Genesis Housing's 'Silver Surfer of the Year' gives presentation at London Mayor's office

Joan Barker, Genesis Community’s Golden Ambassador and Silver Surfer of the Year (2007) gave a presentation at the Mayors Office in London this week.

Her message to 70 members of the London Older People’s Support Groups (LOPSG), was that computers can have a powerful effect on older people’s lives.

Joan’s speech took place as Genesis Community announces it will be working in partnership with Essex County Council, and will invest £260,000 in its Essex UnITe project this year.

This partnership follows on from Genesis Community's successful Essex UnITe pilot programme to train older customers in IT skills at six Springboard housing schemes.

Over 100 customers were trained in the past year and five have also been recruited as Digital Ambassadors to help promote this project to other older people.

Since being named Silver Surfer of the Year in 2007 by a panel including BT, Ofcom and Digital UnITe, Joan Barker has appeared on many BBC, ITV and Sky TV programmes encouraging older people across the UK to take a positive ‘have a go’ attitude to using computers.

Joan Barker said: “I always tell people to just have a go. I live in a Springboard housing scheme, part of Genesis Housing Group. When Genesis Community and Digital UnITe gave me the opportunity to try using a computer, I was terrified.

"I’d never used a keyboard before – not even a typewriter. But I had a go and I was hooked. Before I knew it I had become ‘Silver Surfer of the Year’! Computers are a wonderful resource for older people and if I can use them anyone can!”

Iain Mackechnie-Jarvis, Head of Genesis Community, part of Genesis Housing Group, says “We are extremely proud of our partnership with Essex County Council.

"The success of our Essex UnITe pilot training programme with Millrace is evidence of partnership working at its best and we look forward to rolling this programme out more widely.”