IT professional or student to work for a charity

Question

Programming

The orange dude who distributes servers on Habré made it clear that in many areas people need hardware for useful purposes, but for one reason or another they cannot afford it.

It seems to me that there are no less places and organizations (non-profit) where the help of an IT specialist or a student who is ready to learn from real tasks is needed. This could be a hospital, a library, a research institute, or just a group of people doing a useful and necessary thing (for example, a group of researchers who need the help of a system administrator to set up a small infrastructure for their research)

I would like to hear your opinion on two questions:
1. Would you like to help any project (school, library, institute, etc.) for free, but with the opportunity to learn from real tasks (remotely)

2. Have you ever encountered situations in your life when you needed the help of a programmer or administrator to people and organizations that are doing a good job, but who cannot afford to hire a specialist?

I am making a website (non-commercial) so that specialists who are ready to help (remotely) can find those who need their help and vice versa.

Your thoughts are welcome

Answer 1

It is more correct to find donors and pay for the work of programmers... Just from experience, charitable decisions are usually obtained on the knee and in the end cause rejection... something like this...

Answer 2

Cool idea! I would participate.

Answer 3

Could you please explain what donors are we talking about?

Answer 4

In principle, I would not refuse to teach or explain web development (my field) to children in schools or students for free. I consider this a good idea. Is it true that organizations will give the go-ahead for this? (Suppose the same school principals and the like)

Answer 5

Within reasonable limits, I am ready to tell/help on the development of microprocessor systems.

Answer 6

At first I wanted to write: “Why don’t those who need help create projects on freelance exchanges? There are a lot of people out there who need feedback." But there projects will be lost.
In general, the idea with a separate site is good, maybe it could be somehow cooperated with the same free-lance, so that you can receive feedback as compensation, and the interface should be simpler.

Answer 7

I don’t know how it is in Russia, but in Ukraine all the organizations you listed (schools, hospitals, libraries, etc.) receive money for IT. Organizations themselves enter into service contracts with various commercial firms. Well, in the organization itself, there are usually 1-2 people for minor repairs / printer refills / primary diagnostics. Therefore, your proposal is more likely to bring harm - money for IT will be stolen, and volunteers will work for free.
But this does not mean that the idea itself is bad, in fact, there are many public and charitable organizations that really need help. Well, in educational institutions, you can try not to do work for someone, but to organize various electives / circles and try to interest children.

Answer 8

I would love to try programming, but because of my programming, it will only get worse. Since this is a charity, will projects be made instead of weeks for months.