CDD Computer Training
Our Services Needed Now More than Even
By Kathleen Patton
Every day we hear news of another round of budget cuts. Quoting a CNN Article from March 21st, 2010,”Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is proposing "painful" layoffs and service cuts to close a $485 million budget deficit as the city struggles to cope with an economy beat down by a recession.”
At a time when the need for services and support are increasing, important programs are, being eliminated. Upmost on the mind of our CDD Members is how these cuts effect our students and centers. I have to report that, unfortunately, each center is being hit hard and are feeling the pinch.
One reason they are so dramatically effected is that our partner centers, Cri-Help, Soccorro, Walden House and the House of Uhuru are not the “Betty Ford” Centers in our city. They do not have big names behind them or multi-million dollar budgets. Yet our centers support the most at-risk population of our community. These are adults with few resources or opportunities available. The Centers take these adults in crisis and when possible charge a reasonable fee. Too often though the client is unable to pay any of the fees having been without a job due to a long incarceration or years of battling their addiction. But when a person is reaching out for help is the time support should be available. Our Center partners, in the past, have been there to catch them before they fall permanently through the cracks. They have been able to do this due to the foreword thinking and progressive policy in California, which provides funds to people in crisis, who are unable to pay.
The state of California has been a model state in understanding the importance of timing to someone seeking to go into recovery. The state have put in place a varitable network of Recovery Centers and Halfway Houses over the past forty years. These crisis centers have aided thousands of people put the pieces back together and go on to live valuable lives. No doubt the state would look very different had these programs not been available. The result would be more people in prison; a greater number of Californian’s livingon the streets or worse.
CDD is also on an important turning point. Over the past several months, funds have been dramatcially reduced to our Centers, with more cuts very possibly planned. Each of our Centers are reporting having fewer clients enrolling due to an inability to pay for treatment. The Centers are being forced to lay off staff and reduce the important programs so badly needed by their clients. This has also resulted in fewer students enrolling in and benefitting from taking the CDD Computer Class.
Compounding the situation is a new law recently passed which will dramatically cut the prison population. An article from the Los Angeles Times on January 26th, 2010, quotes “State prison authorities Monday began reducing the number of parole violators sent back behind bars and offering inmates more opportunity to shorten their sentences, as part of a plan to decrease the prison population by 6,500 inmates over the next year.” (Patrick McGreevy) As of March of this year several thousand prisoners have been released early back into society. While CDD wholeheartedly supports early release programs, we do so when coupled with job training, mentoring and recovery programs (where needed) in order to assure these adults a successful transition. Without these program it could well be a recipe for failure.
CDD is working hard to find ways to take up the slack. We are fervently seeking grants from a number of donors as well as backing from our local representative. We need to expand our services at this crucial time. It is non-profit organizations and private groups who are expected to fill in the wholes created by the cuts to these social programs. But without funding we too cannot succeed. CDD has already a long list of centers waiting for our services. Our model of offering training while people are in recovery has proven to be highly successful. We are able to both propell our students upward at a crucial time in their recovery process and keep costs low by utilizing already exsisting recovery centers. CDD has built an amazing group of passionate volunteers who have become experts in transitioning students back into society. Being 100% volunteer based, CDD by far is the most cost effective, as well as experienced in transitioining struggling adults back into society But we cannot grow without additional funds.
How you can help CDD- You can help by donating your time, computers and money today, at www.cddnp.org. Hold a Computer Drive in your office or neighborhood. We can help you plan and impliment this project. Host a Fundraiser. We have many ideas of hosting a fun and successful event. Please write to us anytime with your suggestions and feedback at info@cddnp.org. Thank you for your ongoing support for our students and the CDD Program.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
CDD Course Report Walden 6-1-10
Instructor End of Course Report
Center Name: Walden House
Beginning Date: April 27, 2010
Graduation Date: June 1, 2010
Names of the four Instructors: Soni Nagatani, Agraja Sharma, Derin Oyekan, Peter Downey
The Walden House course consisted of two class sessions per week, for six weeks, with 15 students enrolled for the start of the course. Course topics included hardware components, including the monitor, processor, mouse, keyboard, learning how to type, using the Internet and the basic components of Windows. In order to graduate, the students were required to write a 500-word essay, and present their essay in front of the class. This was the first class being taught at the new Walden House facility.
With a few exceptions, the students had very little experience using computers at the start of the course. Some expressed feelings of intimidation from never having used a mouse and keyboard. Despite this, the students expressed much enthusiasm and a desire to gain the knowledge necessary to become proficient with computers. During the first couple classes, the “intimidation factor” started to disappear as the students learned the basic parts of a computer, and learned how to type properly using the instructional typing software. As the course progressed, the students opened up more and started asking questions which demonstrated how they were catching on to the material. For example, Rodney asked how he could copy pictures from a digital camera onto a hard drive. The students eventually took a quiz on the computer hardware terms, and all but two passed with scores over 85%.
Another very positive aspect of the course was the written essay requirement. The announcement that students were required to write a 500-word essay was not well received at first, but once the students created their outlines, the ideas and words started to flow. Because the students had to write most of their essays outside of the classroom, completing their papers really showed their dedication and devotion to graduating. Nearly all of the students had their entire essays written before the final class. When the time came for students to present their papers in front of the class, it was very inspiring to hear about their goals and aspirations. James talked about how essential it is to learn technical skills as part of any career, and how he plans to use computers in his job search. Eric discussed his former fear of technology, and how he now has an email address and is creating his own resume. It was assuring as an instructor to hear how computer skills will help the students with their future lives.
