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Indian Community Centre, Rugby

The Indian Community Centre in Rugby runs a day care centre for older Asian people on four days every week. Most of them are in their sixties or seventies and are Hindu with Gujarati as their mother tongue.

I had been in contact with the group for almost a year during which time twelve of the group had completed a First Aid Course, most of them were taking part in ESOL classes and we were making arrangements to begin work on a Textile Banner for the Year 2000. At a ‘Debate of the Age’ conference, information technology for older people was discussed, I spoke to a group of women who I knew from the centre. I mentioned that I could bring the computer over for a ‘Taster’ session, show them how to use it and they would all get a chance to ‘have a go’. They all seemed very positive, so a session was duly arranged.

However when I arrived at the appointed time ready to set up the equipment, the day care worker confided that they weren’t all that keen on the idea and might take some persuading. I set up to do some basic word processing (at this stage I was only talking to three or four people) and it was immediately pointed out that the font sizes we generally use would be nowhere near big enough for them to read. So we worked in a large font (36 point to begin with). Having explained a few basics through one of the women who acts as an interpreter for me where necessary, I printed out a short message then I persuaded one of them to have a go. The process was a slow one, partly because of unfamiliarity with the keyboard and also because of unfamiliarity with written English. They were all clearly apprehensive to begin with, but the sense of achievement at having typed out and printed their name and address was evident. The next person had a turn and it was then that I realised that the group had increased in size and that I now had a queue of people waiting! Those who weren’t, were busy writing down what they wanted to do on the computer, (or asking someone else to write it down).

We didn’t have time for every one who wanted to to have a go that afternoon so I promised to return the next week. I have since been back on three or four occasions and usually have about six learners, we continue with basic word processing and we have also looked at CD ROM’s and tried some of the puzzles. One lady who is in her seventies and has mobility problems has asked me if I think she can do a course and I am looking at the best options for her.

Karen Cort

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