So does this sound familiar?

“Nani, I showed you that last week, for the tenth time, why cant you remember?”

Or how about this?

“I can’t right now, I’m busy”

Or how about?

“It’s really easy, why don’t you understand it?”

For many older people looking to family members for advice or help with their mobile phone or laptop this is exactly what they hear.

However, in turn, we hear:

“The younger generation go too fast, they do not have time for us”

And

“We are not stupid, we have learned complicated things, we just don’t understanding this bit and we are being forced to use it”

As well as

“This technology business is the future but we don’t know where to start”

All of this can make you stressed and when you are stressed it’s hard to concentrate and learn new things.

So we created the Mobile Phone Boot Camp; an opportunity for older people to go right back to basics and learn fundamentals such as changing settings, checking email, using maps or installing apps whilst practicing in small groups.

Even better, helping each other!

As the sun is starting to shine and we ease out of Winter, we want to take a little time out and thank our most recent funders for their support, allowing us to continue the work we do as well as to start some new projects over the next 6 months.

In chronological order, we thank

Cellnex Telecom: For supporting our work into Croydon via our Community Tech Support and Community Learning programme.

Good Things Foundation/ Scheinberg Relief Fund: For our Connect Up programme helping older people access the internet for the first time.

The London Community Foundation: To help us develop our digital programme for neurodiverse adults in Bromley.

Bromley Well/ BTSE: To pilot our Community Tech Support, Community Learning and Upcycling programme in North Bromley

Lambeth Together/ Norwood Forum: To continue our work into the immediate ward of Gipsy Hill

This funding allows us to build and deepen the core support we provide and improve the overall quality of what we do. By building our volunteer base and developing process we can also extend the opportunities we provide to the wider community.

THANK YOU

Following #socialprescribingweek, these picture sum up for us what both formal and informal Social Prescribing can look like in the community.

Helping an unpaid carer navigate many barriers and challenges with both digital technology and ‘the system’, our Community Tech Support Drop Ins are situated right where people are already seeking support, respite through the day or seeking connections.

The Platform Café and Loughborough Farm are not only perfect but NECESSARY partners for this work, providing the space, nutrition and a welcome to the spring ahead.

The mighty fine Lambeth Larder is ever-present providing access to broader information, advice & guidance directly for resident and for organization working with those in need.

Our Community Tech Support drop-ins provide digital support, access to fixing, provide a quiet and friendly space to practice and have a little time to learn something new. Many stop for a cup of tea and continue to come back.

By giving people the time and space to understand their challenges and a gentle push we believe that Community Tech Support is a crucial local service to help people be more digitally included.

We work to 3 principles

• Support is best placed where residents are already receiving other help or participating in activities.
• Small group and peer support, not only motivate, but can provide the best environment to learn new things or to get organized without it being too overwhelming.
• Traditional places of learning and ‘shiny new’ libraries can be intimidating.

It’s not surprising that many of our beneficiaries are directly referred by GPS, linkworkers, community builders, Mutual Aid, food banks and libraries across Lambeth, Southwark & Croydon.

We look forward to developing new relationships within the community network with BIG news beginning with ‘B’ coming very soon ……

We are at the following spaces every week:

• Tuesday 1.30- 30 Age UK Croydon, Thornton Heath
• Thursday 10.00 – 12.00 Platform Café, Loughborough Junction
• Friday 10.00 – 12.00 Upper Norwood Library Hub, Crystal Palace

Feel free to pop along with your questions or challenges!

If you would like to host one of our drop-ins in your Community Space – then contact us

We have been busy designing a new program which focuses on the fundamentals of getting online via a 6 week in-person course,  additional by additional online Zoom training and a new bi-weekly Zoom class to help find out about all the other local online activities you can access for free.

Not only that, you can access a device and data allowing you to participate.

For the last 2 and a half years we have specialised in working with older people, vulnerable adults and carers to help develop the skills they need.

We recognize that whilst there has been a lot of publicity surrounding the internet and being online during the pandemic, there are still many people who are still starting out or just to go over the basics again to be more confident in an informal environment.

So Connect Up is our stepping-stone course!

Supported by the Good Things Foundation and the Scheinberg Relief Fund our 6 week programme will also be supported by the re-launch of our online Zoom: Learning and practising the basics classes as well as a new bi-weekly Zoom class Community Connect which will be places to ask digital questions, practise zoom and to also find out about other local zoom class and activities.

More info to follow!

Our first course will commence Wednesday 2^nd March 10.00-12.00 at the Upper Norwood Library Hub and will run for 6 weeks.

This is suitable for beginners, those who may have used email a few times or attended some Zoom classes but aren’t very confident.

You can use a tablet or laptop for this course – we do have some to loan.

If you would like to sign up or speak to someone about this then contact us here or by phone on 07523 646 277.

Our Community Tech Support drop-ins are built on three principles:

• Support is best placed where residents are already receiving other help or participating in activities.
• Small group and peer support, not only motivate, but can provide the best environment to learn new things or to get organized without it being too overwhelming.
• Traditional places of learning and refurbished libraries can be intimidating

We try to address these as best we can via our free to access sessions.

Between September and December 2021 we supported a total of 83 residents across 3 regular venues in Crystal Palace, Thornton Heath and Loughborough Junction where we helped with a variety of different challenges including:

• Checking and refurbishing a ‘dormant’ laptop
• Setting up a new iPad and iPhone, transferring data via cloud storage.
• Setting up email addresses or unlocking online accounts
• Storage: moving and deleting files on phones / tablets and laptops
• Learning how to use a device and exploring settings and accessibility.
• Learning how to use word, copying and pasting and formatting.
• Using publisher to create a flyer for a new business start up
• Building confidence around sending and replying to emails
• Creating an account and making a first purchase online

Most importantly, however, we provided a quiet and friendly space to practice and have a little time to learn something new.

Our network of referring partners really help this initiative to work. With regular sign-posting by Age UK both in Croydon ad Lambeth, the Living Well Partnership, Croydon BME Forum, Disability Advice Services Lambeth, Croydon Mencap, Harbour Recovery Service and Bromley Well, to name a few, we have a regular stream of newcomers. Many stop for a cup of tea and then continue to come back.

By giving people the time and space to understand their challenges and a gentle push we believe that Community Tech Support is a crucial local service to help people be more digitally included.

We currently provide 3 weekly sessions in South London with more planned imminently.  

Weekly Community Tech Support 

TUESDAYS 1.30 – 3.30 Age UK Croydon Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath. 

THURSDAYS 10.00-12.00 Platform Café, Loughborough Junction. 

FRIDAYS 10 – 12 Upper Norwood Library Hub Crystal Palace 

We continue to provide remote support and home visits for referrals.