OLPC Friends/volunteers

This is a list of deployment volunteers from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific who are willing and interested to contribute their time and expertise for projects throughout the region. Please add your name, email address and few very short points about your skills and how you'd like to contribute into the appropriate section on this page. Please also check out the Volunteer Guidelines for some ideas about what to expect, particularly with volunteering for deployments.

If you are interested in other forms of volunteering simply check out the OLPC Friends participate page and the OLPC Friends task list.

Project leaders throughout the region will check this page on a regular basis to find appropriate volunteers. If you want to find projects happening throughout the region, please visit the OLPC Friends Forum and browse through the Projects listed.

Please use the following format to register yourself as a volunteer:

• Firstname Lastname, email address, Country of residence, skills/expertise, why you want to contribute

For example:

• Pia Waugh, greebo at pipka dot org, Australia, Open Source and project management, Because OLPC rocks!

Volunteers for Deployment Projects

SE Asia Deployments

As part of your volunteer registration for the Pacific, please name any specific countries of interest if you have preferences.

Pacific Deployments

As part of your volunteer registration for the Pacific, please name any specific countries of interest if you have preferences.

• Cameron Ferstat, cam at camnem dot com, Australia, Systems Architect. I want to help in a way that is something beyond just donating some money, and this seems like a way that I can put my skills and experience to use. No specific country preferences.
• Sarah Stokely sarah.stokely AT gmail.com, Melbourne tech writer and editor with some home networking skills, and a great love of helping people discover tech. :) I'm a fan of the project and have been doing what I can to pimp it, but would love to help out on the ground and be part of actually getting OLPC out to kids. No specific country preferences, but Pia mentioned PNG in February was a possibility. :)
• Colin Wood, colin.wood AT det.nsw.edu.au Australia, Teacher and Manager in NSW Department of Education. I am currently managing the first Australian trial of 80 OLPC XOs in three NSW schools. I have a good understanding of the non-technical issues and I am very familiar with the OLPC's suite of applications and educational issues that may arise as they are deployed in schools. I am keen to work with PNG deployment in February.
• Mark McGinnes, mark.mcginnes AT transgrid.com.au, telecomms trade background (microwave/vhf/uhf radio, comms/electrical cabling etc.) currently in tech support/maintenance role (both hardware and software). I feel my coding skills aren't quite good enough to help out with the development side of things, so I would like to help out on the deployment side instead. I am keen to help in PNG in Feb, as work commitments might prohibit volunteering later on in the year.
• Scott McKean, scott AT epochlabs.com.au, Australia, Open Source sys admin / training, I want to be a part of deploying OLPC's to developing communities and and assisting them to leverage open source because I believe everybody should have access to technology that will enrich education, skills and entertainment.
• Brenda Wallace, brenda at coffee got geek dot nz. New Zealand. Opensource programmer, volunteer with Wellington NZ's OLPC Friends in Testing - currently working for writing code / tech lead for mobile telcos, also keen amateur radio op (ZL2UMF). Very eager to volunteer locally in the pacific.
• Edward Murrell, edward aT Murrell period co period nz, Linux Sys-admin, programmer, currently helping with the testing stuff in Wellington. No geographical preference.
• David Baucum, maxolasersquad a(@t) gmail.com, USA, Fl, I am a programmer with most of my experience working with PL/SQL and Oracle. I want to contribute to bring education to disadvantages children.
• Denis Crowdy, denis.crowdy AT mq.edu.au, ethnomusicologist and contemporary music lecturer at Macquarie University. Range of basic coding skills (focused on music applications) for the OLPC, and have extensive experience working in PNG and the Solomons on community and institutional music projects. Fluent Tok Pisin speaker. Keen on helping with local deployments and/or development of local content.
• Jamie Schauble, jamie.schauble@rtca.riotinto.com.au, Australia, Queensland, Clermont, this would be a great experience! I would like to use my training experience with this volunteering program. I am a trainer in my current role. I have just completed the kokoda trail in Oct 2008 and am looking to go back ASAP. I loved the people in PNG and would very much like to give something back to them. When do we hear if we get to volunteer? I am so eager!
• Mohd Lazim bin Abdul Raoh, mythrage at yahoo.com, Malaysia, Perak, I'm a Computer Science students in Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia. I know Linux and BSD and I want to contribute to this project because I can see somehow this project can give a bright future to all the child around the world.
