Older people challenging isolation and exclusion
Sam (multi-talented community outreach worker at Mildmay Community Centre) chats with Hardeep about her work and life. We also learn about gardening and community cooking at the centre.
Recorded 19 December 2022 in the Live Room at Mildmay Community Centre, London N16
Sheena Adae-Amoakoh – owner of local hair stylist HausOfShee – brought friends Akela and Whitney to help at the Digital Drop-in, 11 January 2023. Photos by Elliot Jones – based at Point Two Studio.
These community-conscious young volunteers are local entrepreneurs. Your grandchildren might know them.
Tap or click on any photo in the gallery to see a larger version, or start a slide-show (if you are not quite sure how to do that, please ask a helper).
Elliot made a lot more photos. They are all very good, but we can’t publish them all here. However – if you are in one of Elliot’s photos, we will make sure you get a copy – in your email (you might need practice opening and saving photo attachments).
This session reminded us of the Pre-Pandemic Era, when we hosted more than 700 corporate volunteers via Benefacto from 2014 until COVID wrecked everything. Those volunteers were all really impressive – and made a huge, and memorable, impact.
We think employers (or HR departments) might be regaining confidence, though no enterprise has replaced Benefacto. But we are ready to help.
We are sending the photos to you by email (because downloading and managing photos is a useful digital skill for you to learn).
Daniel liked his so much, he got it printed – apparently for less than £1.
We have moved our Friday afternoon courses and workshops to Monday afternoons in the main hall at Mildmay Community Centre – the same large space we use for the Wednesday afternoon drop-in – not the small café area we occupied last year.
As we expected, the move was an immediate success. The currrent course – Exploring the web with smartphones – was guaranteed to be full because we were able to arrange an alternative activity for the course waiting list. As it happened, everyone on the waiting list joined the course.
Right now, we have 14 training smartphones – 12 for learners, 1 for the projector, 1 contingency. We think we can double the size of smartphone courses as we learn the best way to utilise the main hall, perhaps as soon as February.
You don’t need any technical skills to do this — just the ability to tell a story about your life or ask someone else to tell you a story.
Initially, we will take care of the tech side, but you can learn that as well if you really want to. There are many ways to make your own podcast show, even if all you have is a smartphone.
If you are interested, come over to the regular podcast learning session …
If you are uncertain, send an email to rick@radiotogether.uk
Back to: What else is on for older people?
NB (15 March): winter has officially finished, so has the funding for this winter project.
This is a perfect fit to our Wednesday afternoon Digital Drop-in, 1 to 4 pm.
The food is served in the café area, next to the kitchen (not in the Main Hall).
Our suggestion – get there early at 12:30 – replenish your vitamins and build up your stamina for the drop-in starting at 1 pm.
The free food is organised by Mildmay Community Centre, not by Fifty-Plus Digital.
The best place to listen is radiotogether.uk/hardeep — but as you are here now, try the playlist below …
No technical skills required — just the ability to tell a story about your life or ask someone else to tell you a story.
We take care of the tech, but you can learn that as well if you really want to. There are many ways to make your own podcast show, even if all you have is a smartphone.
If you are interested, come over to the regular podcast learning session …
Sometimes we skip a Friday afternoon session, so it’s best to contact us before coming (send an email to rick@radiotogether.uk )
Radio Together is not organised by MRS – Independent Living.
NB: these events have finished.
This was the first of two urgent sessions for older people who need help to apply for Council tax energy rebate or Pension Credit and cost of living payment — before it is too late to claim.
35 people turned up — most needing this extra support — so we were very busy. Even with nine helpers (including the industrious CSR team from Methods), we had not quite finished, so we will carry on next week.
We didn’t have time to make photos.
From 2006 until overwhelmed by illness, Derek was the mobile tech guru for older people.
Derek passed away Tuesday 19 July 2022.
Nobody has made a greater contribution to real social and digital inclusion in this area.
Photo: 50+ Digital Drop-in, Open School East (Rose Lipman building) – December 2014.
Note (16 August 2022) from John …
A very quiet man, always ready to help with us with our phones and laptop problems.
I certainly benefited along with a great many others with his help.
Considering the bewildering problems we came up against with our gadgets, it never seemed to faze Derek, and we invariably walked away content with his solutions.
Thank you Derek for being there.
Well remembered.
Also …
