Tour training

Tour Training

In order to form a more perfect Free Geek we begin a Tour Guide Training program. This will ensure that individuals get up to date information and improved knowledge of how Free Geek works.

A list of items to be included in the Tour Training (in no particular order):

• Explanation of the 2 main programs and what volunteers do in each program includes:

 Repeating information about the programs during the tour to ensure the audience takes in the info
 How to sign up for a volunteer shift at the front desk
 How to log hours at the end of a volunteer shift

• Safety includes:

 Location of the First Aid Kits
 What to do if you hurt yourself
 Exit Locations

• Who to report to in each area.
• How to tailor the tour to your audience, especially if they are a group from an organization

 For example: newspaper/media group, open source software group

• How to keep hallways clear and make a path for any items coming through
• Encourage Peer to Peer learning
• Put your name on any food you put in the fridge, unless you want to share it.

In the works:

• We are working towards posting placards and fact sheets to help tour guides answer questions and touch on important topics in each area.
• Ideally, it would be great to have a button on the website for large groups to notify us before coming for the tour.
• Possibly create an e-mail dump from the database so we can send a "Welcome" e-mail to new volunteers with more detailed information about Free Geek.

Ali's Notes from tour

Before Tour

• use forms for getting basic info
• ask names, why they're here, how they heard of FG, etc.
• explain differences between Build & Adoption programs
• 1 computer per year
• (approved cleaning list)

Receiving

• explain what happens here
• part of Adoption program
• there's always a supervisor on shift, Front Desk will direct you to check in with appropriate person who will show you what to do
• sit down jobs available here (basic testing)

Bathroom

• show people where it is

Prebuild

• Card & Mobo Sorting: begin Build program here, peer-to-peer learning encouraged although there is a supervisor to ask questions of, intro to flow charts
• Eval I & II: show them incoming pile, joy of opening cases (engage volunteers currently in Eval), determine which computers will be kept and recycled, flow chart bonanza

Warehouse / Recycling

• here are our computers ready to be built
• monitor testing is double hours because you need strong back to lift heavy stuff - availability is limited, so ask at Front Desk
• here is an example of why FG started (environmental reasons) NEED BLURB ABOUT POLLUTANTS, LANDFILL, ETC
• Recycling (mention both Printer and Bench): will check in with instructor in these two places, receive tool box, and then disassemble computers or printers.

• sit-down tasks available, specify at Free Geek
• first aid station (point to it), emphasize that if a volunteer injures themselves - even if it's minor - it's essential to let a staff person know
• wash hands after leaving because of chemicals (in fact, encourage use of gloves & safety goggles - they're provided)

Advanced Testing

• test hard drives, RAM, motherboards
• touch on how important FG feels data security is (every hard drive is either wiped or smashed with sledgehammer and is in lockup in between)
• you can volunteer here after you complete the Build program with permission from Build instructors

Build

• before you actually build computers you do card & mobo sort, Eval I & II, and command line class
• QC a few systems first, then you are able to build 6, taking the sixth one home with you (other 5 go to hardware grants, adoption program, thrift store)
• peer to peer learning (encouraged to ask your neighbor, although there is always an instructor available)
• you are mort than welcome to stick around after building 6 computers

• Mac Build (need permission)
• Laptops (need permission)
• Adv Testing (need permission)