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UVic welcomes local seniors to the digital age with free computer workshops

Sessions cover search engines, online privacy, social media and more
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During the free computer workshops at UVic, student volunteers work with local seniors to help them gain computer literacy skills. (Photo courtesy Robert Lee)

The University of Victoria (UVic) is helping seniors get comfortable on the web with free workshops.

Students in the UVic Department of Computer Science are hoping to help Greater Victoria residents 60 and older get more comfortable with computers.

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The university’s free seniors program offers workshops for people with little or no experience using computers.

Sue Butler, the undergraduate advisor for the department, noted that the program is led by fourth-year undergraduate electrical and computer engineering student Robert Lee.

Each session is run by Lee, an Oak Bay High alumni, and his team of student volunteers – most of whom are completing undergraduate degrees in computer science or engineering, Butler explained.

She noted that Lee is “very inspiring” – aside from running the seniors program workshops for several years, Lee was also the recipient of a Schulich Leader Scholarship in 2016 and recently placed first with his team at the Western Engineering Competition.

Past workshops have covered Google and search engines, email, the concept of social media and more. Each session ends with a discussion of online privacy and safety, followed by a question period where attendees can bring up any of their computer questions and receive help from the volunteers, Butler explained.

The next session focusing on the use of Microsoft Word is set to take place on Feb. 15 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in rooms ECS 258 and ECS 250 in the Engineering and Computer Science building. Attendees are not required to pre-register in advance, but Butler recommends arriving early in order to get settled in.

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Workshop participants are invited to use UVic’s computers but are welcome to bring their own laptops, iPads and any other tech they’d like to learn to use.

Anyone with questions is asked to contact the department at 250-472-5700.


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