Schools for Silver Surfers: others please copy!
Posted in Learning, Schools, Silver Surfers
The residents of local sheltered housing and students from Chesham High School, Year 12 and 13, combined to form a learning and teaching unit for senior citizens to communicate on the World Wide Web and gain IT skills.
This project has been facilitated with the help of Paradigm Housing, Digital Unite and Virgin Media.
The project has had a number of positive outcomes: senior citizens can communicate with their families often spread across the globe, improving intergenerational skills for young people and senior citizens alike and generally bringing the local community together.
Chris Morris, a Year 13 student, leaving soon to go to Loughborough University to study IT and Business, thinks it is important to keep the project going by mentoring the current Year 12s so that they can continue the Buddy Scheme and allow for a smooth handover.
Joan Metcalfe, a resident at Cromwell House , is benefitting from the drop-in slots available through the scheme to increase confidence in using the computer. With most of her family in Canada, this is proving to be a vital link.
Copag Members (Chesham Older Persons Positive Action Group) attend also as Buddies to the scheme and also have access to the computers in the Housing Scheme on Thursday afternoon.
We hope to continue with this blog on a monthly basis to keep everyone updated as to the progress of the project.
Contributions from: Cromwell House residents (Pam Gomm, Joan Metcalfe), Chesham High School (Chris Morris, Siobhan Bygate) and Copag (Peter Woods, Mora Walker).
March 30th, 2009 gilladams | 4 Comments »
March 30th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Here is a link to a news story about Bernadette Hedger, one of the older ‘students’, now romping along with her storytelling project: http://dragonland.notlong.com
April 7th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I think the idea of schools is great but although I would like to get involved travel to the only one possible is Swindon and that is miles away.
It is certainly too far for older people round here
I helped out at a local Age Concern and would like to do the same closer to home. Organise a group perhaps.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Dave, have you tried your local primary school? Here’s an inspiring video:
http://dnc.digitalunite.com/2009/03/17/quick-video-why-ssd-is-great-for-kids-and-grown-ups/
May 5th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
[...] Chesham High School’s commitment to older learners and IT, goes from strength to strength (see earlier posting here ). [...]