Seniors getting tech savvy with the Camden Haven Community College

AS a retired tradesperson and lifelong fisherman, Rod Jordan is confident in his hands-on skills, but computers have never played a significant role in his life.

Consequently, when he and his wife Leonie relocated to Camden Haven from Victoria last year and commenced transitioning licences and memberships to New South Wales, he found himself unprepared for the volume of things that needed to be done online.

“We’ve never owned a computer, never needed to,” Rod said.

“Then we moved and suddenly different agencies were asking us to fill in forms online and send through masses of documents.

“We were trying to do it on our phones, but we didn’t know what we were doing which made it even harder.”

This is an issue that Hayley Proudfoot, Lifestyle Coordinator at Camden Haven Community College, is very familiar with through the Tech Savvy Seniors (TSS) program the college has been facilitating since 2016.

Funded by NSW Department of Communities and Justice in partnership with Telstra, the free classes for seniors are designed to bridge the gap in technology knowledge for the older generation.

“Every week we have at least six people calling into the office asking for someone to come to their house and help them with computer problems or to update mobile phone apps, and unfortunately this is not a service we are in a position to offer,” Hayley told News Of The Area.

“A common problem is paperwork for hospital admissions; these all must be done online and if local residents don’t have friends or family to help them, they find it very challenging.

“Our local demographics mean that TSS is the most valuable asset that we have in the lifestyles space.”

The courses cover Apple and Android phones, tablets, email and windows, with a Cyber Security course offered for the first time this term.

Most courses have waiting lists with many people attending more than once.

By Rachael THORPE