technology services
Technical Support
Organization:
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation VISTA Name:
Rickie Jackson
Program Start:
8/2001
Program End:
8/2002
Project Description:
The VISTA member will work with members of the Consortium and the larger Lowell NPO community. The range of activities will vary from organization to organization. In general, VISTas will supervise public access computers, train the community in a wide assortment of computer applications, provide technical support, assist in the setup of new computer labs (including small LANs), and improve and support information systems (i.e., websites, databases, electronic mail, access to the Inernet). We do not expect that every VISTA will have all the necessary skills to accomplish these, but we would like to see the bringing together of a team of individuals that can support and build upon their individual strengths.
Technical Support
Organization:
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation VISTA Name:
John Hunt
Program Start:
2/2000
Program End:
12/2001
Project Description:
LTC and the Consortium expect that access to additional technical support and training personnel will result in increased access to computer technology for the community and increased efficiency within organizations through better and easier to-access expertise.
The VISTA member will work with members of the Consortium and the larger Lowell NPO community. The range of activities will vary from organization to organization. In general, VISTas will supervise public access computers, train the community in a wide assortment of computer applications, provide technical support, assist in the setup of new computer labs (including small LANs), and improve and support information systems (i.e., websites, databases, electronic mail, access to the Inernet). We do not expect that every VISTA will have all the necessary skills to accomplish these, but we would like to see the bringing together of a team of individuals that can support and build upon their individual strengths.
Web Projects Coordinator
Organization:
Grassroots.org VISTA Name:
Karl Otto
Program Start:
6/2007
Program End:
8/2008
Project Description:
The mission of Grassroots.org is to serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging modern technologies and business best practices. Grassroots.org spreads important social information via our network of socially-focused web sites, while also providing non-profit organizations with free valuable resources to increase their efficiency and productivity.
Working in cooperation with the Grassroots.org Director of Programs and IT Architect, the Web Projects Coordinator will:
-Build a comprehensive resource directory to support
applications embedded in the Grassroots.org Toolbox. The resource directory will ensure that applications are fully supported & documented, saving staff time while helping smaller and less-tech savvy nonprofits make use of the Toolbox.
-Strengthen the capacity of Grassroots.org Toolbox’s Drupal Installations to serve the needs of member nonprofits.
Project Outcome:
Karl began his year by undertaking research to add to his own and the organization’s web development knowledge. Within the first two weeks, he learned HTML, CSS, and a smattering of Drupal.
He contributed to a 15 page report on Net Nanny software before beginning work on his first website project: a redesign for the NYC-based nonprofit Concrete Safaris.
He helped reorganize the CMS (Content Management System) for our main site. Shortly thereafter, Karl picked up the regular responsibility of providing client intake for our programs and developing content for our new website.
The departure of Karl’s supervisor in October called for the restructuration of his duties. As a result, Karl has begun playing the role of the bug-fixer for the new website, which has given him victories such as modifying his first PHP doc to quandaries such as being expected to modify an RSS feed in that same doc. Karl also started working from home.
Karl was supposed to speak at a conference in Ocean City, MD about free and low-cost tools for nonprofits, but due to inclement weather in Chicago, he was unable to make his flight. In March, Karl attended the NTEN conference in New Orleans.
Overall, Karl availed himself of the Digital Arts Service Corps network by getting help finding resources regarding website accessibility and learning Javascript. With his help, we will be able to make our website available users with disabilities.
Technical Support
Organization:
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation VISTA Name:
Dan MacNeil
Program Start:
9/2000
Program End:
9/2002
Project Description:
Dan has been responsible for leading a crew of volunteers, interns and VISTAs working on creating central web-based services for nonprofits.
LTC and the Consortium expect that access to additional technical support and training personnel will result in increased access to computer technology for the community and increased efficiency within organizations through better and easier to-access expertise.
The VISTA member will work with members of the Consortium and the larger Lowell NPO community. The range of activities will vary from organization to organization. In general, VISTas will supervise public access computers, train the community in a wide assortment of computer applications, provide technical support, assist in the setup of new computer labs (including small LANs), and improve and support information systems (i.e., websites, databases, electronic mail, access to the Inernet). We do not expect that every VISTA will have all the necessary skills to accomplish these, but we would like to see the bringing together of a team of individuals that can support and build upon their individual strengths.
Project Outcome:
We’ve gotten the following new services working in production:
• DNS
• CVS
• SUEXEC
• samba (MS file serving domain controlling on Unix)
These service work in a test environment.
• calendering
• email w/ virus checking
• databases
• SSL
• automatic creation of test systems
• programmatic manipulation of images
We’ve done this additional work outside our charter:
• Trained 40 people in basic UNIX
• Kept the Mercier public access center open and staffed.
• Some other dinky stuff like cleaning up lowellhabitat.org
The SUEXEC project pretty well sums up our experience. It is essential for the future, yet not very incomprehensible to management and time consuming. Further, the available person to lead the project was smart and hardworking but completely inexperienced
Dan spent most of his Fridays and many Saturday’s this year working with a volunteer to get this project finished. It would have been quicker to do the work himself, but the volunteer benefited greatly from the experience and is eager to contribute more next summer.
The Center for Community Technology Services
Website:
http://cctsbaltimore.org/ Location:
Baltimore, MD
The Center for Community Technology Services provides technology services to Baltimore-area nonprofits and the communities they serve.
CCTS provides technology services to nonprofit organizations. CCTS develops websites, provides technology planning services and partners with nonprofits to help low-income communities adopt technology. CCTS helped launch EBTRC 7 years ago.
In 2008, CCTS and the Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition began the L@TCH program to help city school families get home computers to support their child’s academics.