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Community Service Options

Community service options

World Computer Exchange (WCE) helps the world's poorest youth bridge the disturbing global divides in information, technology and understanding. WCE does this by keeping donated computers out of landfills and giving them new lives connecting youth in developing countries to the Internet. The computers and networking gear connect schools in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to the Internet and to tech-savvy sister-schools for cultural exchanges to deepen understanding of technology and of their cultures and histories.

WCE provides professional development consulting to nonprofit and government partners to develop sustainable plans to network, maintain, and connect these computers. WCE leverages the resources of businesses, strategic allies, volunteers, and youth community service programs to provide its partners with the equipment, software, consulting, sister-schools, and content that they need. WCE helps them succeed in preparing their schools, teachers, and students to use the Internet as a bridge to information, resources, educational materials, and opportunities.

Helping children around the world to better learn, communicate, and understand each other is more important than ever. The participation of your school or college's community service program will make a profound difference!

Acquiring computers

  • Promote visitation of the WCE's website so that companies & individuals find us 1st when donating computers
  • Ask your school to donate their surplus, working, Internet-accessible computers and network gear
  • Ask local business to donate their surplus, working, Internet-accessible computers and network gear
  • Help transport donated computers from business and school sites to WCE storage
  • Help pack computers in bubble wrap and then into 40-foot containers for ocean shipment

Providing technical expertise

  • Test, diagnose and fix minor hardware problems in the donated computers
  • Review implementation plans to network, connect & maintain computers in schools in a developing country
  • Install donated MandrakSoft Linux operating systems and office suite in the donated computers
  • Configure a server and wire a sample network-in-a-box for 8 computers
  • Develop a web site and act as an on-line help desk for 40 schools in a developing country
  • Write documentation, guidelines, and informational materials and curriculum

Providing overseas technical support

  • Plan and participate in international trips to do training of students at participating schools in computer and network use and maintenance, Internet, distance learning, and web design

Recruiting

  • Engage local primary and secondary schools to be sister-schools with the 1,100 schools recruited for WCE in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
  • Find other student participants at your school and at others in your area across the country
  • Providing specialized expertise
  • Share your familiarity with other countries & languages to prepare K-12 students for sister-school partnerships
  • Translate WCE partners' toolkit of documents into a language that you know
  • Prepare local high school and college students for travel to help train local students in technology