change of schedule and new plan

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Last week my schedule changed from Mon-Fri to Tues-Sat. Yesterday was my first Monday off, so today really feels like Monday. Aside from that, it's not so bad. Saturdays around Media Bridges is rather slow. But the whole point for my move is to start a weekly Saturday program for youth around here.

I'm aiming to start it right after Thanksgiving. Every Saturday for a couple of hours we will designate computers and space specfically for youth to come in and learn and work on projects. The structure has not been completely set up yet, but I am planning on having weekly 'demos' or mini-lessons. This way a participant does not have to come in every week where one lesson builds on the previous one. So one day will be intro to imovie and another day will be interviewing techniques and so on. Then whenever a participant is ready to take a certification test, they can take it anytime and come in anytime during the week and use our equipment and edit stations. We're all also thinking that the participants may have to submit a statement of purpose (or a video blog) about why they want to learn whatever or what project they want to do. This will hopefully prevent kids from just coming in and using the internet or as an easy place for parents to drop off their kids for a few hours.

This is a pilot program for a couple of months. Originally, we were going to have afterschool workshops here, but we do not have any space at our facility during the aftershool hours (Media Bridges has to provide general classes to the public during those hours as part of our contract). The two alternatives are Saturday programs here and going to do outreaches at afterschool programs. I"m contacting area afterschool programs to see what we can get going at their places rather than at Media Bridges. There are some obstacles for that, but we're working on them.

So all is moving along.

In other news, we'll be going up to Lansing, MI on Thursday for the Alliance for Community Media, Central States Conference and the Philo Awards.  I hear that public access people like to party. I'll report back on that next week.