Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

KAMLOOPS PARTNER ASSISTED LEARNING

Teenage tutors teaching digital literacy and device skills at KPAL Tech Cafes

Apr 24, 2024 | 3:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — For those who didn’t grow up with modern technology like smartphones or even the internet, a local organization is offering a way to become familiar with how it all works.

Kamloops Partner Assisted Learning (KPAL) has a new version of its popular Tech Cafes, with teenagers volunteering to teach seniors how to navigate their phones, tablets and laptops.

“I thought this program might help me out with getting familiar with things on the phone that I don’t use,” participant John LeFlufy told CFJC.

KPAL’s program coordinator Nakita Gideon-Syme says the organization has offered Tech Cafes in the past with adults teaching other adults, and this latest iteration has a similar approach.

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“We really try to focus on walking them through the steps themselves. They’re doing everything and we’re kind of just there as their support, walking them through it so that at the end of the day they can go home and they can continue doing it,” explains Gideon-Syme. “We also have resources where we give them notes and other things like that to take home so that they aren’t on their own when they leave us.”

This latest series pairs teenage volunteers with seniors who want to become more tech savvy. One of the youth who came out to offer their time, Amarlin Battur, says it felt rewarding to guide someone through their device.

“I volunteer with seniors once a week in Overlanders Seniors Care, so I usually interact with seniors. I was like, this is another opportunity to interact with them, and help them in any way I can.” she explains, adding, “I really liked it. It’s really worth your time.”

There’s plenty of troubleshooting that can be solved at the cafes and, under the guidance of tutors, the sessions also give seniors an avenue to become more digitally literate by exploring features on their phones or tablets without fear of making an irreversible mistake.

“I think quite often we’re afraid that we’re going to lose all of our data on the phones, or phone someone who we don’t want to phone, or something like that,” notes LeFlufy, “so we’re a lot more careful.”

Given the interest in its Tech Cafes, Kamloops Partner Assisted Learning is hoping to recruit more youth volunteers for its next event.

“We’re really hoping for more teen volunteers. The more teens we have, the bigger our Tech Cafes can get, and the more popular they’re going to be,” adds Gideon-Syme.

Just as ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’, you can’t learn everything in one session. But seniors like LeFlufy who came out to get a better understanding of their devices say it’s worthwhile.

“The one-on-one is good, but just coming to a session like this is very good, too. Once I’ve got a couple under my belt I think I’ll feel a little bit better,” he laughs. “I wasn’t too sure what I was in for today.”

The next Tech Cafe is scheduled for May 17 in the North Kamloops Library, and applications to become a volunteer tutor can be found online at kamloopspal.ca.