User:Spblat/Wacky ideas

These ideas came to my mind as someone who knows very little about Free Geek's culture. I suspect that one or more of them may have been considered and dismissed. Others may be deemed incompatible with Free Geek's mission. I'd love some feedback.

Web forum for volunteers and staff

• invites higher traffic than an e-mail list
• lets people talk about a wider range of subjects
• builds community
• probably lots more reasons

I have experience designing, building and running a web forum. I'd love to help establish one for FG.

Onsite services

No doubt a controversial concept; bear with me. The idea is to take our most advanced, knowledgeable and reliable volunteers, and send them out into the world to help in the community. Under certain circumstances, on-site technical services would be paid for, with all proceeds going into Free Geek's coffers to fund projects.

We would need:

• To be sure that taking money for services could be done consistent with Free Geek's status as a nonprofit, and to examine whatever financial/tax issues need addressing
• To establish a payment system that does not involve volunteers carrying cash or processing credit cards (paypal comes to mind)
• To implement a web-based feedback system, and insist that each client fills out an online feedback form after each visit to measure and ensure service quality
• To make clients understand that they are hiring volunteers who are trained and monitored to the best of our ability, but are not bonded nor insured; and to find a way to indemnify Free Geek should something get screwed up at a client site
• To define available services and establish guidelines on pricing (or "suggested donations")
• To establish a volunteer selection, training and mentoring program
• To establish a scheduling system
• To reimburse volunteers for travel expenses (mileage or transit costs)
• To address volunteer safety issues while onsite
• To run a pilot program
• ...

Benefits of such a program include:

• Serve the community
  • Many more people need help in their homes with personal technology than are willing/able to pay commercial consulting rates to the likes of Geek Squad and Firedog
  • Extend the "helping the needy get nerdy" mission beyond the boundaries of the FG buildling
• Advanced growth opportunities for seasoned volunteers
• Enhanced community awareness of Free Geek
• ...

Volunteer Skill Inventory

• How many volunteers do we have who are underutilized?
• How many of our volunteers are eager to learn specific new skills but don't know how to acquire them?
• Do we have any volunteers who could help us launch project xyz?

Do we have a way to answer any of these questions? If not, I bet there's some kind of technology that could help us with that. Maybe it's a skill certification program. Maybe it's a fgdb-connected web app volunteers could use to identify their skills. Maybe both.