Teaching Basic Teaching Basic Computer Skills to Computer Skills to

Chicago’s Homeless Chicago’s Homeless PopulationPopulation

Some Facts on Some Facts on HomelessnessHomelessness

Over the course of a year, Over the course of a year, between 2.3 and 3.5 million between 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience people experience homelessness in the U.S.homelessness in the U.S.

In the Chicago Metropolitan In the Chicago Metropolitan area, an average of 166,000 area, an average of 166,000 people experience people experience homelessness in the course of homelessness in the course of any given yearany given year11

Homelessness affects:Homelessness affects:Single men and womenSingle men and womenFamiliesFamiliesUnaccompanied YouthUnaccompanied Youth22

Racial Demographics

Chicago’s General Population

Chicago’s Homeless Population3

Major Causes of Major Causes of HomelessnessHomelessness

o Lack of Affordable HousingLack of Affordable Housing

o Lack of Healthcare and Lack of Healthcare and Supportive ServicesSupportive Services

o Lack of Living-Wage JobsLack of Living-Wage Jobs

Lack of Affordable HousingLack of Affordable Housing

In the US, nearly 1/3 of all In the US, nearly 1/3 of all households spend 30% or more of households spend 30% or more of their income on housing and 13% their income on housing and 13% spend 50% or more.spend 50% or more.44

There is not a single jurisdiction in There is not a single jurisdiction in the US where a person working full the US where a person working full time earning the prevailing time earning the prevailing minimum wage can afford a two-minimum wage can afford a two-bedroom rental apartment.bedroom rental apartment.55

In Chicago, only 10% of affordable In Chicago, only 10% of affordable housing needs are met.housing needs are met.66

Lack of Healthcare and Lack of Healthcare and Supportive ServicesSupportive Services

HealthcareHealthcare 19.2% Uninsured in US19.2% Uninsured in US 80% of those without health coverage are 80% of those without health coverage are

working familiesworking families 1,668,000 people in Illinois are without 1,668,000 people in Illinois are without

health insurancehealth insurance

Mental HealthMental Health 4% of US population has serious mental 4% of US population has serious mental

illnessillness 20-25% of homeless population has serious 20-25% of homeless population has serious

mental illnessmental illness

Substance AbuseSubstance Abuse Less than 1/2 of adults w/mental illness and Less than 1/2 of adults w/mental illness and

substance abuse issues have access to substance abuse issues have access to treatmenttreatment

Substance abusers account for an Substance abusers account for an estimated 30% of homeless peopleestimated 30% of homeless people77

Lack of Living-Wage JobsLack of Living-Wage Jobs

Low WagesLow Wages Illinois minimum wage is $6.50/hrIllinois minimum wage is $6.50/hr The “housing wage” in Chicago is The “housing wage” in Chicago is

$17.42/hr. This is the wage a $17.42/hr. This is the wage a household working full time must household working full time must earn to afford the local fair market earn to afford the local fair market rent on a two-bedroom apartment - or rent on a two-bedroom apartment - or two and one half times the minimum two and one half times the minimum wage.wage.88

Unemployment/UnderemploymentUnemployment/Underemployment 11.4% of the US labor force is 11.4% of the US labor force is

unemployed or underemployedunemployed or underemployed In Illinois, 80,000 people have been In Illinois, 80,000 people have been

unemployed for at least six monthsunemployed for at least six months99

Lack of Living-Wage Jobs (cont.)Lack of Living-Wage Jobs (cont.) Wage DisparityWage Disparity

Women make 76 cents for every dollar that men Women make 76 cents for every dollar that men earn whileearn while

African American women earn 65%, andAfrican American women earn 65%, and Latina women earn 55% of what their male Latina women earn 55% of what their male

counterparts earncounterparts earn

Lack of JobsLack of Jobs In Illinois, 64,500 jobs were lost in 2002In Illinois, 64,500 jobs were lost in 2002 Illinois led the nation in job lossesIllinois led the nation in job losses

Educational BarriersEducational Barriers In Illinois, 14.1% of pop over the age of 25 does In Illinois, 14.1% of pop over the age of 25 does

not have a high-school dipnot have a high-school dip Only 28.1% have a college degreeOnly 28.1% have a college degree Of 34,491 formerly incarcerated individuals Of 34,491 formerly incarcerated individuals

released into Illinois communities, 45% read released into Illinois communities, 45% read below the 6th grade level and 60% read below below the 6th grade level and 60% read below the 8th grade levelthe 8th grade level1010

What does What does Homelessness have to Homelessness have to

do with Computers?do with Computers?Most companies now advertise Most companies now advertise

open positions on the Internet, open positions on the Internet, either through a site like either through a site like Career Builder or on their own Career Builder or on their own website.website.

Many companies accept only Many companies accept only online applications or online applications or applications via e-mail.applications via e-mail.

