22 April 2016 - As technology progresses, more and more smart phones have entered the market and while new technologies will continue to excite the younger generation, seniors may feel intimidated by the rapid change and the need to adapt accordingly.
Singapore, 22 April | For Immediate Release
As technology progresses, more and more smart phones have entered the market and while new technologies will continue to excite the younger generation, seniors may feel intimidated by the rapid change and the need to adapt accordingly.
North East Community Development Council (CDC), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), Samsung Electronics Singapore and Sengkang Central Active Ageing Committee are working on a pilot programme to reach out to North East seniors in a 3-hour smart phone workshop on Friday, 22 April 2016.
80 seniors from Sengkang Central will get a glimpse into the various mobile operating systems before learning basic functions such as a mobile device layout, media and lifestyle tools, connecting to Wi-Fi and the Internet, and downloading of apps. The seniors will be accompanied by 80 volunteers from the Ministry of Manpower’s IT department who will guide them through the workshop.
Mr Shamsul Kamar, Vice Chairperson for North East CDC and Adviser to Aljunied GRC Grassroots Organisations looks forward to such collaborations. He said, “Ultimately, our residents benefit from such initiatives and we are glad that corporate partners such as Samsung and our community partners understand the needs of our seniors. Increasingly, we rely on our smart phones for many things such as searching for information, accessing our emails, making video calls and sharing beautiful memories with the photographs captured through our phone camera. Imagine, being a senior who wished they could do the same with their families and loved ones. The ability to do all these independently, with efficiency and without any worries would be extremely beneficial to them.” The Seniors Smart Phone Workshop aims to roll out to 11 more constituencies and schools in the district, reaching out to at least 280 pairs of seniors and student volunteers.
Mr Leong Keng Thai, Deputy Chief Executive, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore said, “Seniors have much to gain by learning how to use the various features and apps found in smart phones. Through such courses, they can experience the benefits of being digitally connected and even bond with their family members, especially the younger generation.”
Mr Joshua Hon, Head of Customer Service, Samsung Electronics Singapore said, “The Seniors Smart Phone Workshop is a great platform for the community to get together to help seniors explore the benefits of technology. Most seniors limit their smart phone use to the basic features that they are familiar with. This is a wonderful initiative for seniors to discover new smart phone uses, while enriching their social and family lives.”
JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE, NORTH EAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
Related Resources:
Annex A: Factsheet for the Overview of Digital Inclusion Programmes (123.67KB)
Annex B: Factsheet for the Silver Infocomm Initiative (241.62KB)
About Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is to develop information technology and telecommunications within Singapore with a view to serve citizens of all ages and companies of all sizes. IDA does this by actively supporting the growth of innovative technology companies and start-ups in Singapore, working with leading global IT companies as well as developing excellent information technology and telecommunications infrastructure, policies and capabilities for Singapore. For more news and information, visit www.ida.gov.sg. Follow IDA on Facebook IDA.Singapore and Twitter @IDAsg.
About North East Community Development Council
Set up in 1997, North East Community Development Council (CDC) serves a population of over 843,000 residents in three Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and two Single Member Constituencies (SMCs). They are Aljunied, Pasir Ris–Punggol, Tampines GRCs, Hougang and Punggol East SMCs. The North East CDC administers various local assistance programmes to help our residents. In addition, we also work closely with community and corporate partners to promote bonding and social cohesion. North East CDC is headed by Mayor Teo Ser Luck. For more information, please visit https://cdc.org.sg/NorthEast
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.
For media clarifications, please contact:
Candy Pok (Ms)
Assistant Manager, Corporate & Marketing Communications
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
DID: (65) 6211 1706
Email: Candy_pok@imda.gov.sg
Azlin Mohamed (Mr)
Manager, Corporate Communications
North East Community Development Council
DID: (65) 6424 4000
Email: Zlin_mohamed@pa.gov.sg
Lim Ting Ji (Ms)
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
North East Community Development Council
DID: (65) 6424 4014
Email: Lim_Ting_Ji@pa.gov.sg
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