Free digital skills training for Australian's aged 50 and older
REGISTER NOW - Drop in 1:1 support sessions and free Group Workshops
Are you aged 50+? Would you like some free, local digital skills training?
The Ballarat East Neighbourhood House is proud to be a Network Partner of the Australian Government’s Be Connected Digital Literacy Program, which provides free local digital inclusion support.
In Term 1 and 2, we have a series of free workshops and 1:1 digital skills support at Barkly Square with our two Digital Mentors, Greg (pictured) and Eve.
Digital Skills Drop-In sessions
Greg is available Wednesday mornings during school term, 9.30 am - 11.30 am, for 1:1 drop in sessions for people requiring a little support getting to know their digital devices. He will be in the Community Area near the Cafe at Barkly Square, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat East.
No registration is required for the 1:1 sessions. Just turn up and Greg will see you when he is available.
Dates for Term 1, 2024
- 13 March
- 20 March - no Drop-In session - see Group session below
- 27 March
No sessions over the school holidays (3 & 10 March).
Dates for Term 2, 2024
No session on 17 April - see Group session below
- 24 April
- 1 May
- 8 May
- 15 May
- 22 May
- 29 May
- 5 June
- 12 June
- 19 June
- 26 June
Free Workshops with Greg or Eve - all registrations available soon
Join our local Be Connected Digital Literacy teacher, Greg (pictured), for these engaging free sessions. Information below about access to the various rooms in which these sessions are held.
If you have your own digital device (smart phone, tablet or laptop), please bring it/them along to the Workshop/s.
| Online Shopping for Groceries
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 20 March Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Digitising Important Documents
10.00 am - 11.30 am, Wednesday 17 April Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Ballarat East Neighbourhood House Community Room, Ground Floor, Room 103) Delivered by Greg |
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| Getting the Best out of MyGov
9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 23 April Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Exploring the Be Connected Website
10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 23 April Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Canva Basics
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 24 April Barkly Square, Room TBC Delivered by Eve |
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| Setting up your Digital Wallet
9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 30 April Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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Basics of Online Shopping 10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 30 April Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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Canva for Community Groups 10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 1 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Eve |
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| Five Must-Do Steps to Protect Your Device from Hackers
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Tuesday 7 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Social Media Basics
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 8 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Eve |
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Introduction to AI 9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 14 May Barkly Square, Room TBC Delivered by Greg |
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| Using ChatGPT Safely
10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 14 May Barkly Square, Room TBC Delivered by Greg |
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| Social Media Safety (with Eve)
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 15 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Eve |
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| Exploring MyHealth Records
9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 21 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Exploring MyGov
10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 21 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Advanced Ways to Avoid Scams
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Tuesday 28 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Using the Internet for Hobbies
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Wednesday 29 May Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Eve |
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| Making the Most of Your Device
9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 4 June Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Organising and Sharing Your Photos
10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 4 June Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Mirroring Your Device to the TV
9.30 am - 10.30 am, Tuesday 11 June Barkly Square, Room TBC Delivered by Greg |
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| Navigating the Be Connected Website
10.45 am - 11.45 am, Tuesday 11 June Barkly Square, Room TBC Delivered by Greg |
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| Five Must-Do Steps to Protect your Device from Hackers
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Tuesday 18 June Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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| Using your iPad
10.00 am - 11.15 am, Thursday 20 June Barkly Square, Ballarat East (Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East) Delivered by Greg |
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Be Connected Digital Literacy Program
The Ballarat East Neighbourhood House is a Network Partner of the Australian Government's Be Connected program.
We are excited to be partnering with the Ballarat North Neighbourhood House and Wendouree Neighbourhood Centre to deliver the 'Be Connected, Building Digital Skills' program. This is a grant to support Older Australians aged 50+ to develop their digital skills and confidence through free sessions, either one-on-one or in small groups, utilising the learning courses available on the Be Connected Learning site.
Our experienced Digital Mentors, Greg and Fiona, will be working closely with both Neighbourhood Houses to develop and deliver the program.
If you are aged 50 or older and would like to improve your digital skills, please contact us to register your interest.
