Thanks a Million: Retired librarian teaches tech to the elderly

Retired librarian Barbara Donelson is a firm believer you can learn new skills at any age, which is why she is helping older Victorians with their IT literacy.

Karen Green plays with her iPad at the Mount Street Neighbourhood House. Picture: Jay Town

Barbara Donelson considers IT literacy as important as being able to read and write, no matter the age.

So when COVID-19 forced Victorians into months of lockdown, she set about making sure the elderly in her community knew how to navigate the internet and access apps with ease.

The retired librarian from Mount Waverley was nominated in the Thanks A Million campaign for her dedication to teaching the elderly to stay digitally connected during lockdown and beyond.

“One thing I noticed is that people just assume when they say, ‘Let’s have a Zoom meeting’ or ‘Use this app’ that people will just know how to do it, but that’s not always the case, especially with the elderly,” Ms Donelson said.

“Through my classes, I’m not just talking about how to use a computer, it’s more about teaching them a way to stay connected.”

Ms Donelson holds three virtual classes a week through the Mount Street Neighbourhood House and her students range in age from 60 to 80-plus.

As well as teaching them practical post-COVID-19 lessons such as how to use QR codes, how to detect a scam linked to a charity and how to navigate Google Maps, Ms Donelson said the classes were also a social outlet.

Lyn, Jenny, Karen, Barb and Angelina receive some IT help from Barbara Donelson (front), at the Mount Street Neighbourhood House. Picture: Jay Town

“They spend half of the class chatting and laughing, and the learning is incidental,” she laughed.

“But they do walk away with a lot of new knowledge.

“They will ask me to cover topics like online banking, transferring digital photos or downloading audio books and I will always give them notes on the topics.

“One lady told me she has more than 90 sets of notes.”

As well as the classes, Ms Donelson also spends time on the phone with students who need extra help.

But all the hard work is paid for in enthusiasm from her students.

“To me the most heartening thing is that they’re like sponges, they want to learn,” she said. “It’s about giving them confidence to access and use IT so they can get the most out of it in a practical sense.

“They are amazing and it has been a lovely experience for me.”

To nominate someone and say thanks, go to thanksamillion.net.au and they could receive a $200 Woolworths Gift Card. Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and conditions, visit thanksamillion.net.au