Age Action Ireland

Getting Started Programme

As part of our fight against digital exclusion, Age Action's Getting Started programme delivers training on computers, the internet and mobile phones to people over the age of 55. In the last four years over 6,000 people have been trained in 12 counties by almost 1,000 volunteer tutors. The training is on a one-to-one and classes take place in libraries, community centres, family resource centres, corporate offices, and housing complexes for older people. Funding has come from a variety of sources – currently the main sponsors are private corporations, charitable foundations and Dublin City Council. The Gettings Started programme, like many in the voluntary sector, is run on a shoestring. Until last year a large part of the funding came from central government digital inclusion programmes but this funding ended in October 2010. At present, classes are run in Dublin, Galway, East Cork and West Waterford.

Getting Started is a training programme for older people to encourage and help them to use computers, the Internet and mobile phones. Classes are run by volunteer tutors with small groups of learners, in local, non formal learning settings.

We have designed training material suitable for older people and learners who need plenty of support and encouragement. Our training guide ‘Simple Steps to Success: A Guide to Using Computers’ provides very basic, practical guidance for people new to computers and the Internet. Our “Mobile Phone Training: A Guide to Using Mobile Phones” is a guide for learning to use a mobile phone.

All our tutors are volunteers. Almost 1,000 volunteers have been involved with the programme, people of all ages, from all walks of life who want to share their skills with older people. Volunteers teach people the basics of computer use, how to search the Internet, how to set up an email account and how to send and receive emails. Computer courses run for 4 to 8 weeks, one session per week and classes are between one to two hours in duration.

If you would like more information on the Getting Started programme or would like to get involved, please contact Pauline Power or Robert Carroll 01 475 6989 or email gettingstarted@ageaction.ie

Research Summary on Getting Started Programme