As a mother of teenagers, I’ve observed that while Gen Z and millennials are adept with technology due to their exposure to advanced tools like cell phones, the internet, and social media, many older adults and seniors still struggle with basic mobile devices and feel overwhelmed by apps and social media platforms.
To address this, my children and their friends began planning a project. In August 2024, we conducted basic and intermediate training sessions on devices such as cell phones, tablets, and laptops for seniors and adults. We held these sessions at a local church for three Tuesday evenings, each lasting two hours. We promoted the initiative through word-of-mouth and posters. The digital literacy project provided personalized 1-on-1 training and was open to all adult community members. It was not only seniors who attended, but also some younger adults. We believe this helped them improve their digital skills in a comfortable and safe environment where they could ask any questions they had.
Additionally, the sessions served as valuable volunteer opportunities for the youth, allowing them to stay socially connected and contribute meaningfully to the community during their summer break. A particularly pleasant surprise was the enthusiasm our youth showed during neighborhood visits to distribute posters, despite the warm weather. Their excitement and dedication made the experience memorable. During our debriefing, it was noted that many youth felt they learned a lot themselves while teaching others. The sessions required them to use their problem-solving skills on the spot when faced with unexpected questions. We are very grateful to NSG for their support of this project.
