Open intro meeting for RootSpace's OpenSesame Consultancy (June 29, 7:30pm)

June 24, 2009 by RootSpaceOnline

As part of RootSpace efforts to build a more sustainable, collaborative, open, knowledge-based, and technology-driven Lebanon, RootSpace is launching the OpenSesame Consultancy (OSC) to provide low-cost, high-quality, open source web and tech services to non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and small/medium companies (SMEs). NGOs and SMEs will receive not just technical services, but also training in how to maximize the use of such technologies, plus how to do basic administration and management tasks. The OSC will also train NGOs and SMEs in how to use collaboration and social media tools, with an emphasis on free and open source tools.

Right now, we are recruiting both mentors and interns to help us develop this project further, and to work on this project in the fields of web/tech development and implementation, graphic design, and business/marketing. (Tech saavy people with a social science interest/background are also encouraged to come to the intro meeting.)

While interns will not be paid during the training phase, they will receive a share of revenue from the freelance/contract projects they work on for external clients. Mentors will also initially work as volunteers, though we like to figure out a revenue-sharing arrangement with them, as well.

The intern/consultants working for OSC will be trained and receive certificates once they have demonstrated substantial skill with a specific open source tool. They will then provide high quality services under the guidance of professional business, web, and design mentors. Collaboration within the OSC is a fundamental component of this project.

The specific services and open source support provided will depend on the specific skill sets of the participants, and will expand over time as people master implementing different open source tools. Services will grow to include support in: web development (using Drupal, Joomla, and/or Wordpress), operating system (Linux), word processing (OpenOffice), web browsing and utilities (Firefox and utilities/apps, Diigo, etc), collaboration tools (such as Google Apps and Docs, Acrobat, etc), client/citizen managment (open CMS tools), telephone networking (Asterisk/Elastix, etc), multimedia editing, social media tools, and more. 

OpenSesame will also organize workshops for developers and power users to improve skills, and we also look to organize workshops for developers to use, create, and contribute to open source tools and other applications (for such things as Drupal themes, Facebook and Google apps, or mobile phone apps built on open source tools).

PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY QUESTIONS AND ATTEND AN INTRODUCTORY MEETING ON MONDAY, JUNE 29, 7:30pm @ RootSpace.

Introductory Meeting@RootSpace: 7:30pm on Monday, June 29th

RootSpace is located at: Chawkatly Building 6th Floor (between Bayt al-Kataeb and the European Commission, right near Basement), Charles Helou Str, Beirut, Saifi

Contact: May (70-03-5651) or Munir (03-138-770)

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