14th November 2013
Funding was awarded to give elderly residents from Eden the opportunity to gain confidence and overcome any difficulties they have associated with IT through entry level sessions. The lessons were specially catered for over 50s and covered modules on keyboard skills, email, internet security, web searches and digital photography amongst others.
The eldest student so far has been 91 and used new skills to e-mail family in Canada. Other mature students were keen to get to grips with the growing trend for on-line shopping, banking and other household administration.
The users have enjoyed being in a relaxed environment and to learn side by side with other users that are in the same situation. They have also found the support very useful as they had nowhere else to turn to with regards to learning basic skills and on-going IT support.
Tutor Erol Ali said: “Our job seekers have used our facilities to access the Universal Job Match website and our CV writing service. Nowhere else in Penrith offers support with this website and we have proved to have an essential service to our local job seekers. Learners and volunteers have had the opportunity to learn a selection of online skills and using different types of hardware. Elderly residents with no computer experience have been shown essential online basic skills so they can enjoy the internet and new technology including Skype, online security and basic Word and Excel skills.
“We have also introduced users to different ways to access their emails and browse the net. Using new technology like Smart TV, tablet computers and smart phones, we have broadened the learning experience and shown accessing the web has been made easy.”