if you want you can join my modelers boot camp lol i can teach you a few things aboot modeling once you get teh basic understandings and techniques of how to use what ever program you prefer.
bug me on aim Spider2544 im ususaly at home in the evenings california time.
biggest thing to learn how to model characters, is to learn sculpture, and anatomy. if you cant sculpt, you cant model thats the way it is these days. so i would grab some super sculpey from the store and start parcticing right away.
that and drawing draw every single day and dont ever skip a day. and try to draw for at least 2 hours a day, and shoot for 4 if possible. draw in class, draw while watching TV or on the itnernent just dotn stop drawing.
once you get some foundation art skills, modeling will become a lot easyer of a skill to pickup, because its just a translation of your traditional skill set.