Young people help senior citizens to use smartphones in Bergamo

The first course of "Telephones - no - problem" has begun, it will be held in 5 meetings, on Tuesday morning

Having problems with your smartphone or tablet? The young people of "Small Steps For ..." are here to assist you - an association of family members, users and mental health volunteers. They are the organisers of the course "Telephones - No - Problem" which will be held over 5 meetings and will end in November 2019.           

The course is part of the #ABClearningUP inclusion project managed by the Social Policies Service of the Province of Bergamo.

The goal is to teach people how to use a smartphone or tablet and to get them more in line with the new methodes of communication. The target group are people who want to expand their skills in using smartphones with particular attention to digital non-natives and the elderly people. The course also aims to be a source of aggregation and creation of new knowledge.

The project, which arises from the collaboration between the Association "Small Steps For ...” and the Social Policies Service of the Province of Bergamo with the sponsorship of the ASST Pope Giovanni XXIII of Bergamo, experiments a new way to define the concept of inclusion. The aim is to invest in the potential of the individual in a virtuous social process.   

Learning methods and tools

The project has two phases: a first phase of preparation of the teachers, and a second - teaching to the students. In the month of May the preparation of the teachers started, and in October the lessons finally commenced.     

The learning method used to reach the goal of the project is that of peer education. A preparation period was foreseen for teachers who take part in weekly group meetings and individual information gathering works. The topic prepared by a person is shared in the group, explained and discussed. It is the teaching group that decides what should be included in the lessons, the tutor/psychologist coordinates the covered topics, creating a Power Point presentation that will then be distributed in paper form during the lessons to the students. 

Due to the high number of participants and the enthusiasm of the teachers who are proud to be part of the project and to make their skills available to others, the 2020 edition is already being planned.