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Surfing the web across all ages at JJHT!
26 May 2010
Residents both young and old from across Moss Side and Withington, South Manchester came together to celebrate Silver Surfers day on Friday 21 May! The initiative to teach the elderly how to use computers and the internet was widely celebrated across the country.
“Johnnie” Johnson Housing Trust (JJHT) in conjunction with City South Manchester Housing Trust marked the Silver Surfers event in two sheltered schemes, Will Griffith House in Moss Side and JJHT Scheme, Le Bas House in Withington. An IT trainer was recruited for the day from Stockport College and brought five laptops along for the residents to share. Five younger residents who have formed a youth council from City South Housing sat with the older residents and assisted in showing them various activities from typing their names on the keypad to taking and then uploading digital photograph’s of themselves. Most residents that participated had never even switched a computer on before; the atmosphere at both events was wonderful as everybody was keen to learn!
Retirement resident at La Bas House, Gladys Beresford said, ‘I have always wanted to learn how to use the computer especially to do online banking. Today I learnt how to type my name, it has been truly fantastic and I am looking forward to learning how to email my Grandson!’
Silver Surfers day proved to be such a success that City South now plan to apply for funding from ‘Get Digital’ for their sheltered scheme, Will Griffith House. JJHT plan to roll out a further training programme at La Bas House in Withington along with introducing computers in other schemes across the Trust.
City South, Customer Involvement Manager, Phil Lukes said, ‘we have been delighted to join in with JJHT on Silver Surfers day! Resident participation was great; the computer training captured everyone’s interests, no one was afraid to ask questions even as simple as how to switch the computer on’.
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