Margaret Fitzpatrick, Age Action Ireland, Dublin

Age Action Ireland’s ‘Getting Started’ programme is a volunteer led programme to teach older people computer basics, email and internet. Courses are run in public libraries, sheltered housing complexes, community centres and nursing homes by volunteer trainers. Courses run for 10 weeks for approximately two hours per week. At the end of the course, each participant is awarded a certificate of achievement for attending the course. Participants benefit from the programme in the following ways:

• Learning how to use email and Skype to keep in touch with family and friends.
• Increased confidence in using ICT.
• Increased confidence in themselves.
• Having an interesting and stimulating past-time.
• No longer feeling left behind.
• Ability to access online information, news and services.
• Access to online booking and shopping services.
• Less likely to be discriminated against by organisations who only allow one to engage online (e.g. insurance companies who ask for email addresses and refer people to their web-sites).
• There is a very important social aspect to the class. There is always a cup of tea and a break.
• Learners learn amongst peers.Loneliness and isolation is decreased and friendships are formed.

The programme is very cost effective because volunteers teach the courses. Learners get near one-on-one training which is very suitable for older people who for example, may need extra help in mastering a mouse due to decreased dexterity in their hands. Volunteer trainers are also very careful to explain technical terms such as ‘world wide web’ and ‘scroll down’ to the learners.  They receive careful training so they are most comfortable being trainers. Many of the trainers do more than one course as they enjoy using skills that they have as well as the personal relationship that they establish with the learners. Some of the learners are older people and some come back to teach having participated in the course!

This programme has been tremendously successful in Ireland and we are already beginning the process of setting up mobile phone classes as well as advanced classes.

Further information at: www.ageaction.ie/getting-started.htm