Free Geek » Current Volunteers

Free Geek is a confusing place sometimes. It can be hard to remember where the bathroom or recycling area are, much less know what resources are available to current volunteers. We hope this page helps. Look below for info on free classes, post-adoption and post-build options, and tech support.

Current Classes

In addition to the Adoption Class that all Adopters (and those Builders who so choose) receive at the end of their 24 hours, all volunteers are eligible for free classes! Topics range from “Intro to Email and Web” to “Super Adopter” to OpenOffice.org. You can check out a class list, including a full description of each class, here.

Tech Support

All volunteers who receive a FreekBox from us also receive a year of tech support to sweeten the package and make sure volunteers learn to love their new computer.

Tech support is available on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 3 - 6pm. In order for us to provide tech support, you’ll need to have taken the Adoption Class and kept the original operating system on the machine.

To learn more and get contact information, please visit our tech support page.

Other Resources:

For those not afraid to strike out on their own, the following resources might interest you.

PLUG (Portland Linux User Group) hosts Linux Clinic at Free Geek every third Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Bring your computer and any questions you may have. For more info on PLUG, check out their website.
Get help with Ubuntu, the operating system installed on your Freekbox, on their website or on the Ubuntu forums.

I’m done with the Adoption Program, what’s next?

Just because you’ve completed your 24 hours doesn’t mean you can’t volunteer more! Consider joining the Build Program and learning to build computers. You don’t need to know anything about computers to start. You are welcome to continue volunteering in Receiving, Recycling, or Printerland.

Post-Build Options

You completed the Build Program and brought home your very own FreekBox. What now? While you’re more than welcome to continue volunteering in Build to hone your computer skills, you should also consider one of the following options. Talk to your Build Instructor about how to get involved.

Mac Build: help refurbish Macs.
Laptop Build: help refurbish and disassemble laptops.
Build Assistant or Teacher: show blossoming geeks the ropes in Build.

Upcoming Events

When Free Geek has special events, they will be announced here.

Volunteer Internships

Free Geek often has volunteer internships available which may help you beef up your resumé or meet a school requirement. At Free Geek, an intern is simply a person who volunteers his or her time according to a set schedule. Many of our interns come from schools or job readiness programs and need paperwork and evaluations of their performance filled out for their programs. We depend on and appreciate our interns a lot. In general, because of Free Geek’s ever-adapting, somewhat chaotic environment, we recruit interns who are self-sufficient, inspired to strike out on their own, and interested in Free Geek and its philosophy. Go here for more detailed info.