• James Le Compte, jlecompte at worlded dot org dot au, Australia, Project Manager at an NGO that specialises in Microfinance projects within the Asia Pacific region. I've also been the team leader of a volunteer education program in Vanuatu. Previously worked in web development. I have a particular interest in Vanuatu or neighbouring countries, Why OLPC? because there should be equal access to education.
• Graeme Merrall, graeme at inetix.com.au, Sydney. Believe in the success and vision of the project and want to help any way I can. Happy to help take on the corporates and help with deployments. Pac/AU/NZ is fine
• Nick Cross, nick.cross at aarnet.edu.au, Sydney. Manager of Education Outreach with the Australian Academic Research Network. Keen to participate on deployments and promote this initiative.
• Georgie Moss georgie dot moss at gmail, based Sydney, go anywhere, C++ Developer, Why? Had the opportunity to play with one of these laptops and was inspired by what a great product/opportunity/resource has been created and want to help it reach potential.
• Ian Paul Cunningham, ian dot cunningham at ntschools dot net. Alice Springs. Teacher, IT support officer. Hardware and software support for Mac, Windows, Linux. Network design and construction including satellite communications. Experience in providing ICT support from a distance. Keen to provide assistance in setting up OLPC networks and working with communities to provide local service and support centres. Teaching experience in Zimbabwe and the Philippines. Desire experience in OLPC deployment so it can be applied to the NT. Always wanted to visit Kiribati and Tuvalu after reading Arthur Grimble's Pattern of Islands.
• Ben Leslie, benno@benno.id.au, Australia, I run a software development team in Sydney. I've got a lot of experience programming and technical things, but I would be more interested in helping with on-the-ground logistics, I think education is extremely important for improving people's quality of life and OLPC is a great product to help this.
• Neal Schulz. Details listed under Australian Deployments but happy to help in Pacific as well.
• Brad Bowman, olpc-vol .at. bereft .dot. net, Australia, programmer and Linux user, OLPC is a terrific project (Oz deployment ok too)
• Chris Martin, chris .at. martin .dot. cc, programer/developer, network engineer, I'll do anything anywhere - expecally if I can take the kids (my expense) so that they experiance how most of the world lives and can see how little it takes to make a difference.
• Jonathan Matthew, jonathan at d14n dot org, Australia, software developer and GNOME hacker, currently on extended leave from my software engineering job and looking to do something to help people rather than banks for a change.
• Mitchell Seaton, details under #Australian Deployments, would like to assist in Pacific region.
• Adam (web developer and software engineer) and Amy Witanowski (primary school teacher). We have just spent 1 month in Fang, Thailand integrating 35 laptops into a rural school. Adam worked on technical side and programming background whilst I spent time integrating the technology with teachers and students. We both loved the experience and felt that this was a way we could both use our skills to richly enhance others lives and the community. Happy to travel anywhere, Email: amy.witanowski@optusnet.com.au
• Steve Dalton, s .at. dalts .dot. com, developer, business owner, local IT community advocate based on Gold Coast, QLD. Happy to help in anyway, if I'm not working at the time can do any country.
• Kemu Qoroya, IT Support, Apia, Samoa, kqoroya at gmail.com . Interested in technical deployment, documentation, training and anything else you may need help with. Happy to travel anywhere.

Australian Deployments

• Nicola Farrell, nitchylitch at hotmail dot com, Australia, Remote geological fieldwork in the Northern Territory, 5 years teaching English & Chemistry, currently developing Business Management & Project Management Policy for Mining Sector. Interested in helping on any education, supporting families, policy work or even revegetation/ infrastructure work- pretty flexible. I only get 2-4 weeks at a time though, so I hope to fit into pre-existing programs as an extra hand.

• Pia Waugh, greebo at pipka dot org, Australia, Open Source and project management, I want to help as I believe this project is important for children everywhere and want to do my part

• James Cameron, quozl at laptop dot org, Australia, radio range testing and electrical considerations, because I'm bored and I have no life?

• Concetta Gotlieb, concetta.gotlieb at mac dot com, Australia, Teacher, ICT Integration, Digital Media, I want to help as I because I believe engaging, authentic, connected education is an important foundation for all types of kids.

• Cameron Ferstat, cam at camnem dot com, Australia, Systems Architect. I want to help in a way that is something beyond just donating some money, and this seems like a way that I can put my skills and experience to use.

