A technology program has been developed to help older Australians make the right connections.
OLDER people living in the northern region will soon be able to learn how to get better connected in the digital world with the rollout of a technology training program.
The Tech Savvy Seniors program provides free or low-cost training in computers, smartphones and tablets, and will be rolled out further following a partnership between the state government and Telstra.
The program aims to bridge the gap between seniors who use technology and those who don’t, giving skills they can use to stay better connected to family, friends and the wider community, access information, and even re-enter the workforce.
Telstra Country Wide North West NSW general manager Tricia Wilson said there would be large-scale training, with a particular focus on rural and regional areas.
Community colleges and libraries across NSW will receive funding and training support, there will be online self-teach videos, the provision of free training materials, and libraries will receive self-teach DVDs to lend.
In NSW, just 53 per cent of older people have internet access at home and in regional areas, this figure drops to 49 per cent.
More than 15 per cent of people in the northern region are aged 65 or older.
Further details on the rollout of the program in the northern region are expected to be released during Seniors Week in March.