BRISBANE SENIORS ONLINE
WE NEED YOU!
NEW COMPUTER LEARNERS VOLUNTEER COMPUTER MENTORS Brisbane Seniors OnLine provides affordable oneon-one tuition for seniors and over 50s in your own home using your own computer. We can help you: • Learn how to send emails and photos • Keep in touch using social media apps like Facebook • Become more confident with your computer with your computer, tablet or smart phone • Ensure your computer is secure and much more! An initial joining fee of $20 and an annual membership of $45 covers 12 months support (12 x 1 hour home tuition) by a BSOL volunteer mentor. To find out more, contact our office on :
(07) 3393 2225 or visit - www.bsol.asn.au - Facebook.com/BrisbaneSeniorsOnline
Supported by the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund & Cr Steve Toomey, The Gap Ward The Western Echo September 2021 Page 18
BSOL in need of Volunteer Mentors as Well as New Learners Brisbane Seniors Online is a not-for-profit community group that has been operating in the Greater Brisbane area for just over 20 years. We provide home tuition to seniors and over 50s on computers and the internet on devices running Windows and Android operating systems. We also teach Apple devices and smart phones. Volunteer mentors provide this service to learners. Brisbane Seniors Online is made up of all volunteers who are unpaid. We currently need more Windows mentors but of course all mentors that can teach any system as well as new learners are welcome. Brisbane Seniors Online would like to thank Cr Steve Toomey, The Gap Ward for his financial support from the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund and for his ongoing support. Brisbane Seniors Online is always seeking more volunteer mentors for most areas of the Greater Brisbane area including a need in The Gap and adjoining areas. Mentors who can confidently tutor Apple devices including iPhones are particularly needed. New learners are always sought and welcome to join and get assistance with their computing and internet needs. As learners are seniors and over 50, ideally mentors need to be around the same age and able to communicate with those learners empathetically so that learners benefit from the home lessons. Tuition is provided on the learners own computer, in their own home and at a pace that suits them using empathetic volunteer mentors. The 2016 Census shows that there were 692,155 over 50s in the Greater Brisbane area. We would like to encourage them to become learners or volunteer as mentors. Social isolation and mental health as a result are important things that being computer literate can assist with by way of contacting relatives and friends. Brisbane Seniors Online can help computer and internet users how to confidently use technology and avoid any risks. With the move away from shop fronts and face to face service directed towards doing more online, Brisbane Seniors Online can provide help on this process. Government agencies like Services Australia (formerly Centrelink) discourage clients visiting offices and encourage the use of MyGov to deal with them. Brisbane Seniors Online also has a digital photography group that meets monthly and has regular photographic excursions around Brisbane.Volunteer mentors receive and initial induction then support through the monthly Mentor Support Special Interest group and some ongoing training from time to time. The tuition provided by Brisbane Seniors Online involved a one-off joining fee of $20 and an affordable fee of $45 for as a guide 12 hours of home lessons. Once this has been completed, learners are entitled to ongoing support for the balance of their membership year. This translates to about $5.40 a lesson excluding the ongoing support which is covered in the yearly membership. Contact Brisbane Seniors Online at 3393 2225 or go to www.bsol.asn.au or via Facebook.com/BrisbaneSeniorsOnline website: http://www.westernecho.com.au
