Building confidence with technology at Manna Gum

Manna Gum Community House has several programs this term to help adults of all ages with their phones, tablets and computers.

“We’ve tried to tailor our programs to meet the needs of our local community members,” says Rebecca Matthews, Manager of Manna Gum Community House. “Our staff are assisting people almost every day with questions about technology, so we have different programs that we can refer them to.”

The Technology Club is a free, casual drop-in program run by Tim Beacham from Foster IT. Community members can come in, between 1 pm and 3 pm on Wednesday, with questions about technology or the internet and Tim will help to troubleshoot issues. This is run in the Community Lounge, so people are also welcome to come and make themselves a hot drink, and work on technology projects such as a photobook, or even just to use the WiFi.

Genevieve Moore is the new Learn Local teacher at Manna Gum. Learn Local programs are government-funded, supporting people with skills for work, study and life. Genevieve has worked in education and training roles for many years and in many different sectors including the Commonwealth and State public service, and now the community sector. She is passionate about people having access to the internet as a means of connecting with family and friends as well as staying in touch with their community and the wider world.

Genevieve will teach the Basic Technology classes, which are run throughout the term and are for people needing to build their skills and gain some confidence. “We have assisted a variety of students with our Learn Local classes, and we welcome anybody to come and try a class to see if it is the right fit for them, before they commit to a whole term,” says Rebecca. “You may just want to learn how to be safe online with internet browsing and social media, or you may need assistance with applying for work online.” The small class sizes mean that they can be tailored to individual needs.

The Basic Technology class runs on Wednesday mornings in Foster, Tuesday mornings at the Welshpool Rural Transaction Centre, and Tuesday afternoons at the Toora Library. They are free for concession card holders.

For anybody needing assistance with government services online, including MyGov, then the best time to access support is on Tuesdays and Thursdays when the Services Australia Agency is open at Manna Gum.

Manna Gum office staff are also happy to assist with other online services, such as applying for a Working With Children Check or passport, and this would require an appointment.

For enquiries please call 5682 1101 during office hours (Mon-Thursday 10 am-3 pm), or drop in and pick up a course brochure.

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