THE SEARCH has been launched for Ireland’s first silver surfer.
But Age Action Ireland is interested only in older people who surf the net, rather than ride the waves.
The group is looking for older people who are enthusiastic users of information technology, such as blogging, e-mailing, tweeting, texting and using Skype.
It is asking the public for nominations for the “Silver Surfer of the Year Award” which will be presented to someone who best embraces IT with a sense of adventure and fun and as a new opportunity for learning, pleasure or enterprise.
Awards will also go to the most dedicated IT learner, the best group communicator using IT, the most passionate hobbyist who uses IT, and the IT volunteer of the year.
Nominations can be for an individual or group. All nominees have to be aged 55 or over, with the exception of the IT volunteer category.
Age Action’s Helen McQuillan said there was a perception that older people had little or no interest in using IT, but her computer training programme had been “overwhelmed with demand”, she said.
“By the end of the year almost 5,000 people will have completed our classes. Everyone wants to learn more. The biggest challenge is to meet demand from older people for classes.”
The awards will be presented at an IT conference for older people at Croke Park on September 28th.
The closing date for nominations is Friday, September 18th. Nomination forms are available to download from www.ageaction.ie or by phoning Pauline Power at 01-4756989.
– ALISON HEALY