Sharing computer basics with seniors

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Abstract

Several Senior Corps programs have small training projects that share computer basics with seniors by obtaining donated computers, setting them up in community locations, and offering classes or tutoring. Trained volunteers then use their skills to help preschoolers and elementary children learn computer skills or help children in after-school programs. This effective practice is a compilation of their experiences from a NSSCTalk e-mail discussion list request in November 2001.

Issue

Many seniors want to learn to use computers but have trouble finding suitable training. Senior Corps programs want to be able to supply volunteers with computer skills to use at their stations.

Action

Effective practices from Senior Corps projects offering computer training for seniors include:

Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) volunteers in Clinton, South Carolina, obtain computer training from their sponsor, Senior Options, which has contracted with the local Laurens County Literacy Council. The Literacy Council provides computer lessons of two hours each for six seniors over six weeks twice per week in the FGP computer lab. This totals about 20-24 hours of training for each volunteer. The trained FGP volunteers then used their computer skills at their stations to help preschoolers and elementary children who are using computers. (Contributed by: Crystal Pitts, FGP Director, 512 Professional Park Road, Clinton, South Carolina, 29325; crystalp@senioroptions.org. The Senior Options Program Director is Jackie Glasgow, jglascow@senioroptions.org.)

The RSVP program in Paducah-McCracken County, Kentucky, uses computers donated from USEC (United State Enrichment Corporation) to educate area seniors in computer technology. The computers are set up in the local senior center where a volunteer goes in once a week to assist anyone interested in learning computer skills. The RSVP program also has computers set up at a local housing program after- school community room where children and seniors can learn to use them. The RSVP program is teaching computer skills to volunteers who then will teach at-risk children in the housing's after-school program. (Contributed by: Marie Harding, Paducah-McCracken County, Kentucky, RSVP, (270) 443-8579; pmcsc@apex.net.)

The RSVP of the Capital Region, Inc., Pennsylvania, has volunteers teaching other seniors the basics of computer operations, word processing, Internet, and e-mail at senior centers. Teaching methods used include training programs designed by volunteers and materials from SeniorNet. The program uses 36 donated computers that are located in a senior center for training and/or staff use, and with individual seniors in their homes if they have completed a computer training program. The majority of computers are donated to the program's most rural county. (Contributed by: Carol A. Oman, RSVP of the Capital Region, Inc., Pennsylvania, (707) 541-9521; carolaoman@paonline.com.)

Context

Senior Corps programs in South Carolina, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

Outcome

As a result of these training programs, senior volunteers learn computer skills that benefits themselves and others.

Posted On

November 9, 2001

For More Information

Resources

NSSCTalk is an e-mail discussion group, created primarily for the participants in the National Senior Service Corps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Anyone with related concerns, however, is invited to join in.To subscribe by e-mail, send a blank message to join-nssctalk@lists.etr.org

Or subscribe via the Lyris Listmanager web page at http://lists.etr.org/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=nssctalk/.