Project:	Computer Training
Project Name:	Coaching Residents of the Lutheran Retirement Homes
User Group Name:	NorthWest Apple Pickers (NWAP)
Location:	Lakewood,WA

WHAT we do

Project Description:
NorthWest Apple Pickers (NWAP) is an Apple Macintosh User Group, active in Tacoma - Pierce County, WA, and beyond. In 2004 the club responded to an opportunity to serve the community outside of our normal format of two monthly meetings at The Lakeview Senior Center.

One of our long-term members, a former officer of the club, became aware of a growing interest in Macintosh computers in a group of residents of a retirement residential community. For various reasons it did not seem to be appropriate to enroll these folks in our club for participation in our standard patterns of activity. We did have several members who were able and willing to act as coaches, and the retirement community included an activity center suitable for small group meetings.

We have developed a workable format for one or two meetings per month at the Mortvedt Center in North Tacoma. From one to four coaches are able to attend for several hours in the morning on alternate Fridays to assist one or more new computer users learning the mysteries of both current and older Macintosh operating systems and applications. This is consistent with the fact that several of our student Seniors are using older hardware donated by family members, while others have obtained equipment which is capable of using the most up-to-date versions of the software. The subjects for discussion are student-driven, rather than pre-ordained by any particular curriculum.

Now that this program has been active for several months, it is gratifying that most of the students have joined our club, although this was not made a prerequisite for participation. We have also established that students need not be residents of the Lutheran Retirement Homes, although the Mortvedt center has to be booked for meetings by a resident.

Our club has always tried to provide individual coaching by request, and this outreach to the community is consistent with that goal. NWAP has benefited by gaining several new members, who might never have found us without this effort by interested club members.