A new age of understanding

A groundbreaking project launched by Age UK North Craven is aiming to bring people of different ages together while also increasing the number of older people able to use the internet in the local community.

Supported by Nominet Trust, and working in partnership with local schools, the library service and other organisations, Age UK North Craven is looking to provide safe and friendly environments in which individual, supported learning can take place.

Increasing confidence all round

Local schools will provide use of their computer suites and pupils will take on the role of IT tutors. They will work on a one-to-one basis with their own older, but far less confident and knowledgeable, ‘pupils’.

By facilitating young tutors to teach internet skills to people in later life, this innovative intergenerational project will hopefully enhance the lives of both young and old.

Older people will have the opportunity to learn a variety of computer skills, enabling them to access online services and communicate with distant friends and family. The schoolchildren meanwhile – many of whom have limited or no contact with grandparents – will gain confidence from their ‘teaching’ role and see real worth in intergenerational activities. The charity hopes they will carry this experience forward into volunteering in the future.

Sharing good practice and expertise

Age UK North Craven will also work in partnership with local library services, using their premises and equipment free of charge to provide one-to-one IT tuition for older people. This will help to ensure that the service actively involves the local community and is supported by both the volunteers and the service users themselves.

Once it is up and running, the project will see the sharing of good practice and expertise across North Yorkshire to help build the capacity of the wider community to better provide for older and vulnerable people going forward.