Silver Surfers become Golden Gliders to bridge digital divide

Angus sheltered housing residents surfing the Internet

Sheltered housing residents in Angus are being taught to surf the net in a unique project to help bridge the digital divide - thanks to in-house training provided by Angus Council's Angus Gold 50+ project, with backing from BT Scotland and support from The Scottish Executive who is supporting the project with £460,000 over two years.

BT Scotland enabled several sheltered housing complexes with broadband allowing residents to go on-line and learn basic IT skills, despite having no previous computer experience.

Mary Franchi (75), who lives at Kirriemuir's Glebe Court, explained "I used to be a shorthand typist in my younger days but I have never used a computer and was a bit scared to start with. Now I can send e-mails to an old school friend who lives in Vancouver.

"...It's absolutely wonderful to think that you can send a letter to a friend on the other side of the world and get a reply the same day!"

Her neighbour, May Milne (79), said: "I could do with more training but I've managed to use the computer to make birthday cards for my grandsons."

Doug Tonner, BT regional manager and a member of the Gold 50+ advisory group, said: "Access to information and communications technology can improve people's lives, which is why BT wants everyone to participate in the digital revolution, whatever their age.

"Thanks to the trainers, that techno-fear has gone. It just proves that you're never too old to get online and fear of the technology can be overcome with a little patience and good tuition."

Project co-ordinator Ann Craig said: "The year's free broadband access from BT has been terrific and has been a huge boon to us. Older people are a bit reluctant to go to libraries or community halls to learn computing skills, they want to learn ..in their own environment... Some of them are now so confident they have bought their own computers...although all of them originally thought that computers were just for young people..."

The Angus Gold 50+ Project is delivered by a small multi-disciplinary team that brings together staff from community learning and development, health and ICT backgrounds.

Silver Surfers become Golden Gliders to bridge digital divide

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