Unfortunately, only half of the original class went on to graduate, with the other half of the students dropping the course for various reasons. However, the students that did graduate really appeared to have a sense of accomplishment by the end of the course, for having achieved so much over such a short period of time. Teaching this course was an enjoyable experience, and the students seemed very grateful at graduation for having the opportunity to take a course with CDD.
Center Name: Walden House
Beginning Date: April 27, 2010
Graduation Date: June 1, 2010
Names of the four Instructors: Soni Nagatani, Agraja Sharma, Derin Oyekan, Peter Downey
The Walden House course consisted of two class sessions per week, for six weeks, with 15 students enrolled for the start of the course. Course topics included hardware components, including the monitor, processor, mouse, keyboard, learning how to type, using the Internet and the basic components of Windows. In order to graduate, the students were required to write a 500-word essay, and present their essay in front of the class. This was the first class being taught at the new Walden House facility.
With a few exceptions, the students had very little experience using computers at the start of the course. Some expressed feelings of intimidation from never having used a mouse and keyboard. Despite this, the students expressed much enthusiasm and a desire to gain the knowledge necessary to become proficient with computers. During the first couple classes, the “intimidation factor” started to disappear as the students learned the basic parts of a computer, and learned how to type properly using the instructional typing software. As the course progressed, the students opened up more and started asking questions which demonstrated how they were catching on to the material. For example, Rodney asked how he could copy pictures from a digital camera onto a hard drive. The students eventually took a quiz on the computer hardware terms, and all but two passed with scores over 85%.
Another very positive aspect of the course was the written essay requirement. The announcement that students were required to write a 500-word essay was not well received at first, but once the students created their outlines, the ideas and words started to flow. Because the students had to write most of their essays outside of the classroom, completing their papers really showed their dedication and devotion to graduating. Nearly all of the students had their entire essays written before the final class. When the time came for students to present their papers in front of the class, it was very inspiring to hear about their goals and aspirations. James talked about how essential it is to learn technical skills as part of any career, and how he plans to use computers in his job search. Eric discussed his former fear of technology, and how he now has an email address and is creating his own resume. It was assuring as an instructor to hear how computer skills will help the students with their future lives.
Unfortunately, only half of the original class went on to graduate, with the other half of the students dropping the course for various reasons. However, the students that did graduate really appeared to have a sense of accomplishment by the end of the course, for having achieved so much over such a short period of time. Teaching this course was an enjoyable experience, and the students seemed very grateful at graduation for having the opportunity to take a course with CDD.
Monday, June 7, 2010
CDD Class Report Cri-Help 5-29-10
WEEKLY CLASS REPORT
Cri-Help/05/29/2010
Opening Comments:
Rob reminded everyone that graduation is this Tuesday coming up and that you must dress nice and presentable. We made copies of both the picture of the center and the directions to the facility and handed them out.
Attendance:
Everyone was there and accounted for. We passed the attendance sheet around as well as the sheet for them to write their names for their certificates. Also on that sheet they had to put down Y/N if they completed their paper.
INTRODUCTIONS OR OVERVIEW:
Rob went over the Email vocabulary. He wrote them on the white board and gave the students the chance to tell us the definition. Every single student participated, there were questions asked and there were even students helping other students out.
1ST TOPIC COVERED:
Here we listen too 4 people present their papers. This went very well. It was touching and everyone was really listening and paying attention to the speaker.
LAB TIME:
Lab Time was used for students that wanted too type their paper and also I made sure that everyone wrote their blog. Some students had questions about emailing and I showed them my email address and how to compose a letter and carbon copy etc.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
ONE OF THE STUDENTS (BELINDA) ACTUALLY NEEDED A PUSH TO COMPLETE HER PAPER. HER EXCUSE WAS THAT SHE HAS A JOB AND COULDN’T WRITE IT. AT THAT TIME I TOLD HER THAT “ YOU KNOW IF THERRE IS NO PAPER YOU DON’T GRADUATE” , SHE THEN REALIZED THAT SHE PUT SO MUCH HARD WORK TO GET where SHE IS IT WILL BE A PITTY NOT TO GRADUATE. SHE ENDED UP FINISHINH HER PAPER IN CLASS AND PRESENTING IT.
Cri-Help/05/29/2010
Opening Comments:
Rob reminded everyone that graduation is this Tuesday coming up and that you must dress nice and presentable. We made copies of both the picture of the center and the directions to the facility and handed them out.
Attendance:
Everyone was there and accounted for. We passed the attendance sheet around as well as the sheet for them to write their names for their certificates. Also on that sheet they had to put down Y/N if they completed their paper.
INTRODUCTIONS OR OVERVIEW:
Rob went over the Email vocabulary. He wrote them on the white board and gave the students the chance to tell us the definition. Every single student participated, there were questions asked and there were even students helping other students out.
1ST TOPIC COVERED:
Here we listen too 4 people present their papers. This went very well. It was touching and everyone was really listening and paying attention to the speaker.
LAB TIME:
Lab Time was used for students that wanted too type their paper and also I made sure that everyone wrote their blog. Some students had questions about emailing and I showed them my email address and how to compose a letter and carbon copy etc.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
ONE OF THE STUDENTS (BELINDA) ACTUALLY NEEDED A PUSH TO COMPLETE HER PAPER. HER EXCUSE WAS THAT SHE HAS A JOB AND COULDN’T WRITE IT. AT THAT TIME I TOLD HER THAT “ YOU KNOW IF THERRE IS NO PAPER YOU DON’T GRADUATE” , SHE THEN REALIZED THAT SHE PUT SO MUCH HARD WORK TO GET where SHE IS IT WILL BE A PITTY NOT TO GRADUATE. SHE ENDED UP FINISHINH HER PAPER IN CLASS AND PRESENTING IT.
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