Ever since I retired in 2006 – and switched from the workaday world of Windows to the creative world of Apple – I’ve enjoyed helping nonprofits and community organizations make more productive use of their Apple gear. Here are 2 examples:
In 2013, I decided that our 24,000-person island community needed a community radio station – and decided to do it as an all-volunteer community podcasting project rather than an old-fashioned AM or FM station. I had helped to found a community nonprofit and, with the help of the board, I applied for grants for two podcasting studios – one for community adults and another for local high school kids – and we equipped the studios with Mac Minis and other podcasting gear. I developed a workflow to produce and publish community podcasts, and I taught that workflow at no charge to volunteers. Over the course of the next four years, I managed the podcasting project and moved to an improved studio. I helped the 20+ community volunteers and Radio Club kids to produce more than 600 podcast interviews – entirely with people from the local community. Then, I merged the project into a local nonprofit arts center and “maker space” where it still continues to train community members in video and audio podcasting. The podcasts are all posted, archived and streamed at https://BestofBCB.org
Then, in 2017, when my wife and I moved to Colorado to be close to our young grandchildren, I set up courses and help sessions to assist the retirees at our retirement community with their Apple tech gear. I’m offering them monthly Keynote presentations on “Making the Most of Your Apple Gear”. That series has included, for example: How to find and listen to podcasts (including MPU!); How to do better iPhone photography of family and travel; How to organize and edit in Photos; How to make the most of email; and more. Also, I provide a Sunday afternoon “Tech Help” session where residents bring their Mac or iPad or iPhone for troubleshooting and help them with creative uses for the gear. I also make house calls to the retiree apartments. And I provide escorted trips to our nearby Apple Store to help individuals choose equipment. By the way, I’ve also introduced the retirees to the MacSparky Field Guides (especially Photos and iPhone).
Life is much more full, meaningful and fun when you can be a helper and not just a user.