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Independent Living Facility Managers
What is Senior Connects?

Senior Connects is a kid's run corporation that believes highly motivated youths can make a difference in the communities where we reside. As compared to most organizations that offer computer and Internet teaching assistance to seniors, those using the Senior Connects methodology will conduct classes in a public area within your independent living facility. We have found that this is much more convenient for many of the residents, and especially those without reliable transportation or find it more difficult to get around. Generally, 5% to 10% of the residents can be expected to sign up for a class - and sometimes many more. Adult living facilities have had up to 40% of their residents sign up to take computer and Internet classes.

During the first training session for beginners, volunteers remove the “mystery” from computers and pass around the components for seniors to examine.

If you are reading this page, it’s likely that a student contacted you about providing training in your facility. So, what is the purpose of Senior Connects? Our mission statement follows:

Our volunteers are self directed individuals that have decided to make a difference in their community by spending some of their free time to help your residents. What should you be able to expect from someone using the Senior Connects methodology of training? Depicted below is a commitment that we ask all volunteers using our methodology to agree to:

Volunteers’ Commitment

1. I promise that I will do my best to help others.
2. I will be patient and strive to make sure each senior that I’m working with is able to learn at a rate of study that makes them comfortable.
3. I respect anyone that strives to improve themselves - and hope that my own quest for knowledge and learning will not diminish when I’m in my 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
4. I will never accept any direct or indirect compensation for any assistance that I provide.
5. I will be courteous and professional - and promise to act in such a manner that reflects positively on the independent living facility that has opened their facility.
6. I will always exercise excellent judgment and keep the my contact person at the facility, my parents (or guardian), and mentor (if applicable) aware of the progress made during the classes - and promptly discuss any problems, potential problems, or anything that I’m uncomfortable with them.
7. If I am 17 years of age or younger, I will select an adult mentor to work with in accordance with the Senior Connects methodology.
8. I have thoroughly reviewed this Website, and especially the sections regarding Senior Connects’ procedures, and will teach senior citizens using the Senior Connect methodology and follow all of its policies and procedures.

Key to the Senior Connects learning methodology is that seniors and volunteers work one-on-one learning how to use explore the Internet and send emails.

It’s important to note that these volunteers are performing this project on their own time and without compensation. Many facilities offer the volunteers lunch at the dining facility if they are teaching immediate before or after lunch. This also gives them an opportunity to visit with some of the residents that are taking classes.

The volunteers are not part of a formal organization but have decided to use the Senior Connects training methodology to teach your residents. It’s important for both the volunteer and your residents that you satisfy yourself that the volunteer you are inviting into your facility will be a acceptable and the experience will be a positive one for all parties concerned. Each volunteer should present you a resume that includes the school they attend, extracurricular activities or other volunteer work they have performed, and references. It is important and your responsibility to satisfy yourself that this individual is a good fit for your facility and your residences. Also, each volunteer that is under the age of 18 is required to have a mentor (a parent, teacher, or other adult that is 18 years of age or older) - and we invite you to contact the volunteer’s mentor if there is ever a time when you want to learn about or talk with someone about the volunteer. Senior Connects is a kid’s run facilitating organization and has not met, interviewed, or checked the references of its volunteers. It has also not received nor reviewed any resumes.

If your volunteer does an outstanding job for your residents, consider thanking the individual via a letter on your letterhead. We ask the volunteers to talk to you if they experience any difficulties - and we appreciate you spending time helping the individual if they have questions or problems that they’d like to discuss with you. Just like this program is designed to provide senior citizens a learning experience, we hope that you will also help ensure that the volunteer has a good learning experience too.

Working together with facility Resident Services Directors such as Sunrise Senior Living’s Julie Boone, volunteers are able to fine-tune their training to meet the resident’s needs.

By reviewing this website, you will be able to learn what to expect from the program. You will be able to read the policies and procedures that each individual using the Senior Connects methodology should follow, and satisfy yourself that no resident or facility will ever be charge for the time spent teaching your residents or upgrading facility-owned computers in your public areas. Volunteers are directed to teach in public areas only. Our lessons plans have been adopted from the training provided to thousands of senior citizens at the Carmel Clay Public Library - and are divided into four sections:

•Basic computer skills
•Basic Internet skills
•Internet Search
•Email training

Volunteers will establish a free email address for each resident upon their request. Some residents will have Net experience and only be interested in the answers to specific questions, while still others may not require basic computer skill training but will be interested in receiving Internet related training. Since our classes are small (usually one to two residents per volunteer), they can be customized to meet the individual requirements of your residents.

If you have additional questions about this program, please read through the Website - we have kept all of our policies, procedures, and lesson plans publicly disclosed so that you will better know the Senior Connects’ approach and be able to make a decision if this program is right for you. Also, please also read our Terms of Service by clicking on the hyperlink.

Thanks for helping these extraordinary kids that are interested in contributing to their community, and empowering your residents by providing them the option of learning about the Internet. If you have questions or suggestions about this program, or if you are interested in having volunteers come to your facility to teach your residents, please send an email to danielkent@seniorconnects.org.

Volunteers assemble and network at another public computer lab.

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