Pam Prouse with Cyprezz Manukau-Atkins and Darlaney Hina-Pauro at Age Concern's connection programme. Photo / Lucy Drake
Pam Prouse with Cyprezz Manukau-Atkins and Darlaney Hina-Pauro at Age Concern's connection programme. Photo / Lucy Drake
Whanganui's younger generation are helping their elders grapple with technology as part of a voluntary programme.
A free programme hosted by Age Concern Whanganui saw 10 Whanganui City College students working alongside seven individuals to provide assistance.
The needs varied from person to person with some needing help downloading anapp, sending an email or adding and deleting contacts on their phones.
Age Concern Whanganui manager Michelle Malcolm said Age Concern used to run a group session that helped older people with technology and had been thinking of a way to restart it.
She heard about City College's Iwi Whanui programme where junior students go out into the community to volunteer their time helping others and thought it would tie in nicely.
"We are aware people may not be as savvy on their phone so it's for people that don't know how to use their phone and individual needs because the students are all quite tech-savvy."
She said the first session had been fantastic and proved very beneficial for the individuals who came.
Pam Prouse wanted help to send messages, set up a voicemail and set up and learn how to use the What's Up app on her phone to stay connected to her friend when she travels overseas.
Cyprezz Manukau-Atkins and Darlaney Hina-Pauro teamed up to help Prouse with her phone. She found it very useful and said she would return in the following weeks to learn more.
Jack Cutelli helped Graham Foster to set up a voicemail on his phone that would inform people to text him rather than leave a voicemail.
Foster said he would return in the coming weeks if he needed help with other devices and to learn more about Wi-Fi.
Dargen Wood was helping a womanto add and delete contacts on her phone and, although deleting contacts was proving difficult, he said he was really enjoying being able to help.
City College principal Peter Kaua said the hour-long programme was proving beneficial for not only the individuals but the students.
Pam Prouse found the afternoon very useful as Cyprezz Manukau-Atkins and Darlaney Hina-Pauro taught her how to use different apps on her phone. Photo / Lucy Drake
He said a few of the students who are usually shy sat down and started talking to the individuals and became very social willing to help.
"There's a reciprocation happening here, there's that respect. That's what we try to instil in our students. It's all about making an impression."
Malcolm said the students were meeting people they would not necessarily have met before.
The group of students will return every week on a Friday afternoon for the first school term. The programme will then be assessed as to whether it will continue.
Anyone is welcome to attend the sessions; they do not need to be a member of Age Concern. They will be required to bring their own technology so they can learn how their own system works.
The second session will be held from 2pm-3pm on Friday, March 13, at Age Concern Whanganui. To register for a session call Age Concern on 06 345 1799.
