[Gllug] Request for Help with Community Project - Installing and Supporting Edubuntu (Linux) in Youth Centre

[Alex McMahon]

Hello, 

Please forgive me if it is poor etiquette to use this mailing list for requests for help, but it was suggested that someone on the list might be able to help with a community based project I am working on.

I am working as part of a group who are setting up an 'internet room' in Putney Vale Youth Centre (London). We have 5 computers which we will be installing Edubuntu onto. However we are concerned that without a small amount of ongoing support the computers will gradually become outdated, degrade or stop working. We have a minimal level of funding, which we are considering using to pay for some basic telephone support, however after ringing around it seems the funds are too minimal to be able to afford any real level of support.

I am therefore requesting whether anyone here would be able to help the project in anyway. I do not foresee the required support being particularly high or regular, perhaps just responding to an occasional telephone call or maybe once a month popping round to update the machines with the latest versions of the software and fixing any problems that have arisen.  If you can help yourself, or have any suggestions as to places I could look I would be happy to hear from you. I have included further details of the project below.

Regards
Alex McMahon




Hello I am working as part of a group of volunteers on a community project to setup a computer room for the children at Putney Vale Youth Centre (Reg charity no: 284925). The youth Centre is based in the Roehampton ward of Wandsworth which is a borough where the average GCSE results fall significantly below the national average and has a higher proportion of school age children than the national average. This is quite a poor area of London and many of the children have few places to play and don’t have access to computers or the internet other than at school.

The youth centre is currently run by one lady, who has three enthusiastic local children under sixteen years of age who also volunteer at the centre. This youth centre caters for children between the ages of five and sixteen and is used by children all over the local authority area.

The local council have donated 5 computers without any operating systems installed, after some deliberation we are considering installing Edubuntu onto the 5 computers, as we were very impressed by the ease of use and included packages. One reservation is whether we would be able to arrange for support for a Linux OS (a local university offered some free support if we had chosen Windows); we have a small amount of funding which we are considering using to pay for support for the Edubuntu installations.
 
We have arranged for a local dignitary to attend the opening along with the press. Any donations will be graciously received and acknowledged in any press releases. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this request and I look forward to hearing from you shortly. If any more details are required for you to make a decision do not hesitate to contact me.

Lycos iQ - show what you knoW: iq.lycos.co.uk
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