Watch out kids – pretty soon your grandparents will be teaching you a few tricks about modern technology.
After starting up in the Wairarapa in 2018, and expanding into Auckland in 2023, with 1200 seniors receiving their free tech support, Digital Seniors are thrilled to have launched on the Kāpiti coast.
You can find them at the Paraparaumu Library on Thursday mornings from 10am to 12 noon.
Mel Haarer leads the Kāpiti volunteer coaching team for Digital Seniors and says the service deals with a very wide range of enquiries about use of phones, iPads, laptops, tablets and any other technology you have at hand.
“We have only been in Kāpiti a couple of weeks and already there is plenty of interest,” says Mel.
“The service is completely free to seniors and the volunteer coaching team are very friendly and helpful and of course very knowledgeable about the various devices being used.”
Mel says Digital Seniors is running a one year pilot program starting at the Paraparaumu Library with the prospect of rolling the service out to other places across Kāpiti.
She says one of the reasons for the success of the service is that seniors receive free one-on-one coaching and support using their devices in a positive, fun and social environment.
“We want our seniors to feel empowered and enabled with technology.”
“Quite often people are having trouble with their devices and this frequently involves a simple fix from one of our volunteer coaches. Mostly, Digital Seniors can support your journey in exploring the internet, staying up to date with news, connecting with loved ones, shopping online and much more.”
Mel says another important aspect of the service is the way it socially connects people. “It’s about providing a sense of purpose and wellbeing that comes from being socially connected and we are really pleased to assist in that.”
Mel says the Digital Seniors team are very grateful to the Kāpiti Library staff at Paraparaumu for hosting them every Thursday.
“The Library has been great and made us very welcome, and Volunteer Kāpiti have also been very supportive. We have a top team of volunteer coaches who offer expert advice and we couldn’t provide the service without them.”
For more on Digital Seniors see: www.digitalseniors.co.nz, call 0800 373 646 or better still pop into the Paraparaumu Library next Thursday from 10am to 12 noon.
