COMPUTER LAB HOURS DRAW COMPLAINTS.Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer PACOIMA - Marilyn Marilyn can refer to:
a term for an animal that does not usually bark which makes a violent respiratory effort, often during a convulsion, accompanied by a sound which roughly resembles a dog's bark. was happy when she learned of a computer lab at her public housing project a year ago. The unemployed mother of four looked forward to writing a resume and practicing a skill. But she hasn't has·n't Contraction of has not. hasn't has not hasn't have been able to do that as much as she'd like: The lab is closed evenings, when Barker's mother gets home from work and could take her kids. ``I'm taking keyboarding and office automation classes at the lab,'' she said. ``But I asked to have the lab open later. I like to work on my resume. I have to take care of my kids during the day.'' Other residents in the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Gardens housing project also have complained about the lack of evening hours. The 18 computers, bought with some $36,000 with funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is available for residents' use until 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and until 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. The lab is open until 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It is staffed by only one intern intern /in·tern/ (in´tern) a medical graduate serving in a hospital preparatory to being licensed to practice medicine. in·tern or in·terne n. , who is responsible for instructing and supervising between 30 and 40 residents a week. Computer classes are held 43 hours a week, leaving 13 hours for general use. For residents like Barker, that's not enough. In August, only eight adults used the lab, compared with 26 in August 1999, officials said. ``I think if they kept it open later, more people would come,'' she said. The intern, Alexandra Lucas, 21, a Mission College student, holds monthly meetings with residents who have voiced their concerns about the lab's hours. Housing Authority officials are also reviewing applications to hire an additional staffer to work the lab at night. ``Attendance has gone down, particularly with the adults,'' said David Clark David Clark or Dave Clark can refer to different people:
Officials also hand out fliers advertising new computer sessions, but they also are trying to devise ``more meaningful training programs that offer a real means of getting a job,'' Clark said. One idea is connecting employment opportunities to computer learning center activities, Clark said. Housing authority staff already has teamed with local community colleges and businesses to tailor A tailor is a person whose occupation is to sew menswear style jackets and the skirts or trousers that go with them. Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor classes in job training for the corporate sector. Meantime, Lucas handles the load and looks forward to hired help Noun 1. hired help - employee hired for domestic or farm work (often used in the singular to refer to several employees collectively) employee - a worker who is hired to perform a job kitchen help - help hired to work in the kitchen . ``At a meeting last month, three residents asked, Why isn't the lab open?'' she said. ``I explained to them that we're working on it. ``People are really interested in coming.'' |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion