Need for Technology Peer Coaching

Helping people master new technologies and improving Internet literacy has been a long standing objective for the Social Development Centre information services. Our experience demonstrates that the need is far greater than the offer of technology training. This is especially true for the older adult population that needs simple, slow-paced and guided coaching to be able to gain basic computer and Internet skills. 

On the other hand, our experience in hosting "Getting Something Good out of this New Technology" workshops at the First United Church and our ConnectKW training, tell us that there would be older adults willing to share what they know and help others get connected through new technologies. 

We have free technology training in libraries in Kitchener-Waterloo, we have a monthly free technology peer drop in sessions at the Downtown Community Centre with Bits and Bytes Computer Club, and we wish to fill the need for sustained free peer-coaching for older adults who need it.

The First United Church in Waterloo and KW AccessAbility staff and volunteers have joined the project in a number of ways:

•Advisory Group to guide the project development

•Design and delivery of the adapted technology training for 55+ peer coaches

Find out more about the process we co-designed to implement the initiative in the Peer-Coach Guidebook.

For more information about the project, contact Aleksandra Petrovic at
aleksandra@waterlooregion.org or at 519-579-1096/*3009. 

The project is funded by the Ministry Responsible for Seniors Affairs of Ontario.