A couple of week's ago we delivered a workshop at Bounce Back supporting young people to repair a device.
We took apart donated devices and upgraded them with new RAM (random access memory) and SSD's (solid state harddives), increasing their speed and storage capabilies,
During day one we got to grips with the laptops, taking them apart and taking a look at what's under the casing, identifying parts and cleaning dusty elements.
Many of us have never looked inside a device before and often a laptop can feel like it runs on magic! Helping to demystify devices and learn what's underneath is a really exciting way to learn about how they work.
On day two we took a look at software and personalisation of devices. At Community TechAid we believe strongly in providing software that doesn't come with hidden costs and that doesn't stop working after a 2-week trial period. Open software is often developed collaboratively, and the code is public, meaning that anyone can modify or enhance it.
We explored LibreOffice, a great open source office suite that feels very familiar due to its similarity to Microsoft Office. We also looked at creative programmes such as Blender and Audacity.
Each participant left at the end of the workshop with a refurbished and upgraded laptop, customised for their interests. A huge thank you to Bounce Back for supporting the workshop, to our wonderful volunteers Tom and Tony and, of course, to all the participants!
A few of the team on day 2!