Community Tech Network is pleased to announce a new training partnership with Sequoia Living, a venerable San Francisco organization that provides a stimulating living environment for older adults as well as services that support and enrich their lives. The remote training will be conducted for residents of the two locations of the San Francisco Senior Center (SFSC), a program of Sequoia Living. They are an SF Connected partner with locations at Aquatic Park Senior Center and the Downtown Senior Center. When SFSC first opened in Aquatic Park in 1947, it was the first nonprofit senior center in the United States and has served seniors continuously for 71 years.
Responding to the pandemic environment, the agreement incorporates the Home Connect model, which allows the older adult learners and their trainers to engage remotely using a phone and a screen sharing program to ensure everyone’s safety. The training partnership provides training to a total of 70 Sequoia Living clients in three categories:
- The first 20 clients who already have a device and a home internet connection will be matched with a digital coach and begin training.
- An additional 20 who already have internet service will receive a device and basic training, then transition to a digital coach.
- The final 30 clients lacking internet service will receive assistance setting up the internet account, a device, basic training, and then a digital coach.
The two groups receiving basic training will attend five one-hour sessions delivered by CTN instructors, and all clients will be matched to a digital coach volunteer who will meet virtually with the learner one hour each week for 12 weeks. These sessions will focus primarily on the Learning Pathways selected by each older adult learner.
Crystal Booth is the new program director at both San Francisco Senior Center locations and sought out the services of CTN after receiving a bequest to provide digital literacy training to their residents. CTN is looking forward to working with Crystal and her staff as we achieve our common goal of moving vulnerable older adults across the digital divide.
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