As we mentioned in this previous blog post, Community Voices is supporting a group of older ladies at St. Helen’s who wanted to learn how to use the Internet. They have been taking part in regular training in everything from how to Skype to how to shop online.
We were really pleased to receive the following letter from Margaret, one of the ladies in the group, detailing what she has got out of the project so far and what she learned in the lessons. It makes for a very inspiring read and reveals just how much getting online can change someone’s life.
Here’s what she said:
“There have been twelve people from Helena schemes on the course. They ranged from complete beginners, to having some knowledge of computers. I would say no one would be classed as overly proficient at the start, and even now, there is still a lot to be learnt. We have only touched the tip of the iceberg.
Some highlights have been:
Setting up email and having family contact each other.
Having Skype so we can make free video phone calls to friends and family from next door to half way around the world. Some of us have family in the armed forces that we will now be able to keep in touch with, especially with Christmas coming up. Our schemes are also able to link up with Skype.
Finding out that we can watch movies, catch up on TV we have missed, and listen to music on our laptops while at home, or even in bed. The versatility we have in our laptops, so now if visiting our family for a few days, we can take them with us, and use them to stay in touch whilst visiting, and not have to take time up on our relatives’ computers.
Using the Helena partnerships blog to keep up to date on what is happening within our housing schemes, and seeing photos of what events have been taking place. Also, it has an activities guide so we can see what each scheme has on and attend if we want. There is even a way to leave comments or ask questions.
Using YouTube and Google maps to visit places we have been in the past, maybe for a holiday or even going back to when we had our honeymoon. One lady visited Scarborough on Google maps, and remembered the area she had stayed in for her honeymoon, then when she got closer, she found the actual hotel and was able to look at it from outside and then look it up on the web and see what it looks like now, as it is still a hotel!
We are finding out how to book holidays, travel, and look for bargains. We are also finding out how to check our supermarket receipts to see if we have a voucher coming back from our shopping to use next time. Quite a few of us fancy ordering our shopping online for when the weather turns bad, so we won’t have to risk slipping in the ice and snow, after last year’s bad winter. The cost of the delivery is easily offset against the bus/taxi fares it would normally cost. We can stay warm, and they will even bring it inside for us!
The Internet is just such an amazing place…it doesn’t matter how obscure the thing you want to look for, somewhere, someone has written an article, or put a photo or video of it up there.
One of our ladies discovered there was a crochet site, now she is printing off free patterns and others are remembering how to crochet using the online videos that show you step by step how to crochet or do any number of other hobbies or crafts.
We can use Google Arts project to visit museums and art galleries around the world, walk around the galleries, or take a close up view of paintings. One chap at another scheme teaches art, and he uses the site to look at techniques and brush strokes, or just for inspiration. He also uses YouTube to watch painting videos and how to paint techniques.
Our tutor, Kathy Suddick, is full of enthusiasm, and uses the tuition time to show us what we want to learn, and rather than try to show everyone exactly the same thing, tailors it to our needs and interests and abilities. She is very popular and has taught at two of our schemes, and is regularly asked back. She originally came to teach the Get Digital course last year, and is now teaching computing to the elderly around the area. She is very patient, and will always show us again and again if we have forgotten or not quite got it the first time. Kathy has a great sense of humour, and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed their time with her. We just wish we had more funding so we could have her back to continue the good work she has started.”
