Peer Ambassador Meeting Notes
Date: Thursday 7/9/2009
Time: 2:00 – 3:30
Introduction
Our group had its first meeting with Peer Ambassadors. We discuss their goals and priorities. We were given a tour at the end of the meeting.
Attendance
All six members of our group were in attendance. Nine members of the peer ambassador attended the meeting in addition to the site coordinator. Professor Wolske also attended the meeting.
Site Coordinator: Karen Simms
CUPHD Tech Person: Lyn Niemann
9 Peer Ambassadors [Names redacted]
Meeting Outline
1. Background Information
2. Lab Set-up
3. Library cataloging
4. Priorities, Goals, and Suggestions
1) BACKGROUND INFORMATION (TO BE COMPLETED)
Peer Ambassadors is a grant funded youth program for African-American teens that was established in 2004. Group member ages range from 13 to 24. The program is a partner of the Champaign Public Health Department. Members are currently being paid with money obtained from the Workforce Investment Act. The group meets Monday to Thursday 1:30 – 5:30. Some of their programs include:
- Peer-to-Peer mentoring
- Town Hall Meetings – Last year’s town hall focused on improving youth/school relationships
- Project Access – Local projects that attempt to build a network of services and access.
- Tutoring
- Advocacy
The group has a myspace page and is currently creating a website.
Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/peer_ambassadors
Computer Experience
- All of the Peer Ambassadors have a computer.
- Most of the Ambassadors have used computers since they were children, but they admit that their skills are limited.
- Only two have seen the inside of a computer.
- Computer usage usually focus on doing schoolwork and visiting websites.
- They have some experience photo editing.
- They have no experience editing music or videos.
- Commonly visited sites include:
Youtube
Midstate Hoops
Myspace
Facebook
Yahoo games - The students are currently taking a digital literacy course, which focuses on basic computer concepts. This program is geared towards Windows programs.
Microsoft Digital Literacy website: http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/citizenship/giving/programs/up/digitalliteracy/default.mspx
Things The Students Want To Learn
- How to make a wiki.
- How to clean a computer.
- The differences between operating systems.
- How to forward emails.
- How to set up a webcam
2) LAB SET-UP
The Proposed Lab: The proposed lab will be restricted to youth services and will be used by the peer ambassadors, tutors and other teens. The room will be used for meetings, which will probably have 5-6 people involved. They don’t believe that all of the computers will be used at once. Some of the individuals in this room will be doing other projects. As the result, the room requires a workstation, office supplies and a white board. The group estimates that 20 – 30 people will be using the lab per week. They are planning to acquire their office supplies and furniture through fundraisers, free cycle, and donations.
- The dimensions of the lab were estimated by counting ceiling tiles. Assuming that each tile is 12 inches, the lab is 9.5 by 12 feet.
- Six computers will be added to room.
- All of the furniture can be moved out for more space.
- The room has two outlets.
- The peer ambassador may decorate the room.
- Peer ambassadors have meetings on Wednesday that are open to all teens.
- They do not want wireless because of security reasons
Offices
The peer ambassadors have two offices, which have five donated computers. They are having problems upgrading their computers because they do not have their passwords. The site coordinator wants the computers cleaned. Currently, the computers are being used for basic word processing and the Internet. None of the offices were measured. The group wants a new router to help network the rooms.
First Office
The first office is divided in the two halves by a door with a window. The front half of the office contains the two of the donated computers. The Gateway computer has Window 98 and the Compaq has Windows 2000. The front portion of the office is about the same size as the proposed lab. The back portion of the office is larger. The peer ambassadors are unsure about how to use this room because they are worried that the traffic to that room will create too much noise in the front portion of this office. In addition, the room is located in the middle of the building.
Second Office
The second office is also about the same size as the proposed lab. This room has three donated computers. Two of the three computers are in use. The third computer has not been turned on and is missing a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. The group is unsure whether this third computer works. The first computer in use is an E series running Windows XP and the second computer is a dell running Windows XP. The non-functioning computer is a Dell that has Window 2000. The room also has a HP laserjet printer, 1 router and 5 outlets.
3) LIBRARY CATALOGING (TO BE COMPLETED)
A computer is needed to begin cataloging the library collection located at the juvenile detention center. A current partnership with Books for Prisoners is in place.
The Current CollectionThe current collection contains ~1,000 books and is organized into two sections; general and resource books. The collection contains magazines, newsletters, videos, and books. None of the books can be checked out.
_Computer Requirements:_1. No Internet access.
2. Software for cataloging. (Suggestions include Alexandria or Excel.)
Alexandria: http://www.goalexandria.com/?gclid=CLjDvtnG0ZsCFSXyDAod_kdJMQ
They want some of the books in the facility to mirror the books at peer ambassadors so that there is some continuity in available reading materials. They is possibility that they will start a book club. They want to make list of recommended books.
They need the computers by the week of July 13
4) PRIORITIES, GOALS, AND SUGGESTIONS (TO BE COMPLETED)
Priorities
- Set up computer lab
- Create a lesson plan
- Identify the operating system and software that is the most appropriate for the cataloging project.
Suggestions
- Introducing the students to Seamonkey web design program to help them with their website.
Seamonkey: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ - Bringing in a computer with two different operating systems so that the students can see the difference. Or, the students can do this when they come to campus on Tuesday (I am not sure if it is this upcoming Tuesday)
- Create a handout
- Set up a computer lesson similar to a LIS 451 class lesson for the Peer Ambassadors.
- Prof. Wolske suggested visiting the YCI websitehttp://www.cii.illinois.edu/imlsgrant.php?link=6