[jamesdutc]

I'm one of the lead organisers of the meetups that Aaron mentions, and I'd like to offer an additional perspective.

I think that both Aaron and myself (and, indeed, all of the organisers) use the meetup as an opportunity to meet programmers needing mentorship.

Many of us have personally benefited from the generosity of others, and we feel an obligation to offer newcomers this same opportunity.

I don't have any real skills, but I do know a lot about Python, and I attend the weekly meetups to share this knowledge with others.

I'm there every week (barring conference & work travel,) and I'm there to help.