Be Connected - Terms 1 & 2, 2024
Access to the Welcome Room in the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Building
Several Workshops will be held at Barkly Square in the Welcome Room, Ground Floor, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council [BRMC] building, 25 Barkly Street, Ballarat East. This is the historic building next door to the main Barkly Square building.
Please enter the BRMC building one of two ways:
1. Through the front door on Barkly Street (if it is open). The room is the first on your right.
OR
2. Through the big back doors at the back of the building (facing on to the external courtyard with the Barkly Square Main Building, back door and cafe on one side). You will need to walk through the main hall of the BRMC building, along the hallway and the room is on the left by the front door.
If you have any trouble, please call us on 0422 612 052.
Free online safety presentations
There are a host of free online safety presentations available on the Be Connected website.
Free digital skills courses
There is also a long list of free online videos on a wide range of digital skills topics on the Be Connected website.
Be Connected at Neighbourhood Houses
Digital Nation Australia 2021 Report
On 4 August 2021, the Good Things Foundation released the Digital Nation Australia 2021 Report.
Source: https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org.au/news/digital-nation-australia-2021/
Key information included:
During the pandemic, the rate of people completely offline fell from 10% to just 1%. However, still fewer than 40% of Australians felt confident that they could keep up with the rapid pace of change in technology.
When pulling together this research, we found that the most at-risk groups for digital exclusion in Australia include:
- First Nations people: In remote First Nations communities, 30% of people have no household internet or phone connection.
- Rural and remote Australians: Even with the roll-out of the NBN, only one third of Australia’s land area has mobile connectivity. This is despite regional and remote areas making up 30% of the Australian population.
- Low-income households and those with a mobile-only data connection: Half of low-income households had difficulty paying for home internet. Meanwhile, one third of those with a mobile-data only connection are low-income families with school-aged children.
- Women: Low digital literacy means women are more vulnerable to online abuse.
- New CALD migrants and refugees: Low digital skills and access are a barrier to accessing services during the pandemic and job opportunities more broadly.
- People with disabilities: People with disabilities are lower users of digital and social media and are more likely to experience cyberbullying and digital abuse.
- Those over 65 years of age: 80% find it difficult to keep up with tech changes.
- People outside of the labour force: Confidence in digital skills decreases as length of retirement increases.
- People with low levels of education: 44% have no media literacy support.
This can have a big impact on people’s lives across employment, education, and safety. Research presented in Digital Nation Australia 2021 shows:
- 87% of jobs in Australia now require digital skills.
- 46% of employees were working from home in April 2020, and 58% of people said that the internet was essential to work during the pandemic.
- Since the pandemic, 81% of respondents in a survey by The Smith Family were concerned about students struggling to do schoolwork without reliable access to a laptop and internet.
- 61% don’t feel confident that they can identify misinformation online.
People who don’t have the essential digital skills to be safe and confident online and those who do not have affordable access to the internet are at risk of being left behind as the world moves further online.
eSafety Commissioner
Australia's eSafety Committioner, Julie Inman Grant, leads the world's first government agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online. eSafety is an independent statutory office supported by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). eSafety has powers relating to cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and illegal and harmful online content.
Related research from the office of the eSafety Commissioner.
Conditions of participation
- Please read the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House Activity Terms and Conditions. You will be asked to agree to these upon registration for this activity.
- All participants in Ballarat East Neighbourhood House activities must follow the current Statewide COVID-Safe principles.
- If you are feeling unwell and/or have cold/flu symptoms please do not come to the activity.
- Please sanitise your hands upon entry to and exit from Barkly Square. Hand sanitiser will be available.
- Keep at least 1.5 metres from other people in the activity.
- Bring your own drink bottle. A Pot of Courage cafe at Barkly Square will be open if you would like to purchase hot drinks and food.
- Arrive 5-10 minutes before the activity starts to allow time to complete any paperwork.
- If you have any injuries or issues which may affect your ability to partipate fully in the activity, please arrive early and discuss with Greg.
- A maximum of 10 participants will be able to take part in this activity.
- Tickets are not transferable.
Questions?
Please call Ballarat East Neighbourhood House on 0422 612 052 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you are having trouble booking or paying for this activity, we are very happy to find a solution that will work as we want everyone interested to be able to participate.
