Digital Region worked in partnership with Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) to provide residents of Extra Care Housing accommodation Bakersfield Court with lessons on how to use, feel safe and get to grips with computers and the Internet.
Bakersfield Court is run and supported by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) and is home to 65 elderly people. Many of the residents are not familiar with how to use a computer or the Internet and are complete novices. Bakersfield Court have connected to the Internet using Digital Regions superfast broadband, and by working with Voluntary Action Rotherham and JLMB Genesis, a local UK online centre which provides ICT training for older learners, were provided ten free two hour computer training sessions to the residents.
Get online
The aim of the ten week course was to take the residents, all aged over 55, from being complete novices with no experience of computers and scared of using the Internet, into Internet-savvy individuals who can use its benefits to improve their standard of life, for example using Skype to speak to loved ones and do things such as shop and play games online.
The Digital Region network means that Bakersfield Court has access to the best Internet speeds available and is not only bringing high speed broadband to the residents, but is also delivering a secure network. It is currently experiencing speeds upwards of 10Mbps.
UK online
The project was supported by UK online centers (www.ukonlinecentres.com), which operates a network of local centres like JMLB Genesis right across England. Their aim is to get one million more people online by 2013 in order to improve individual lives, strengthen communities and achieve social inclusion. Digital Region is helping achieve this goal in South Yorkshire, and the Bakersfield Court scheme is just one example of the work going on across the region.
Phil Gilbert, IT Manager from VAR, said: “Elderly people should be encouraged to be independent as possible. The Internet has a major role to play in this. VAR is delighted to be encouraging new ‘silver surfers’”.
Derek Robinson, aged 78 and a resident at Bakersfield Court, is attending the sessions and said: “Before I started these sessions I didn’t even know how to switch a computer on! I wasn’t interested in computers or the Internet because I didn’t know how they work or how they could improve my life.
“During the sessions I learnt how to play Solitaire and now I love it. I have also recently been voted chairman of the committee at Bakersfield and now I’ll be able to create agendas and send out bulletins to the other residents. I also learnt how to e-mail so I can keep in contact with my son.
“These sessions really helped me not be afraid of using a computer or the Internet and have been very useful as I would never have found out about computers without them.”