Seniors get savvy with technology for NSW Seniors Week
Minister for Ageing Andrew Constance today encouraged seniors to take advantage of the FREE technology workshops being presented during 2013 NSW Seniors Week.
“The Telstra and NSW Government’s Tech Savvy Seniors program continues its mission to engage older Australians with technology through free workshops and training sessions at the NSW State Library and Telstra’s Sydney Icon store during NSW Seniors’ Week,” Mr Constance said.
“The sessions held during the week are just part of this unique partnership designed to help seniors understand how to use technology to stay connected with friends and family and engage with communities through social media,” Mr Constance said.
Led by ‘The Gadget Guy’, Peter Blasina and Soren Hemingway, the free sessions will include tailored workshops on how to navigate the internet using the iPad, banking and shopping online and staying safe online.
Chief Customer Officer Gordon Ballantyne said Telstra’s commitment to helping Australians benefit from new communications technologies goes beyond the free sessions during Senior’s Week.
“To celebrate Senior’s Week and our commitment to ensuring all Australians enjoy the benefits of being connected we will hold the first of many FREE technology sessions in our Sydney Icon store each month, and begin the roll out of the Tech Savvy Seniors training to regional and rural communities across NSW.
“The digital age presents wonderful opportunities – such as staying in touch with family, friends and making new friends through social media. The convenience of smartphones and computers means access to online shopping, paying bills and banking, planning holidays and connection to the wider community has never been easier.”
“The new “Knowledge Hub” in Telstra’s Icon store in Sydney is a place where seniors can explore and connect with technology in a comfortable, relaxed environment and at their own pace,” Mr Ballantyne said.
The Tech Savvy Seniors partnership was announced earlier this year and will be delivered through over 100 Community Colleges and selected libraries and other organisations across the state.
The program will also make available our self-help Tech Savvy Seniors DVDs to all libraries across NSW to help reach those who are not yet online. These DVDs will also be distributed to all key organisations such as the Council of the Ageing, to extend out the reach to as many seniors across the state as possible.
Easy-to-follow training videos are now available for viewing FREE through the NSW Government’s Ageing, Disability and Home Care website (www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/ageing), and the Telstra website (www.telstra.com/seniors). These websites also contain information on the Tech Savvy Seniors courses that will be run by Community Colleges, public libraries and other organisations in the months ahead.
NSW Seniors Week is celebrated between Sunday 17 – Sunday 24 March with hundreds of events held across NSW encouraging seniors to Live Life!
To attend the FREE technology workshops at the State Library of NSW call (02) 9273 1605.
Telstra Knowledge Hub is open Mon 18 – Fri 22 March from 10am – 4pm, Level 1, 400 George Street, Sydney and is also FREE, no booking necessary.