Age Concern and BT organise Myfriends Online week
Age Concern and BT are working together to organise the Myfriends Online week to widen awareness of the advantages to older people of social networking.
Myfriends Online Week begins on 16 March and events are being held throughout the UK to provide taster sessions to meet the demand for more information about online networking for silver surfers.
Age Concern says that, far from reducing contact with other people - a common concern among older people - social networking sites have very clear benefits, particularly for people feeling isolated or lonely. Their research has shown that more than two thirds of silver surfers say using the internet has improved their lives. Many novice users say they are keen to understand more about social networking as a means of staying in touch with friends and family, and meeting people with similar interests.
BT has been working in partnership with Age Concern since 2005 to tackle social exclusion among older people by promoting digital inclusion. Through a grant award scheme, BT has already been able to support events which encourage older people to get online and learn basic computer skills.
BT Group inclusion programme manager Simon Paul said: "Myfriends online events provide a great way for older people to learn about social networking. This reflects the fact that more older people are comfortable with computers and the internet and now want to learn more.”
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