Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse

The Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse is seeking volunteers who have an interest in working with young people from refugee backgrounds and creating with Technology.

The Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse is a program of the Fitzroy Learning Network and is a free design studio for young people aged 8-18 years to access after school hours. A Music studio, video cameras, digital cameras and high end computers with professional software are available for young people from refugee and low socio-economic backgrounds to create what they want according to their own interests at their own pace.

The success of the Clubhouse depends largely on its volunteers, called Clubhouse Mentors. Clubhouse Mentors are adults passionate about working with young people and technology to provide support and encouragement, trouble shooting advice and to be role models and mentors to these young people.

Clubhouse mentors do not need to be experts in technology, but do need to have passion for learning, patience and a sense of humour.

Clubhouse mentors mentor for 3 hours on a weekday, generally between 3:30-6:30pm, once a week. Mentors make an initial 6 month commitment, with the possibility of making it an ongoing position.

As well as giving back to the community in a positive and meaningful way, there are also personal benefits to becoming a Clubhouse Mentor. These include the opportunity to explore one’s own interest in a cutting edge environment (a number of our computers have Adobe CS4), access and experience to an innovative learning model, technical training while mentoring and mentor workshops focusing on working with young people.

The Volunteer induction process includes Induction, Interview, Orientation and Training by Foundation House for working with people from refugee backgrounds, Police Check and Working With Children Check.

Our next induction is Monday 20th April at 6pm at the Fitzroy Learning Network, 198 Napier St, Fitzroy.
For more information and to download the application form please visit – http://www.fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au/Getting%20Involved.html
Please RSVP your attendance to the induction to admin@fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au

If you have any questions or want to know more about mentoring at the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse, please contact Tara at 03 9417 2897, tara@fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au.

Last Saturday 21st February, members, parents, friends and community members gathered at the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse for the opening of the Exhibition “Through Our Eyes.”

The Exhibition was opened by Richard Wynn MP, member for Richmond and the Minister for Housing, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Local Government.

Gail Breslow, Director of the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network from Boston, USA spoke at the opening and awarded Certificates of Participation to the 12 members who participated in the exhibition.

Photos will be on display at the Fitzroy Learning Network for a couple of weeks as well as online.  Please view our album on flickr, or view a random selection of images below. (Press refresh to see some more pictures, or visit the flickr page). 

www.flickr.com fitzroycomputerclubhouse’s “Through Our Eyes” Exhibition photoset

Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse is hosting an open house to celebrate the photographic work of Clubhouse members.
Where: Fitzroy Learning Network, 198 Napier Street, Fitzroy
When: Saturday the 21st February 2009, 11AM – 1PM

About the Exhibition: “Through Our Eyes” is the visual response of 12 Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse members to the challenge – “photograph Melbourne’s culture”. Participants are aged 8-15 and come from diverse cultural backgrounds including Pakistani, Eritrean, Somali and Afghani. The exhibition will be on display at the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse on Saturday, 21st February 2009 from 11am. Select images will be displayed at the Fitzroy Learning Network and online at
http://www.fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au/cclub/through-our-eyes
after the exhibition.

We hope everyone has had a happy and safe holiday season and are excited about all the opportunities 2009 has to offer.

Clubhouse has been open for a week now, and we’re already off to a flying start. Some of the projects being worked on at the moment include-

• Lego robotics using NXT  and the older Lego Mindstorms
• Interactive Programming with Picocrickets
• Building a website for youth performance group
• Planning a music video to accompany some tracks produced last year with the Adobe Youth Voices Program. (more news on this soon)
• Photography for our upcoming “Through Our Eyes” photographic exhibition next Saturday

Some new members have started, and we welcome two new volunteer mentors, Claire and Grant to the Clubhouse.

Grant has many interests and we look forward to taking advantage of his musical skills in the music studio as some of the members are interested in recording some raps.

