Print This Page
Information Technology (IT)
Using a computer can open up a whole range of opportunities to you, especially if you are using the Internet and email.
Opportunities to take up IT
If you haven't used a computer before and are new to IT, you could take up an IT course with one of the organisations mentioned in our Lifelong learning section.
If you don't want to, or are unable to, take up an IT course, there are some other ways for you to get help using a computer.
You can call in to your local library, all of which have computers for public use. For further information, visit our Libraries section.
The following organisations may also have opportunities that interest you.
ICT Outreach Project
The ICT Outreach Project is managed by Newcastle Disability Forum. It provides one-to-one computer training for disabled people by a qualified teacher in your own home. This is a free service and you choose what you want to learn and do it at your own pace.
For more information, or to find out if you are eligible, contact the ICT Outreach Project using the contact details given below, or visit the Newcastle Disability Forum website.
ITCH network
ITCH stands for Information Technology Can Help. The national network is a group of volunteers who provide free computer support to disabled people. They can visit you in your own home, or in another location such as a care home or a day centre.
The volunteers can solve hardware and software problems, such as installing new equipment, as well as helping you to gain confidence in using a computer. This could be by getting connected to the Internet and using email, or getting you started with standard packages such as word processing.
For further information, contact the North East Area Organiser, Alan Sperrin, using the details given below, or visit the ITCH website.
Search Project
The Search Project runs computer classes for people aged 50 and over. Everyone is welcome, including complete beginners, and the sessions are tailored to meet your interests. You just need to tell the tutor what you want to learn.
The Search Project also run a computer club, where there is a tutor available to help with your questions, and you can chat and compare ideas with other like-minded people.
For further information, contact them using the details given below, or visit the Search Project website.
Using the Internet
Research has shown that the over 55's are the fastest growing age group using the Internet, with two in every three of those approaching retirement now ‘going online’. A recent study has also shown that one in five over 65's has the Internet at home.
To find out about your consumer rights in relation to the Internet and broadband, see our section on Internet and broadband.
There are many things that you can use the Internet for. Some of these, plus guidance on how to stay safe, are given below:
Staying safe online
A few simple precautions will keep you safe while you are online.
- Make sure that your computer is secure - Protect your computer with a firewall and with up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
- Don't open spam - Spam is email that is sent automatically to millions of email addresses. It can advertise things such as drugs or pornography. If you receive an email from someone that you have never heard of, don't open it. Delete the email immediately. If you do open it by accident, don't click on any of the links and never reply to a spam message.
- Protect your personal information - Never give your passwords, PIN numbers or bank account numbers to anyone. Criminals send out emails that look very authentic, asking you to confirm your PIN or to go to a website and log in. If you receive such an email, do not reply to it or click on any of the links, and delete it immediately.
- Shop safely - Only buy from online retailers that have a good reputation. If you buy from auction sites, such as eBay, follow their security advice very carefully. Don’t download pirated software, music or videos. For more information on shopping safely, see our section below on shopping online.
For further information and security advice on a range of topics including: how to install anti-virus software; make backups; protect your privacy; set ground rules for children and grandchildren; and shop, bank and use online auctions safely, see the Get Safe Online website.
Blogs
Blog is short for ‘web log’. It is like an online diary. You can choose to keep it private, share it with friends, or publish it to the whole world. The tools for creating a blog are free and are an easy way to produce your own website.
Several people can contribute to a blog, which means that blogs are useful for groups of people to exchange views or keep in touch with each other. A blog can also contain photographs, video clips or music.
There are many websites that you can use to create your own blog, one of which is Google Blogger.
Music online
Personal music players, such as the iPod, are very popular. People who use them can buy the music via the Internet as ‘music downloads’. You can download every sort of music from the Internet.
You don't have to have a personal music player to listen to music that you get from the Internet. Many computers have loudspeakers built in and you can buy speakers to plug into those that don’t.
You can also listen to the radio via the Internet.
News online
The Internet is ideal for keeping up to date with the news. You can check the latest news at any time, without having to wait for the daily newspaper or the scheduled bulletins on television and radio. You can get news from anywhere in the world, and you can compare how different sources report the same news item.
The following are some of the websites that you can get news from:
- BBC News - International, national and local news from the BBC
- Paperboy - Find the websites of local newspapers, or those of other countries
Each of the national newspapers also has their own website. These are listed below:
- Daily and Sunday Express
- Daily Mail
- The Guardian
- The Independent
- Mirror
- The Observer
- The Sun
- The Telegraph
- The Times
Shopping online
Shopping online is one of the most popular uses of the Internet. You can buy almost anything online, without having to leave your own home and you don't have to carry your purchases home. Goods are often cheaper when you buy online, although you may have to pay a delivery charge.
All of the major retailers have online shopping websites, and lots of small businesses also use the Internet to serve specialist markets. Auction websites, such as ebay, sell new and second-hand items.
All reputable online retailers will have security measures to protect you from any risk of fraud, but you should look at the Get Safe Online website for advice about buying or selling online.
The following websites may also be of interest to you:
- Freecycle - A network of groups of people who recycle by giving away unwanted items.
- PriceRunner - A price comparison website, to help you to find the best deals when buying online.
Other useful organisations and information
Go ON - is a website designed to help people to take their first steps with computers and the Internet. For further information, visit the Go ON website.
BrowseAloud reads web pages aloud for people who find it difficult to read online. Reading large amounts of text on screen can be difficult for those with literacy and visual impairments. BrowseAloud makes using the Internet easier for people who have:
- Low literacy and reading skills
- English as a second language
- Dyslexia
- Mild visual impairments
For further information and to download BrowseAloud, visit the BrowseAloud website, or contact them using the details given below.
The Newcastle Trades Register has been set up to help people aged over 60 years old in Newcastle to find tradespeople to carry out repairs and maintenance in their homes, including qualified engineers who can advise on setting up your computer equipment and connecting to the Internet. For further information, see our section on Finding reliable tradespeople, or contact the Newcastle Trades Register service using the details given below.
Age UK's guide Making the most of the internet
Contact Information
BrowseAloud
Texthelp Systems Ltd, Enkalon Industrial Estate, 25 Randalstown Road, Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT41 4LJ.
Telephone : 028 9442 8105, Fax : 028 9442 8574.
Email : info@browselaoud.com
ICT Outreach Project
c/o Newcastle Disability Forum, The Dene Centre, Castle Farm Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 1PH.
Telephone : 0191 285 4556, Fax : 0191 284 5313.
Email : paulc@ndf.org.uk
ITCH network
The Old Forge, 1 The Forge, Brancepeth, Durham, DH7 8EW.
Telephone : 0191 378 2332.
Email : alan_sperrin2@tiscali.co.uk
Newcastle Trades Register
Mears Home Improvements Ltd, Hawks Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BL.
Telephone : 0800 111 4418.
Search Project
74 Adelaide Terrace, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9JN.
Telephone : 0191 273 7443, Fax : 0191 272 5135.
Email : searchprojectuk@yahoo.co.uk
Article last updated January 27, 2012 8:22 pm
