Insights + interviews
Empowering Active Agers To Surf
Active agers can now sign up for lessons that focus on skills necessary to adapt to the dynamic smartphone technology as well as learn about specific mobile applications.
Savvy Silvers, a campaign targeted at active agers aged 50 and above, aims to help them learn how to use their smartphones effectively, and subsequently, independently. The campaign was conceived by four final year students: Elissa Teo, Isadora Ong, Jaime Goh, and Sai Fengjia, from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), as part of their Final Year Project.
Based on a survey conducted last year, the team found that while 90.7% of 194 respondents currently use smartphones, 58.5% of them said that they had “little knowledge or skills” about their smartphones. In line with Singapore’s Digital Inclusion initiative and transformation to be a Smart Nation, the team embarked on this campaign to help bridge the gap and empower seniors to use their smartphones efficiently.
To achieve this, the team has identified five core skills that are important for the seniors to improve their adaptability to smartphones, and to give them the confidence to utilise their smartphones better. Dubbed the ‘core curriculum’, this is also what sets Savvy Silvers’ smartphone lessons apart from other IT lessons provided by various organisations.
Each week, Savvy Silvers’ smartphone lessons will focus on a single mobile application. The lessons will be three hours long, and its structure is as follows:
1. First hour: Core Curriculum – a. Data Usage Awareness
b. Identifying Universal Icons
c. Basic Phone Functions
d. How to Watch Tutorial Videos on Facebook
e. Cybersecurity
2. Second hour: Specific Mobile Application*
3. Third hour: My Singtel App and Practice Time
Each lesson will be led by a senior main trainer, assisted by both senior and youth facilitators. The ratio of facilitators to participants is projected to be at one is to two. In total, the team has recruited about 160 senior and youth volunteers to date.
Organisations Show Support
In conjunction with partner organisations – People’s Association Active Ageing Council (PA AAC), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), Singtel, Council for Third Age (C3A), Family Central, Mediacorp Toggle, and the National Youth Council – Savvy Silvers has successfully launched a series of smartphone lessons in Fengshan and Woodlands Community Centres (CC) on 9 January 2016. The campaign will end its run on 28 February 2016.
PA AAC, which promotes and encourages active ageing through grassroots initiatives, has played a vital role in enabling Savvy Silvers to come to fruition. As a ground-up initiative, Savvy Silvers complements the PA Wellness Programme in enriching the lives of seniors in the community. Mr Seah Hwee Kia, PBM, Chairman for PA Active Ageing Council added, “When seniors come together to learn new skills and hobbies like the Savvy Silvers, it enables them to incorporate IT in their lifestyle and also to make new friends and even go on to form interest groups among themselves. A key component of the PA Wellness Programme is to encourage our seniors to be involved in such interest groups so that they can look out for one another.”
Savvy Silvers smartphone lessons are largely driven by the Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors (SIWAs), an initiative by PA AAC and IDA since 2012. Through PA AAC and IDA, the team was able to reach out to about 38 SIWAs. These SIWAs are seniors who have embraced infocomm technology (ICT) to enhance their daily lives and inspired their peers to do the same. SIWAs involved in Savvy Silvers have taken on roles such as main trainers for the lessons, and facilitators to senior participants.
As of 21 January, the team has attracted a total of 210 sign ups for all 12 lessons. The team has received positive feedback from the participants. Ms Angelin Lie, 58, a participant at the first lesson, commented, “Learning how to use a smartphone requires constant practice, and I am glad that I learnt something new today. I also feel that these lessons would be helpful for my friends as some of them don’t know how to use their smartphones too.”
* Savvy Silvers will focus on four mobile applications, namely Facebook, SG Buses, Google Maps and Mediacorp Toggle.