Claire enjoys trying her hand at everything and her first day at the clubhouse involved finding lego pieces for our Clubhouse Members engineering masterpieces.

Gail Breslow, Director of the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network at the Museum of Science in Boston, USA is visiting us next week and will be at our exhibition “Through Our Eyes” on Saturday 21st February from 11am.

All members of the community are invited to attend.

Filmmakers, members, mentors and staff of the Fitzroy Learning Network invite all members of the community to walk the red carpet with us at the-

Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse Filma and Moving Image Festival.

Thursday 18th December, 2008 from 5:30-7:30.
At the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse, 3 Wood St. Map here.

This is going to be the closest thing to the Oscars Fitzroy has seen so feel free to dress up!

Halal BBQ provided.

RSVP’s are essential so please do so to Tara – tara@fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au or 03 9417 2897

There have been some fantastic multimedia creations over the last couple of months.

Mentors Members have been working hard to make sure their work doesn’t break any copyright laws.  Go to our gallery page to see some webpages that have been made in the Clubhouse.

Also, there is an InDesign video tutorial for people who have never used it before. Check it out here.

On Thursday 4th September, members, parents, friends of the computer clubhouse and community members were invited to the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse Showcase.

There was musical entertainment from a Congalese trio and delicious catering provided by Bethany J Fellow.

A presentation was made by Asghar Hussaini and Keaton Okkenon about the Intel Computer Clubhouse Teen Summit they attended in Boston in August.

At the showcase visitors saw many projects of the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse. Some of them were:

A hurdle game created by Asghar at a workshop  called “scratchlympics” at the Teen Summit  run by Amon, an MIT masters students. The hurdle has a light sensor to detect when the player jumps over it. If the player times it well, he will clear the hurdle.

Posters designed on programs including; photoshop, illustrator, Painter 7.

There was a display of videos that have been created recently using bluescreening. Using Kahootz animations as backgrounds, members have been placing themselves underwater, in the sky as well as dancing with aliens!

A workstation area was also set up for members to show parents and visitors their creations that may not have been on display.

The night was great fun with a fantastic turnout. See some more photos that were taken on the night on our flickr page.

Many Thanks to all the helping hands, impromtu guides and visitors on the night.
Thanks to our photographer on the night, Lee Sandwith (mentor)

The Winter Newsletter for the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse has been published.

News includes Teen Summit 2008, Poster Competition and a profile on one of our alumni who is now a volunteer mentor.

Download it here.

Buy some Raffle Tickets! Only Two and a Half Weeks to Go!

We’re fundraising to send our three Teen Leaders to the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network Teen Summit and need YOUR help!

Tickets are $2 each or $5 for three. And the prizes are great!
Visit the Fitzroy Learning Network or Contact Tara- tara@fitzroylearningnetwork.org.au ph:94172897 for information on how to buy the tickets.

1st Prize- Kodak M833 zoom digital camera, Kodak ES 5300 inkjet printer, Kodak 2GB High Speed SD card Total Value: $600
2nd Prize- Kinesiology or Reiki session to the value of $100
3rd prize - Targus laptop bag with assorted goodies including Greg Norman “Shark” Leather Wallet and DVDs
Drawn 25th July 2008

The Intel Computer Clubhouse Teen Summit has been generously funded by Intel and partners of the Intel Computer Clubhouse, however there are some extra costs we need to fundraise for before our departure.
The Teen Summit is an opportunity for the leasers of the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse to travel to Boston, USA to learn new skills, share ideas and collaborate with people from different cultures.
In Boston, Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse members Misgana, Asghar and Keaton will meet over 150 other Computer Clubhouse Youth from Clubhouses around the world bringing back ideas, skills and increased leadership and teamwork skills to benefit all Clubhouse members.

Please support our members in this once in a lifetime opportunity by buying some raffle tickets. if you would like to ake a donation, all donations to the Fitzroy Computer Clubhouse are fully tax-deductible please contact Tara for more information.