Never too late to get the hang of Facebook
Published on
01 Jan 2013
Published by
Publisher: Singapore Press Holdings Limited
FOR retired English teacher Wong Yew Lam, 72, the past four weeks had been an interesting exercise in role- reversal.
He was taught how to use Facebook by Jasmine Lee, 13, a former student of his school.
Mr Wong is the oldest participant in Clementi’s pioneer inter-generational Facebook class. Yesterday, he was among the 25 elderly who graduated from the class in a ceremony held at Nan Hua High School.
He said of his participation in the class: “I want to get connected with my friends and upgrade my IT skills.”
The initiative is the first tripartite collaboration between the Council for Third Age (C3A), the Clementi Active Ageing Committee and the People’s Association.
Of all the C3A’s inter-generational programmes, this is the first time one was tailored specifically to teach the elderly how to use Facebook. The class was created in response to demand from the elderly.
According to discussions and surveys conducted with participants about C3A’s various programmes held over the past year, the council found that about 35 per cent of seniors indicated a strong interest in learning about social media.
Mr Arthur Fong, an MP for West Coast GRC, said at the graduation ceremony that Facebook was a way to keep seniors active.
A spokesman for People’s Association said the programme will be expanded in time. Classes will be conducted in Mandarin and even in dialect if there is sufficient demand, the spokesman added.
ALL views, content, information and/or materials expressed / presented by any third party apart from Council For Third Age, belong strictly to such third party. Any such third party views, content, information and/or materials provided herein are for convenience and/or general information purposes only. Council For Third Age shall not be responsible nor liable for any injury, loss or damage whatsoever arising directly or indirectly howsoever in connection with or as a result of any person accessing or acting on any such views, content, information and/or materials. Such third party views, content, information and/or materials do not imply and shall not be construed as a representation, warranty, endorsement and/or verification by Council For Third Age in respect of such views, content, information and/or materials.
