Glan Afan Silver Surfers

Silver Surfers Day 2012

Luke Jenkins — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:16:42 +0000

RESIDENTS in Port Talbot aged over 50 who would like to know more about computers and the internet are invited to a free digital taster event at Glan Afan Comprehensive School on Friday, April 27, starting at 10am.

Workshops will focus on computer basics, the Queen’s diamond jubilee, local history and social networking.

Student tutors from the school will be on hand to introduce those who aren’t yet online to the world of digital technology.

The taster sessions are being held to celebrate Spring Online (April 23 to 27), a national campaign that helps give older people and other less confident users a taste of the digital world.

According to Ofcom, around one-third of parents and grandparents have been taught or encouraged to surf the internet by a child aged 13 to 16, and Silver Surfers spend more time online than any other age group.

“We hope this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. Anyone aged over 50 who wants to find out more about the ever-changing world of digital technology, whether they have used a computer before or not, are welcome to join us,” said project co-ordinator Luke Jenkins.

The Silver Surfers project encourages young and old to interact and learn new skills - students from the school give up their own time to volunteer with the group and teach new things to the senior citizens.

The Silver Surfers are taught how to use the mouse and keyboard, how to write letters, create greetings cards, send emails, find old friends on Facebook, shop on the web, read the news, and gain confidence in using the computer alone.

The group has participated in Silver Surfers Day events since 2008, and has helped more than 60 senior citizens to get to grips with computers.

Change of Telephone Number

Luke Jenkins — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:53:31 +0000

Please note that with effect from 10:00am on Tuesday 17th April, our contact telephone number will be changing to (01639) 262 262.

Website Updates

Luke Jenkins — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:25:52 +0000

The Silver Surfers website has recently undergone a redesign, making it easier to navigate and more enjoyable for our Members.

If you wish to provide us with feedback about our new design, please send an email to info@glanafansilversurfers.org.uk

Christmas Break 2011

Luke Jenkins — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:00:59 +0000

It’s that time of year again… Christmas!

Here are the arrangements for Silver Surfers sessions:

The final Silver Surfers Session of 2011 will take place on Wednesday 14^th December.

The first Silver Surfers Session of 2012 will take place on Wednesday 11^th January.

Don’t forget that Moodle is available 24/7 (including Christmas Day!!) should you wish to use the e-Resources to brush up on your IT over the festive period.

The Silver Surfers Team wishes you a Merry Christmas, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year!

Strike Action: Session Cancelled on Wednesday, 30 November 2011.

Luke Jenkins — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:55:33 +0000

There will be no session on Wednesday, 30 November 2011 due to strike action across Neath Port Talbot.

Sorry for any inconvenience, and we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, 7 December 2011.

Silver Surfers Team

Return of the ‘Silver Surfers’

Luke Jenkins — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 09:21:11 +0000

Return of the ‘Silver Surfers’

Glan Afan Comprehensive School in Port Talbot, which has been providing free Silver Surfers classes for the past five years, is set to commence its sessions next week.

The Silver Surfers project at the school, which has been on a break for the summer period, encourages the young and older generations to interact and learn new skills. Pupils from the school have voluntarily given up their time to take on the role of ‘teacher’ one evening a week, since the project began in 2006.

During the sessions, the Silver Surfers are taught how to use the mouse and keyboard, create greetings cards, send e-mails, chat to family and friends across the world on Skype, find old friends through Facebook, shop on the web, and use BBC iPlayer.

Last September, the project launched its online learning environment, which has enhanced the learning experience for the Silver Surfers, and allowed them to access resources from home, should they wish to gain further information on the topic covered in the session.

Four out of five internet users aged over 55 have said that having access to computers and the web has improved their lives, in new research carried out by Digital Unite, one of the UK’s main providers of digital skills learning.

Luke Jenkins, who is Project Co-ordinator, and now a student at Neath Port Talbot College said, “We know that a relatively small percentage of senior citizens in Neath Port Talbot use the internet, and that it is becoming more and more important in everyday life.”

“We want to encourage older residents of the county to explore the world of the internet. By attending our weekly sessions, senior citizens are able to gain the skills and confidence they need to be able to surf the web alone.”

The sessions will resume on Wednesday 14^th September at 3:30pm, and anyone aged 50 or above is welcome to come along. If you require further information, please contact Luke Jenkins on 01639 618334 or Steve Turner on 01639 883964.

