"A grandfather of 97 came to learn how to use e-mail"

This year's Simbioza is at the door: again the young are helping the older to enter the world of computer science

15. oktober 2013 ob 18.41 • Ljubljana - MMC RTV SLO

This year the project which is successfully bringing closer the young and the old will be held at 340 points. Foto: BoBo

The idea initiator of the project is Žiga Vavpotič; he claims that the actual start of the project can be considered the moment his grandmother asked him what did www stand for. Foto: MMC RTV SLO

This year Simbioza will be organized for the third time. It is a volunteer project where the young people teach the older generation the basics of computer use and of mobile telephony. Next week the workshops will be held in more than 340 different places all over the country.

This year the project which is successfully bringing closer the young and the old will be held at 340 points. Foto: BoBo

The idea initiator of the project is Žiga Vavpotič; he claims that the actual start of the project can be considered the moment his grandmother asked him what did www stand for. Foto: MMC RTV SLO

The main purpose of the project is to improve the computer literacy and to increase the interest for learning e-skills among the older people. The participants will be able to choose from five themes. They will be able to get acquainted with a computer and computer environment, learn the basics of text editing, get familiar with e-mail and information-communication solutions, and also peek into the world of social networks and mobile telephony.

The activities will take place throughout Slovenia, with approximately 3000 volunteers and more than 100 local and regional coordinators. Up till now 11,000 older people participated in the workshops, and 5,000 mentors, all joined in a successful story of intergenerational cooperation.

"The first year our idea was to organize a one-time activity as a kind of gift from the young for the old. And now Simbioza is turning into a sustainable project. Even more, this year we organized, as a test, a workshop in Shanghai in China. In this way Slovenia got a social innovation which could be an outstanding item," said the project initiator Žiga Vavpotič.

He told us they had a participant of 97 years at one of the courses; he came with one purpose: to learn to use e-mail. And a lady who visited their workshops last year this year registered all her neighbours, as "these young people are really very nice." "It is the greatest reward for our project – satisfied participants who believe in the young and through them in the future," added Vavpotič.

What are they offering this year?
"After two successful years we can say that we are offering education on a high quality level. Besides the basics of computer science and mobile telephony the old people can learn about the internet, e-mail, and Facebook – and a number of them stay in contact also afterwards. On some locations we are presenting to the older population the most modern trends – tablet computers. This year is special, and a kind of turning point, as Simbioza is gaining a sustainable character," the head of the project Ana Pleško summed up the activities.

They are starting the non-profit programme Simbioza mojstri, with which they would like to connect young job seekers and the older people entering the world of technology.