Get involved!
Give back to the community in a direct and lasting way! Free I.T. is 100% volunteer-operated and we want you to join us!
Volunteering at FRITA is a great opportunity to work with computers, your community, and one of Athens’s finest nonprofits. If you’re already tech savvy it’s a chance to share your expertise with others, but no previous experience is required.
At FRITA we promote an environment of teaching, learning, and cooperation, and everyone’s welcome. Whether you’re a Luddite or tech mogul, you’ll find a place at Free I.T. Athens.
How to Volunteer
Before volunteering, you’ll need to attend an orientation session to learn about what you’ll be doing and who you’ll be working with.
Orientation sessions are designed to familiarize you with our policies and outlook. Attendance at the orientation session is mandatory, but we like to keep it short and concise (usually less than an hour, but please be punctual because we lock the doors to prevent disruptions). As mentioned above, no special knowledge of computers is required. Also, no prior registration is required.
What to Expect as a Volunteer
Our volunteers help people with computer problems, refurbish donated computers, recruit and manage volunteers, conduct community organizing, outreach, and promotions, maintain and improve technical infrastructure, conduct sales and marketing, sort donations and test equipment, answer email, assist in computer trainings, and help manage the organization. There are jobs, big and small, for everyone, regardless of your interests!
Benefits of Volunteering
There are more perks than the satisfaction of knowing your work is positively impacting your community and environment: After 12 volunteer hours you get a duel core desktop computer. After 30 hours (total, which includes the previous 12) you get a corei laptop, an all-in-one desktop, or a premium desktop complete with a monitor and the works. Two computers. Each year. Every year!
After 30 hours you can also earn the option of becoming an official FRITA staff member. Staff members visit regularly during open hours, take on projects and administrative duties, and meet once a year to elect the Board of Directors.
Volunteers Under 18
Volunteers must be at least 15 years old. Volunteers between 15 and 17 years of age are required to have their parent or legal guardian sign our youth volunteer parent/guardian permission form (available at orientation) prior to performing any volunteer service.
Court-Mandated Community Service
We happily accept court-ordered community service workers for non-violent and non-larceny offenses. However, you are solely responsible for keeping track of your volunteer hours. FRITA is not responsible for missing hours and will not retroactively sign court-mandated community service time sheets.
Questions?
Please e-mail contact@freeitathens.org or call 706-621-6157 if you have any questions about the volunteer program. If you would like to learn more about volunteer descriptions, policies and programs, check out the volunteer manual.