Notes for Editors

Glan Afan Comprehensive School is based in Port Talbot. The full address is:
Glan Afan Comprehensive School, Station Road, Port Talbot, SA13 1LZ
‘Glan Afan Silver Surfers’ is the full name of the project, and its slogan is ‘Increasing Skills and Creativity in the Community.’
The website of the project is www.glanafansilversurfers.org.uk

For more information about this press release, please contact
Luke Jenkins, Project Co-ordinator on 01639 618334 or Luke.Jenkins@glanafansilversurfers.org.uk

Why Become a Silver Surfer?

Luke Jenkins — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:54 +0000

Find out why you should become a Silver Surfer by watching our new video, including celebrities!

Get Online at Home – Tips and Advice

Luke Jenkins — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:08:24 +0000

If you are looking to get online at home, then we have put together a Page on our website that provides you with links to Reccommended Suppliers of both computers and laptops! The computers are ideal for computer beginners, and come equipped with specialist software to help get you started! If you already have a computer and are looking for an Internet connection, the Page also includes the best deals available.

Click here to visit our Get Online Page!

Silver surfers log on for web tips

Luke Jenkins — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:11:06 +0000

Glan Afan Comprehensive School in Port Talbot recently welcomed members of the community into the school for a taster session in computers and the internet. The sessions were held to celebrate Silver Surfers’ Day, a national campaign which gives older people a taste of the digital world.

The session was a great success, and thanks to the hard work of the pupils and past pupils of the school, the day was enjoyed by all who attended.

The senior citizens carried out research on the Plaza cinema, which has become a hot topic of conversation lately, thanks to an informative website set up by Sean Pursey, and a committee being established to obtain views of local residents on the future of the Plaza.

Luke Jenkins, who is Project Co-ordinator, and now a student at Neath Port Talbot College said: ‘We would like to thank everyone who took part in the event, which we take part in annually. We know that computers and the internet can be a little scary for many older people and they just need a little help to get them started. Thanks to Digital Unite who arrange this yearly event, we have helped pensioners conquer their fears of the computer and get online!’

Anyone who wishes to learn more about computers and the internet, and is aged over 50 is invited to attend Glan Afan’s Silver Surfer classes which take place every Wednesday at the school from 3.30pm – 5pm. Contact Luke Jenkins on 01639 618334 or Steve Turner on 01639 883964, or visit our website at www.glanafansilversurfers.org.uk for more information on the group and its work!

Spring Online this May with Glan Afan Silver Surfers

Luke Jenkins — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:00:44 +0000

Silver Surfers Day at Glan Afan Comprehensive School on Friday 20^th May.

Local residents aged over 50 who would like to know more about computers and the internet are invited to a free digital taster event at Glan Afan Comprehensive School, Station Road, Port Talbot on Friday 20^th May, starting at 9am. Workshops being held on the day include an introduction to computers, social networking, family history, Skype, shopping online and internet safety. Students from the school will be on hand to gently introduce those who aren’t yet online to the wonderful world of digital technology.

The taster sessions are being held to celebrate Spring Online with Silver Surfers’ Day (16-20 May), a national campaign which helps give older people and other less confident users a taste of the digital world. According to Ofcom, around a third of parents and grandparents have been taught or encouraged to surf the internet by a child aged 13-16 and Silver Surfers spend more time online than any other age group.

‘We know that computers and the internet can be a little scary for many older people and they just need a little help to get them started. We hope as many people as possible will come along to our event and give computers a go’ says Luke Jenkins, Project Co-ordinator.

## Ends ##

Notes for Editors

Glan Afan Comprehensive School in Port Talbot, has been providing free Silver Surfers sessions to senior citizens in the community since 2007, which have been a massive success, and the group have even won numerous awards for all their hard work!

The Silver Surfers project at the school encourages the young and older generations to interact and learn new skills – Students from the school give up their own time to volunteer with the group and teach new things to the senior citizens.

During the sessions, the ‘Silver Surfers’ are taught how to use the mouse and keyboard, how to write letters, create greetings cards, send e-mails, find old friends on Facebook, shop on the web, read the news, and gain confidence in using the computer alone. More recently, the group have started courses in Word Processing and Digital Photo Editing

Contact Details

For more information on Silver Surfers Day 2011 at Glan Afan Comprehensive School contact:

Luke Jenkins, Project Co-ordinator on (01639) 618334 or luke.jenkins@glanafansilversurfers.org.uk

For general enquiries, contact Luke Jenkins/Steve Turner on (01639) 618334, springonline@glanafansilversurfers.org.uk, or visit our website at www.glanafansilversurfers.org.uk