22 'Senior-Internet-Carers' (Senior-Internet-Helfer/-innen - SIH, in German) from Friedrichshafen (Southern Germany) have been trained within the framework of the project 'Reasonable use of the Internet' ('Internet sinnvoll nutzen', in German), in order to provide elderly people with the necessary skills for the safe use of PC and Internet.

The 'Reasonable use of the Internet' is a project established by the Centre for General Scientific Continuing Education (ZAWiW, in German) of the University of Ulm and supported by the T-City Friedrichshafen, which is a think tank for the use of new media in the town of Friedrichshafen, carried out by the municipality of Friedrichshafen and a telecommunications company.

Ralph Schneider from ZAWiW recalls the first steps of the creation of this initiative, stating the following: "During the last few months, the Senior-Internet-Carers have acquired knowledge and qualifications on the organisation of topics, teaching methodologies and techniques. Therefore, they are now as an independent group well prepared in a specific learning program that specialises in the needs of elderly people and they can now pass on their knowledge to other seniors in order to become familiar with the use of technology too." The training courses are taking place twice a week.

The qualified group of volunteer Senior trainers can help elderly people getting started with using the Internet and the PCs. The motto 'Seniors for seniors' is used among elderly people who participate in this initiative to mark their first steps in the world of the Internet.

Further information:

• Original news article - Online competences for the 50plus generation Project (in German)
• 'Reasonable use of the Internet' Project - ('Internet sinnvoll nutzen') (in German)
• Centre for General Scientific Continuing Education (in German)
• Senioren Internet Treff Friedrichshafen (in German)