Your phone can do a lot, but many jobs and courses eventually need a computer. Job adverts in Ghana for office assistants, front desk staff and customer service agents often ask for basic computer skills. The Delta Mentoring Program starts in week 1 with computer hardware, files and folders, and then moves to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. Getting a little comfortable with a keyboard and mouse before the cohort starts makes that first week much less stressful. If you already have a computer at home or at work, use this section to check your basics and build your typing speed.
What this section covers
- Finding a computer to practise on. Places you might get regular access, and how to ask for it.
- Mouse and keyboard basics. Clicking, scrolling, dragging and the keys you will use every day.
- Typing practice. How to start typing with more fingers, a little each day, using free tools.
You do not need to own a computer
Plenty of people learn their first computer skills on shared machines at school, a library, a community centre, a church or a business centre. What matters is regular practice, even if it is only an hour or two a week.
Be kind to yourself at the start
If you have never used a computer, the first session can feel strange. The mouse moves too fast, the keyboard letters are not in alphabetical order and you are not sure what to click. That is normal for everyone. After a few sessions your hands learn the movements, and you stop thinking about them.