About us.
Two silver surfers looking happy.
Who we are.
Hackney Silver Surfers is an Age Concern Hackney project providing free computer training and free Internet access to everybody over 50 in Hackney.
We are a centre of expertise in understanding the impact on older people of rapidly developing new technology, and how older people can learn to use it to their advantage.
Our staff and volunteers are familiar with the whole range of new technology, and are skilled at communicating it to older people to enable them to pick the bits which interest them. That is all we do — continuously since 2003 — and we think we have become very good at it.
We are currently funded mainly by the London Development Agency (LDA) and the Hackney Learning Trust — (more about the LDA).
What we do.
We offer a range of activities to match the needs of all our service users, whatever their age or circumstances (including the most sceptical). Much of the time we are open for ‘drop-in’, which means you can come along and use our computers for any purpose you have in mind, and also for one-to-one learning with our helpful volunteers. That is how most of our beginners become proficient Internet users.
We offer short optional courses leading to a City & Guilds StartIT certificate — a basic but real qualification. Nearly everybody who does one of these courses gets a very welcome surprise when they pass — computers are easier to understand than they ever imagined.
We also offer half-day workshops and other activities focussing on popular topics such as digital photography, mobile phones, email, computer graphics, Internet radio, spreadsheets, social networking, and more — far too much to list here. Most of the workshops are arranged when somebody like you requests a particular topic. Are we are still waiting for your request?
We have a very strong user base — regular contact with hundreds of older people in Hackney. Since we opened six years ago, more than 1000 people have used our services. However, our aim is to reach everybody in Hackney who is 50 or over. We are open Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4.30 pm, and also on Mondays for special projects. Everything we do is free, informal and very friendly. All you have to do is come along and ring the door bell.
Some media links.
- Silver surfing offers new lease of life — a thoughtful article about Hackney Silver Surfers in The Guardian (18 February 2009).
- Courses click with Silver Surfers — a report from one of our sessions (BBC, 22 September 2008).
- Silver surfer on broadband trip — features one of our learners (BBC, 20 October 2006).
