Home help in Knowle West
November 13, 2006 Posted by Woodsy in : Education, Bristol, South Bristol, e-society, Mentoring, Learning, Skills , 1 comment so farInnovative developments just seem to keep happening south of the Avon with news that Knowle West Web and Future Learning have succeeded in securing funding to employ a part-time tutor to teach Knowle West Web users and residents in their own homes how to surf the internet and use email, as well as answering any technical queries they may have.
The scheme’s promoters are also keen to know what other things Knowle West Webbers want to learn, since plenty of courses are available locally, along with information, advice and guidance that may be of use to potential learners.
Anyone interested in tuition is asked to get in touch by calling free on 08000 24 24 00 or filling in the Knowle West Web contact form.
Fresh Six Young People's Festival
November 10, 2006 Posted by Clare in : Community Media, Media, Events, Skills , 1 comment so far
Connecting Bristol will be facilitating a blogging, YouTube and Flickr demo from 11 - 1pm on Saturday as part of Fresh Six, a young people’s film festival taking place at Watershed this weekend.
Go to the Fresh Six website for more info on the programme which includes a special chance to preview the new Planet Earth Series, opportunities to meet and talk to the makers of television programmes and a showcase of films made by young filmmakers in the South West.
Correspondence with Ronnie Corbett
October 31, 2006 Posted by Woodsy in : Digital Challenge, Wireless, Bristol, Regeneration, e-society, Mentoring, Learning, Skills , 3 commentsBristol Wireless has recently received an email from Ronnie Corbett, warden of Princess Royal Gardens in Redfield, where they installed an LTSP suite of allegedly ‘redundant’ computers in the residents’ common room. Ronnie now wishes to reach out to the local community and invite them in, where the resident mentoring team of silver surfers will be on hand to assist. The text of Ronnie’s email is reproduced below:
“I am writing on behalf of a group of elderly people in sheltered housing seeking education through lifelong learning, who have been assisted by Bristol Wireless and the Bristol Quartet to set up computer suites in several sheltered housing schemes that enable us to seek out information on any subject and in addition to obtain and have access to the same information as everyone else.
“Our wish is to share our use of the internet service and computer suite with the wider community and also to use the computers to connect and contact our neighbouring communities across Bristol and the world so as to enhance our lives and the lives of our fellow elderly people, regardless of their colour, creed, political persuasion or sexual preference.
“Much has already been achieved, but before we can invite those members of the wider community into Princess Royal Gardens, it will be necessary to make safe and hide all the wiring behind trunking and all the work that entails. We need funding to do this, which forms the next part of this worthwhile project. Bristol Quartet has already kindly provided grant aid to train 16 elderly people in the use of computers. Those 16 people have in turn acted as mentors, passing on what they have learnt to some thirty others and brought people together in a contented atmosphere of integration.
“The people who will benefit are the elderly, i.e. over 55s, plus anyone who may need help or who is lonely and isolated, any who are referred to us and who would wish to join us at times and dates to be arranged. This would also include anyone who fits the criterion of over 55 and who just wishes to be somewhere with people of their own age. We have no barrier to grandchildren. In fact, we welcome and encourage the children to help Gran or Granddad to use the computers effectively.
“Trusting that you feel our plea for funding is a worthy one, we thank you in anticipation and say thank you for all your previous help.
Yours sincerely
Ronald Corbett
Scheme Manager, Princess Royal Gardens”
If you feel you can help Ronnie, please feel free to call him on 07769882803 or email him.
Technology - an age thing? Some random thoughts
October 9, 2006 Posted by Woodsy in : Education, Digital Challenge, e-society, Learning, Skills, jobs , 1 comment so farToday The Register has a thought-provoking article about youth, age and technology. Its speculates how will the jobs market cope with accommodating both the less technically gifted older workers (presumably those in their 50s like yours truly) with the influx of younger workers who have grown up with the PC/web/instant messenging/blogging/mashing culture of the 21st century. Another factor discussed is the frequent over-estimation of the IT skills of older workers by employers.
Needless to say, this got me thinking.
From my perspective the situation is not as simplistic as the author of The Register article seems to believe. True, there are plenty of older workers whose IT skills leave much to be desired. On the other hand, there’s a large group of graduates who had their first experience of computing over 3 decades ago - and I’m not referring solely to the first wave of computer science graduates. I’m a modern languages graduate, but my alma mater in its infinite wisdom decided we should study additional subjects so that we did not get too specialised. In the 2nd year this was ‘computer appreciation’. Yes, a bunch of language students was let loose to play with the college mainframe - a large beast kept in its own air-conditioned space, with disc drives standing 1 metre tall, and with which one communicated by keyboard or punch cards. (more…)
