Vote for Me: Mission Main St Grant
I am applying for a Mission Main Street grant, and I need 250 votes to move forward with my grant application. To vote, just click on this link to see the page for Sunshine Arts & Letters—that’s me!—and connect with your Facebook Account. There will be no additional tracking..
About me: I followed careers in librarianship and in trade publishing with my own freelance writing & editing service. During my journey, I have become increasingly aware of the huge untapped skills available in the pool of older women in our country. I am now shifting my own focus to online training to upskill those women so they can use their vast life experiences in writing, editing, and in technology.
About my project: I am writing an online course for Udemy.com to be called Computer S.W.A.K. or "Computer Secrets for Women And what the Kids won't tell you." I haven't found anything similar that speaks to older women and treats them like the bright, beautiful, smart people they are: Not dummies! I use the language and references of my generation.
I appreciate the fact that many women my age (65-plus) have been busy with life, but never learned about today's technology. That certainly does not mean that they don't understand critical thinking or how things work. So, I am starting with the basics and working my way through the many questions friends have asked me about computers and the Internet. It should be fun! And a good income stream for me once I launch.
Why do I need this grant?
My online course needs a store front. It needs a cozy place where those lucky older women living in the Bay Area can go a step beyond with S.W.A.K. and have some face time with each other. We need a safe place to ask our questions, and we do not want some kid spouting jargon at us. We want folks our own age, who speak our language, and who have patience, to sit with us and talk with us, and work with us with respect, dignity, and tact. And while we're at it, how about a cup of tea or coffee?
I need some rental space for classes, and I need to hire some smart wonderful women to make this happen. We'll need some new equipment, but some old stuff, too, so we can replicate what people have at home. Desks, chairs, and comfy couches. Think franchise here. And I'd love for each person who "graduates" to come back as a teacher so she can get that first new job on her resume, too. I know how to teach the basics, but there's so much more these women can do. You know I'm right.
This grant would help me complete the initial online course. I need someone to help me finish up my videos with professional equipment. (My at-home sound quality is poor. Trucks keep driving by at the worst possible times.) Here’s the course intro to give you an idea of what I’m working on. You can jump to 3.09 to get to my soapbox message.
Then the feedback from the finished course will tell me where to go next with online components. I am confident that I have a market for this program, and I have correctly targeted my audience.
Part Two is to create the in-person component, and I want that to be going within six months, with first classes open only to people who have completed the online course. (Or who have read the accompanying eBook.) While this space is being developed, we will also be developing new online courses for older women on specific topics that meet their needs. This grant will allow me to arrange for space, hire a staff person, and get it up and running. Additional revenue will come from course fees. Ideally, we will be able to provide scholarships and special workshops to provide additional benefits to women who cannot afford to pay full price for courses. Long term: Partnerships with employers who want us to train to specific tasks.
Please vote for me. I need 250 votes to more forward. [Link will take you to the listing for Sunshine Arts & Letters - That’s me!]
