order to provide our learners with a valuable certificate which could help them to get a foot in the door we would need to register with the Setas and have a registered assessor so we could issue certificates.

One thought I had was to charge each learner R50 – R100 per course once we were doing it for profit – that way we could cover the costs of our staff and maintenance of our equipment.

It’s a big job, but one I would really like to get off the ground. Is there anyone out there who could guide me in the right direction, or who is willing to embark on this journey with me. A few sponsors would be wonderful.

This is just one of my ideas on how we can uplift the community. It’s still in very rough stages, but the thought is there.

I would love to hear from readers and get there ideas onto the site – through expression of ideas comes the joining together of like minded individuals who are all keen to get involved and who can make things happen.

Lindsay

The idea for this site came from recognising a need in the community for a forum to exist where people can connect and offer their services for free, and those in need can request assistance. I hope that the site will become a hub of activity with people helping each other out, and a place where ideas can be discussed and individuals encouraged to run with them, creating employment where there was none.

I want to encourage budding entrepreneurs to visit the site, and contact me so we can add a page of their products or services to the site to give them a platform to show their talents. In turn, I encourage organisations and corporates to take a look at these pages and see if there is something there they can use, whether it is a gift idea that can be used as a corporate giveaway, or a talent someone has that can be used in a freelance capacity within the organisation.

If you’re spring cleaning at home or in the office and find there are a lot of things you no longer use, and they are still in reasonable condition, and you think someone else may be able to use it, send us an email and we will place it on the website so that others can see if they would have a use for it. This service is intended to be completely free – so if you are offering something it should be free to give away, with no monies charged. The idea is to help someone else through your good fortune.

I believe in mentorship, I have wonderful mentors who guide me in my daily life, setting examples for me of the type of person I strive personally and professionaly to be. I encourage individuals online to give of their time to mentor others, whether its in person or via email and if you’re looking for a mentor, lets see if we can match you up with someone appropriate to your needs. There are many corporates who offer work programme and learnerships, lets try to do that. It’s so hard to find work without experience, I encourage everyone out there to try and facilitate learnership experience for individuals who have no previous experience but who are keen to learn and to grow. I beg you not to take advantage of the learner though, sadly this occurs too often, and if at all possible, to pay them at least enough to cover the expenses of travelling to and from your premises every day.

On our blog we will host discussions on various topics from needs in the community to how to start your own business, anything that can help uplift our community.

Make a difference! Strive for change in your own communities! Be the difference!

Kind regards

Lindsay G