User linux training in Cape Town?

Does anyone know of a person or company in the Cape Town area that could provide Linux training to community members from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have limited computer experience? The training should cover basic computer usage, as well as basic Internet concepts (mostly connecting to the Internet, sending email, and attaching documents).

Could you give us a little more details on this? When, where what exactly etc? Any specific Linux distro?

*Has idea*

Computer without Fronteirs is a French based NGO in Stellenbosch that do this. Sorry, no contact details as I last spoke to them 3 yrs ago and cannot find the details online.

Okay, a bit more background: I'm making recommendations to a Cape Town-based NGO that provides legal assistance to community groups in remote areas. Communication around documents is an important part of the cases they work with, and this means that they need to spend a lot of money and time travelling to far-flung communities. I am wanting to recommend that they try providing these community groups with the ASUS Eee PC (running either the native customised version of Linux or Ubuntu), together with a 3G contract and USB 3G modem for connectivity.

The big challenge with all of this is that the users will probably need quite a lot of training before they will actually be able to use this setup with any kind of confidence. The needs here are more basic than corporate user training would be, for example, but the trainers will need to have more patience and sensitivity in dealing with technophobia and probably significant cultural differences.

Let me know if you need more information than this.

Would they only need the basics of using Ubuntu Linux with confidence? Would it be somewhere in Cape-Town?

Would they approve someone who is not qualified in Linux but has a lot of experience (at least enough to teach basics etc?)

I think your local LUG (linux user group) could probably help.

http://wiki.clug.org.za/wiki/CLUG_Home_Page

Linoman said:

Would they only need the basics of using Ubuntu Linux with confidence? Would it be somewhere in Cape-Town?

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Linoman, yes, they would only need to be able to use Ubuntu Linux with confidence. Essential skills would probably be as follows:
1. Working with files
2. Opening and editing documents
3. Connecting to the Internet using a 3G USB modem
4. Email (attaching documents)

Yes, training would probably be in Cape Town.

Linoman said:

Would they approve someone who is not qualified in Linux but has a lot of experience (at least enough to teach basics etc?)

Click to expand...

I don't think qualification would be essential. In my experience working with these groups, the trainer's personality counts more than qualification. Training would probably be for small groups (3-4 people at a time), and the training environment would ideally be informal rather than a classroom format.

rudivs said:

Linoman, yes, they would only need to be able to use Ubuntu Linux with confidence. Essential skills would probably be as follows:
1. Working with files
2. Opening and editing documents
3. Connecting to the Internet using a 3G USB modem
4. Email (attaching documents)

Yes, training would probably be in Cape Town.



I don't think qualification would be essential. In my experience working with these groups, the trainer's personality counts more than qualification. Training would probably be for small groups (3-4 people at a time), and the training environment would ideally be informal rather than a classroom format.

Click to expand...

If it could perhaps only be on certain days and then on Saturdays. I would be willing to help out. Is the company going to be paying for the service etc?

Send me a PM if you are interested