| Project: |
Computer Training for Senior Citizens |
| User Group Name: |
Big Bear Computer Club |
| Location: |
Big Bear Lake, CA |
WHAT we do
Project Description:
We provide computer training for the area's senior citizen community in
partnership with the Senior Citizen Center of Big Bear Valley. This program was
established in 2000 but was discontinued two years ago. In May of this year
2004, we re-established this tutoring program. The response from the senior
community has been overwhelming. This program is administered free of charge to
the senior citizen community.
It's a mountain community with 20,000 residents that have no other resource in
getting computer training; thereby, the computer tutoring has become a very
essential part of the community. Senior citizens are taking advantage of this
community service provided by the Computer Club. Members of the community
attend these classes to enhance their learning experience for work, school and
just personal use.
How we will use award money:
If the Big Bear Computer Club wins monies through the Jerry Award 2004, we would
use the monies for a laptop to be used at the Big Bear Senior Center to work
with more updated software.
The two computers located at the Senior Center have Windows 98, which is a good
learning program, but some of the seniors being tutor, are buying computers with
updated software, which they want to learn how to use. The Senior Center
computers are good to learn the basics in computing but we cannot tutor much
further than that. To overcome this handicap, one of our male tutors goes to
the home of the seniors who need to learn their own personal computer software.
The rest of us (females) do not feel comfortable going to people's homes to
tutor.
A laptop computer would be a great asset for our tutors to bring the 2004
technology to the senior citizens who are willing to learn how to use their
computers. We realize that the monies awarded would not cover for a laptop but
we are willing to conduct fundraisers and earn the rest of the monies.
HOW we do what we do
How we do it at the Senior Citizen Center:
- We established a sign-up sheet at the Senior Center for computer training.
The Senior Citizen Center has two computers, so we can only tutor two seniors
citizens at a time because of the lack of computers.
- Each Senior Citizen is asked to sign-up, leave their phone number and what
they want to be tutored on, i.e. beginner computer training, internet access,
email training, word processing, and digital camera usage, etc.
- One of the tutors will be assigned two senior citizens who are looking for
the same type of training.
- They are given four one-hour training sessions (sometimes more) and they can
return and sign up for more sessions.
- Each of the Senior Citizens will be given handouts to practice at home on
their designated tutoring material depending on what they want to learn.
- The Big Bear Senior Citizen Board presented the Computer Club tutors with a
Certificate of Recognition for their tutoring at the Senior Center.
- Training materials can be obtained by going to the following sites:
