need to do some volunteering/service learning so where do I search a list of agencies

[bigslammer]

well I'm gonna need to do some volunteering(oxymoron to include need and volunteering). its a class requirement and I was looking for something to enhance my perspective on others and actually help some people. Anybody know of a good website that i can search for agencies who need interns/voluteers in Southern california. specifically orange county.

another subject is who gives a school the right to make you volunteer. granted I'd actually like to volunteer for a certain cause but it irks me when somebody with more power tells me I've got to volunteer. de facto this isn't volunteering.

[welsh wizard]

Hi Bigslammer
Why not get your own back and set up a computers for schools program yourself, there are plenty of people out there with old computers that they don't want, 386's and 486's and there is always a school some where that doesn't have the funds to buy, they also need software, Just make sure the one forcing you to do the vol. work doesn't get any computers as part of it.
WW

[welsh wizard]

I forgot to add I have been doing this since about 16 odd years as a pet project now and it's a great feeling when you can supply computer gear to these hard up schools it's up to you if you want to make a big deal of it or just pass them on quitely. ( I much prefer the quite way) I have even put some of my web page aside to advertise Computers for schools.
WW

[bigslammer]

if the world consisted of more people like you welsh wizard everybody would be /forum/smile.gifing much more. personally I think that is a great idea but my teacher and the school program doesn't really allow me to do something like that. there are these guidelines that they strictly enforce and if i wanted to do something like you suggested it would involve going through their bureaucracy which would take ages. I HAVE to do it at some agency where people will judge my "performance" and hours to meet school standards. If you know of an agency that needs me to put together computers for the needy I'd be more than happy to sign up. but I'm not sure my teacher will approve of this since our service learning should involve a significant amount of interaction with the public. thx though. How's your recovery going. Hope everything is going well.

[welsh wizard]

I'm hoping to get into keyboard throwing in the next week or two, don't need the battery to be included any more, as I can now make my own power. thanks for the thought. As for agency work I don't think you lot would wear New Zealand as a base for you Vol. work. you could try Oxfam or some outfit like that.
/forum/smile.gif have a good day /forum/smile.gif
WW

[U-96]

Just did some browsing for you bigslammer...

These guys refurbish older PCs and sell them to finance other charitable programs. Maybe they need engineers or end-user trainers
http://www.ocgoodwill.org/main.html

Here's a general OC volunteer page with links etc. I'm sure there are lots of local charities who could do with some IT help, either for their own admin or for increasing access for underprivileged or disabled people. Good luck, and I congratulate you on your mandatory voluntary work /forum/wink.gif

http://www.volunteercenter.org/

U-96

[Ygor]

You didn't ask about this area and I have no idea what orange county might have set up that includes your age group, but...
I used to volunteer for telephone crisis and suicide intervention/prevention. This may sound scary, but it does hone your listening and communication skills. Also unfortunately, there has been a rise in those of your general age group needing these services.
Keep in mind that no matter what you want to do in life, it's other people that are involved. Whether a customer, boss, other employees, you must deal with people and be able to communicate well.

[bigslammer]

thx WW,U-96, and Ygor I'll check out the links.