Technically Speaking

Mentors helping seniors become computer savvy

- Karen Stiller

WINNIPEG'S MURRAY DUFTON could muddle his way around a computer. The 75-year-old often used one as a project manager in northern Manitoba. But since he retired, he couldn't quite keep up with rapidly changing technology. In early 2021, he spotted an e-newsletter in his inbox from a local community centre. Connected Canadians, an Ottawa-based organization that went national during the pandemic, provided senior citizens with tech help from volunteer mentors. To Dufton, it sounded like a great opportunity.

Emily Jones Joanisse, 42, and Tasneem Damen, 38, decided to start Connected Canadians in 2018. The pair of friends found it rewarding to help the seniors in their lives overcome tech challenges. Joanisse, who is director of experiential learning at Carleton University's Innovation Hub, and Damen, an independent software architect, wondered, what if they could scale that support? Our goal is to teach seniors how to search for information and to learn,” says Joanisse, and then to become confident in their ability to pick up new technology skills on their own.