Basic Project Q & A

This is a completely informal study. Results will be anecdotal in nature, summarized the best way I can depending on the feedback. I will report regularly to the participants on the blog and by email. The blog will also provide a running account of activities and help with my reporting to the Association Program Development Chair.

--Is there a target for participation numbers? No target(s).
I hope branches and their members will benefit enough from the activity to recommend it to other branches and members. I hope it will by spread word of mouth through all the states and gradually raise members' computer skills. I hope that in turn will increase member access of AAUW information on the Association website and elsewhere, and lead to greater participation.

--Is there training for mentors in the plan? Will there be a common "lesson plan"? No and No.
This is a completely ad hoc activity. But branches are free to develop plans as they discover needs and work out ways to meet them.
That said, although branches vary greatly they also have a lot in common. As we discover common needs and some ways to meet them I will facilitate sharing those strategies, most likely on this blog.

An example of the sort of thing I hope we can share is attached: I am program vp of the CAOnline branch. We've been "blogging" for over a year and have 5 blogs including 3 new ones: LAF, EF and Public Policy. http://caonlinelaf.blogspot.com/
http://caonlineef.blogspot.com/
http://caonlinepubpol.blogspot.com/

My team-mate and I worked up some instructions for our members with minimal skills to help them access the blogs. Feel free to copy them from our website at http://aauwcaonline.org/branchbusiness/bloginstructions.asp

--Is there a baseline for the proficiency of mentors? Or for the extent of information to be passed along?
Neither. They will be determined by the needs of individuals and will depend on the skills of those willing to share theis skills and time with other members.

A member's observations:

--It would undoubtedly be helpful to mentors to meet and share information and techniques among themselves. Surely some of us--whatever our proficiency--will have strengths and weaknesses and we could educate one another first.

This can also be a great way for new members to become involved. Some may know a lot about computer/internet use but not much about AAUW, a nice opportunity for exchange of information.

--Periodic meetings of mentors may be a good way to share problems and solutions. Agreed!

--What is the primary focus of the study?
To encourage sharing of computer/internet skills within the branch and to facilitate development of a network for sharing information between branches.

--With our newsletter going to an electronic distribution, we need to be assured that our members are reading it instead of letting it sit in their Inbox. We are providing it both in the message and as an attachment, so there should really be no excuse for not getting it.
This assumes that everyone has a functional computer connected to the internet, with an email account she knows how to use. Do you know if that is true? If not could someone work with individuals who are not so equipped, helping them use the computer at the library if necessary? It would likely be a very personal effort. Perhaps a nice way for some new member to get involved and make a new friend or two.

Our branch has identified no "leader" but there was definite interest among board members. Do we need a leader?
It would be helpful to have a branch contact person to keep track of who is mentoring whom, what they are doing, and how it's going. But I am equally happy to have someone in your branch do this on her own, then perhaps tell someone in another branch about it, and so on.
An uncontrolled ripple effect is a little scary but I think that's what it has to be in some cases as in my branch. Two of us are doing this and one mentoring situation has led to another branch's becoming involved. At this time I don't plan to involve my branch formally but the pilot is working there anyway.