• Samuel McKeon, sam at knowledgenode dot net, Canberra, Australia, Support and Training. I want to help the project by increasing public awareness and participation. I also want to train teachers who will be using the technology, so that deployments have every chance of being successful.

• Scott McKean, scott AT epochlabs.com.au, Australia, Open Source sys admin / training, I want to be a part of deploying OLPC's to developing communities and and assisting them to leverage open source because I believe everybody should have access to technology that will enrich education, skills and entertainment.

• Donna Benjamin, donna at kattekrab dot net, Australia, Open Source community development / Education sector - This is the moon landing of our time. Keen to help however I can.

• Neal Schulz, neal dot schulz at catholic dot tas dot edu dot au, Australia (Hobart), System Admin in schools, Education is fundamental to breaking poverty cycle and OLPC has potential to be a key tool in Education. Lived in Remote Aboriginal Community so see the need for this type of tool in breaking cycle of disadvantage.

• Silvia Pfeiffer, silviapfeiffer1 AT gmail.com, Australia, open media software hacker and researcher - have a kid and run a company - would love to help disadvantaged kids get into computing.

• Aimee Maree, aimee at aimeemaree.com, woudl love to help out with both development and hardware deployment, have a background in both networking and web development (never really tried systenms development before but willing to learn if needed), also can and will travel outside of Australia to help if needed.

• Hanina Rind, hanina.rind at mh.org.au, Australia, Melbourne Health, Software Systems Coordinator, luv to help out in any way i can!

• Daniel Harmsworth. atrophy [at] caffeinator [dot] net 5 years experience running primary education networks (Fremantle Primary School & Brentwood Primary School) as well as time teaching computing/robotics to primary students. I currently work for both Challenger TAFE as a lecturer in IT and for the Department of Education & Training's Fremantle-Peel District Office as a network administrator/manager.

• Chris Martin, chris .at. martin .dot. cc, programer/developer, network engineer, I'll do anything anywhere - expecally if I can take the kids (my expense) so that they experiance how most of the world lives and can see how little it takes to make a difference.

• Steve Dalton, s .at. dalts .dot. com, developer, business owner, local IT community advocate based on Gold Coast, QLD. Happy to help in anyway.

• Mitchell Seaton, meaton dot 2v at gmail dot com, Australia, FOSS software developer, interested in being involved in development and deployments, to help facilitate the education of children, by bridging learning with technology in regions where this generally doesn't exist.

• David Rawk, dave at onelineapps.com A c++ programmer who loves his little green machine. It's like the printing press of our time. Info to the masses.

• Greg McCane, gmccane .at. onthenet .dot. com, developer, project manager based on the Gold Coast. Just heard Steve Dalton talk about OLPC. I'd love to help in any way.

• Sridhar Dhanapalan; sridhar at dhanapalan dot com; Australia; XO, XS, Sugar, training/PD and more; Interested in combining my technical skills with my desire to assist in development.

New Zealand Deployments

• Cherie Carbines, cherie at openmedia dot co dot nz, Auckland, New Zealand. I'd love to help with logistics and coordination; anything that would be of use from here in Auckland.

• Tabitha Roder, tabitha dot roder at gmail dot com, Wellington, New Zealand. I can help out with organisation, logistics, coordination, testing, and will try my hardest to go where needed. I am an educator who regularly talks passionately about the OLPC project and have coordinated the OLPC NZ testing groups since they started, mid 2008.

• Brenda Wallace, brenda at coffee got geek dot nz. New Zealand. Opensource programmer, volunteer with Wellington NZ's OLPC Friends in Testing - currently working for writing code / tech lead for mobile telcos, also keen amateur radio op (ZL2UMF). Very eager to volunteer locally in the pacific

• Chris Martin, chris .at. martin .dot. cc, programer/developer, network engineer, I'll do anything anywhere - expecally if I can take the kids (my expense) so that they experiance how most of the world lives and can see how little it takes to make a difference.

• Adam (web developer and software engineer) and Amy Witanowski (primary school teacher). We have just spent 1 month in Fang, Thailand integrating 35 laptops into a rural school. Adam worked on technical side and programming background whilst I spent time integrating the technology with teachers and students. We both loved the experience and felt that this was a way we could both use our skills to richly enhance others lives and the community. Happy to travel anywhere, Email: amy.witanowski@optusnet.com.au