Online help for older people in Ross

Free and friendly one-to-one help with using online services is available every Tuesday morning at Ross library. Volunteers from Age UK Wyvern offer a regular drop-in session for older people wanting to use the internet on their phone, tablet or laptop.

Caroline Savage runs the service and is encouraging any older person in the Ross area to give it a go, “The sessions, which run from 10am-12pm every week, provide one to one support for anyone wanting advice about using the internet. We know that many people are put off using IT because they are frightened by stories they hear about ID theft and scams or are simply embarrassed because they don’t know what to do. We’d really like to reassure people that we are happy to help with any problem, no matter how small. No question is seen as silly.”

A range of volunteers staff the digital café each week. Clare Hunter came to the role because, though she is currently a stay-at-home mum, she wanted to use her background in IT and have a chance to meet people. “People are amazed by what they can find out online with a bit of help,” she explains. “We’ve had all sorts of queries – swapping from one phone to another, booking train tickets, organising emails, sorting photos into albums. A lot of people get emails that they are worried about and very sensibly don’t open them but bring them to us for advice. We’ve stopped a lot of people from falling victim to online scams. But on the other hand, we’ve helped people who were too scared to use the internet because they worried about security.”

David Sheppard and Fenny Smith also volunteer at the café. Fenny described how people are frequently “going round and round in circles” trying to complete online forms. “So much of life is online these days but this can make it really hard for people who aren’t used to it. A lot of older people haven’t been taught how to use the internet and didn’t have to deal with it when they were working, but now they’re expected to use it as part of every-day life. We talk them through the process and help them develop new skills to make things easier for them. A while ago I helped a lady set up online shops. She didn’t have a car and was struggling to carry heavy grocery bags on the bus. Now she can order groceries and get them delivered to her door.”

New volunteers, as well as new clients, are always welcome.