Nowadays, even most entry-Nowadays, even most entry-level positions require basic level positions require basic knowledge of computers. knowledge of computers.

A Small Part of the SolutionA Small Part of the Solution

At a local non-profit organization that At a local non-profit organization that helps homeless people find jobs, helps homeless people find jobs, volunteers teach basic computer volunteers teach basic computer skills to the participants.skills to the participants.

While a few volunteers cannot solve While a few volunteers cannot solve the whole problem of homelessness, the whole problem of homelessness, they can help one person at a time to they can help one person at a time to gain the computer skills needed to gain the computer skills needed to seek and apply for jobs -- and seek and apply for jobs -- and possibly -- end the cycle of possibly -- end the cycle of homelessness for a few.homelessness for a few.

Outlined on the pages that follow, are Outlined on the pages that follow, are some of the basics we teach in six some of the basics we teach in six weekly two-hour sessions.weekly two-hour sessions.

TABLE of CONTENTSTABLE of CONTENTS

1. Getting to Know the Computer 1HardwareSoftwareGetting StartedThe Desktop

2. Using the Mouse 7Launch and Exit ProgramsPractice with SolitaireDouble Clicking

3. Windows 10Learning about WindowsArranging WindowsScreen Vocabulary

4. Working with Documents and Files 15Creating DocumentsSaving DocumentsRetrieving DocumentsManaging Files

5. Editing and Formatting Documents 20Editing TextFormatting TextMoving Text

6. E-Mail and the Internet 28Navigating the InternetSigning up for an E-Mail AccountReading, Composing, and Sending E-MailSearching for Jobs

What do each of the computer’s components do?

• Processor: This the the computer’s “brain.” It “processes” information.

• Keyboard, Mouse, and Scanner: These are called “input” devices. They allow the user (you) to tell the processor what to do. With a keyboard, you type in information; with the mouse, you “point,” “click,” and “drag” in specific ways that tell the computer what you want it to do; with the scanner, you can copy pictures and documents that you can then use on your computer.

• Monitor and Printer: These are “output” devices. The monitor allows you to see the information you are inputting and the printer allows you to obtain a “hard copy” of that information.

Computer Hardware

ProcessorMonitor

Keyboard

Mouse

ScannerPrinter

You will notice that the mouse has two buttons. One is called the “left” button. The other is the “right” button. If you are instructed to “left click,” that means to click the left mouse button. “Right click” means to click the right button. You will use the “left” button much more than you will use the right button. The “right” button is generally used only to bring up particular menus. We will talk more about the mouse a little later.

Computer Hardware

Desktop

Tower

Right Mouse ButtonLeft Mouse Button

Software

Compact Disc

Floppy Disks

Place in “A” Drive

Place in “E” Drive(or “D” Drive

depending on computer)

Practicing Mouse Skills with Solitaire

Solitaire is a great tool for participants to practice clicking, double clicking, and clicking and dragging.

An Exercise to Practice Double Clicking

Double Clicking on the Object Brings Up a New Object

If you do not double click at the right speed or if you move the mouse while clicking, the object will never change

And the goal is 50 double clicks!

The Desktop

The Taskbar - Switching Between Programs

Learning About Windows

Screen Vocabulary

Quiz on the Desktop and Components of a Typical Window

Skill 080 – Edit Keys, Cursors, and Highlighting

DO THIS PART OF THE EXERCISE USING THE MOUSE

Delete the word VERY in the following sentence with the backspace key:“It is very cold outside”

Delete the word REALLY in the following sentence with the delete key:“It is really hot outside”

Delete the sentence I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SUMMER by click-drag highlighting, and then use the delete key.“Hi Pat. I am looking forward to summer. I want to be on the swim team. ”

Highlight the following sentence by moving the cursor to the left of the sentence. The cursor will turn into an arrow. Once the arrow appears, click once. The sentence will highlight. Then, use the delete key to delete the sentence.“When will we be able to swim?”

Resume TemplateResume Template

Signing up for E-mailSigning up for E-mail

Chicago ReaderChicago Reader

Job SiteJob Site

Career Builder Job SiteCareer Builder Job Site

Notes

1. National Coalition for the Homeless, "How Many People ExperienceHomelessness?" September 2002.

2. U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Survey, 2004.

3. Ibid.

4. Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University, The State of the Nation'sHousing, 2004.

5. National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach, 2004.

6. U. S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Survey, 2004.

7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,http://oas.samhsa.gov/2K4/cooccurring/coOccurring.cfm

8. "Working for the 2005 Minimum Wage Increase," Chicago Coalition for theHomeless,http://www.chicagohomeless.org/2005%20Minimum%20Wage%20Increase.pdf

9. Mid-America Institute on Poverty, Illinois Poverty Summit, 2003 Report on IllinoisPoverty.

10. Chicago Jobs Council, Illinois 2003, Workforce and Economic Development:Investing in the Future of Illinois, 2003.