United Kingdom: Silver Surfers Set To "Catch the Wave"
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-12-05 16:44:06
United Kingdom: Silver Surfers Set To "Catch the Wave"
Not many of us think twice these days about using the Internet, but for many older adults, it’s still a challenge. This is unfortunate for several reasons. Many homebound seniors feel isolated, and e-mail offers them a way to stay in touch with friends and family-members. In addition, less-mobile older adults could use the Internet for shopping, while for others, it could provide useful information on government services and programs.
Recognizing this, Business in the Community (BITC), in partnership with the Northern Ireland e-Government Unit, created a national day dedicated to teaching older adults how to use the Internet. BITC organizes Silver Surfer Day and Awards Program as part of their efforts to bring on-line technology to people in Northern Ireland, an area in which roughly half of population has never accessed the Internet.
On this year’s Silver Surfer Day, BITC corporate members gave more than 500 older adults a free tutorial on using the Internet, showing many how to open e-mail accounts and find helpful information. Because the event was held on VE Day, volunteers also encouraged veterans to recount their World War II experiences and submit their stories to the BBC Peoples War website (www.bbc.co.uk/ww2).
Two individuals received this year’s Silver Surfer awards. Patricia Parr, a B&B; manager, won an award for using the Internet to make reservations and maintain contact with guests. John McCullagh received an award for his creation of an interactive, revenue-generating website in which online visitors are encouraged to share their life experiences and reminisce.
For more information visit, Business in the Community (BITC) Northern Ireland, www.comm.unityNI.org.uk
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