Partners¶
Boot Up runs on a network of partners — none of whom we replace, all of whom we extend. The program is designed to fit into what's already working in the community, not to start a parallel system.
Partner categories¶
- Education — local K-12 schools. Laptop donation drives, after-school computer-lab days, student-built devices as service projects, teacher training on the curated software stack.
- Infrastructure — makerspace. Primary refurbishment site: triage, repair, OS installs, and where hardware-technician trainees learn on real devices. This partnership is foundational; the program does not function without it.
- Recovery — addiction recovery centers. Tech literacy as part of life rebuilding. Heavy use of Module 05 — Job Skills. Peer support integrated into the instructor model where possible.
- Reentry — programs / transitional housing. Currently and previously incarcerated participants; device award on completion. Digital reintegration, fair-chance employer search, identity rebuilding. For currently incarcerated populations: emphasis on offline Ollama (no internet required).
- Seniors — senior centers and libraries. Dedicated slow-paced track (Module 08). Telehealth, video calls, scam prevention. Patience-first; volunteer buddy system required.
- Youth — after-school programs. Scratch coding, creative tech, digital citizenship. The device award is a meaningful motivator for sustained attendance over a term.
- Social services — shelters and food banks. Outreach touchpoint, not classroom site. The "bring-to-them" model meets vulnerable adults where they are, then transitions them into a partner-org cohort.
- Donors — local businesses and IT departments. The corporate laptop-retirement pipeline. Tax-deductible donations; some donor companies also organize employee volunteer days at the makerspace.
Charleston-area makerspace candidates¶
The Infrastructure partnership is foundational: the program needs a makerspace for triage, repair, and OS installs at any scale. The following Charleston-area makerspaces are researched outreach candidates. None are committed partners yet — formalizing one is a Phase 0 exit criterion (see Partner status).
| Name | Phone | Hours | Address | Web |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Maker's Center | (681) 265-3745 | Mon–Thu 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; closed Fri–Sun | 602 Patrick St, Charleston, WV 25387 | biblecenterchurch.com |
| Westside Makerspace | (see website) | Varies by class schedule + member access | 840 Germantown St, CSU West Building, 2nd Floor | westsidemakerspace.com · Facebook |
| WVSU Economic Development Center | (304) 720-1404 | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | 1506 Kanawha Blvd W, Charleston, WV 25312 | wvsuedc.org |
| The IDEA Lab (Kanawha County Public Library) | (304) 343-4646 | Mon–Thu 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Fri–Sat 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sun 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | 123 Capitol St, Charleston, WV 25301 | kcpls.org |
| The Clay Center Makerspace | (304) 561-3570 | Tue–Sat 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sun 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM; closed Mon | 1 Clay Square, Charleston, WV 25301 | theclaycenter.org |
On outreach approach
[HYPOTHESIS] Not all five spaces are likely equally good fits for the primary refurbishment site role — that role requires bench space and hardware tools (screwdrivers, anti-static mats, multi-monitor stations for parallel OS installs). Some may be better suited as delivery sites for curriculum modules (e.g. the IDEA Lab for Module 02 or Module 08; the Clay Center for Module 06).
Outreach should ask, in order: (1) Do you have hardware-repair bench space available to a partner program? (2) Would you host curriculum sessions for our audience? (3) Are you connected to other community partners (recovery, reentry, schools, seniors) that could refer participants?
Partner commitments¶
Each partner relationship is documented with a simple memorandum of understanding covering who hosts cohort sessions and on what schedule; which audience and which curriculum modules; device disposition for that cohort (which graduates qualify under which award track); the named point of contact on both sides; and how participant outcomes are tracked (within the partner's existing systems where possible).
Partner status¶
[HYPOTHESIS] This partner map describes the target set of relationships. As of Phase 0, formal commitments are limited. The Phase 0 exit criteria require at least one of each:
- [ ] Makerspace partnership formalized in writing
- [ ] One pilot delivery partner (recovery, library, school, or reentry)
- [ ] One donor pipeline (corporate IT department)
What we ask of partners¶
A space to host cohort sessions; a point of contact who knows the participants and can recruit; honest feedback on what's working and what isn't; and respect for the program's epistemic-honesty commitment — we don't overclaim outcomes to partners, and we ask partners not to overclaim Boot Up to their own funders or members.
What partners can expect from Boot Up¶
Reliable instructor presence on agreed dates; refurbished devices for graduates that actually work; per-device wipe certificates for any device donated through that partner; honest reporting of cohort outcomes, including what didn't work; and help connecting the partner to other parts of the BNI ecosystem when relevant (e.g., MPowerUP for recovery-network safety tooling).