Could you help someone get online?

Bookmark and Share

Published:
29 July 2010
Topic:
News,Broadband,Pass it on - Race Online 2012

moneysupermarket.com is one of the official partners of Race Online 2012 and has run its first training session to help people in the local community, who don't know how to use the internet, to get online.

Britain is home to 10million people who've never used the internet, meaning they can't access the money saving deals, social networking, and news and information that so many of us take for granted.

The Race Online 2012 campaign, which is headed by Martha Lane Fox, one of the founders of lastminute.com, aims to change this and get the entire nation using the internet. You can see Martha talking about the campaign in our video 'Time to help get the nation online'.

Moneysupermarket.com is one of a number of companies supporting the initiative and while we will continue offering training sessions and free computers to local people who don't currently have internet access, Race Online 2012 needs your help too.

Most of us know someone who isn't online - whether it's an elderly relative, a busy stay-at-home parent or a colleague at work.

So once you've identified your web trainee - how can you go about teaching them the basics? Here are our five top tips:

Start small

Don't try and get your terrified trainee to be poking their Facebook friends and building digital content straight away. Start small.

This is especially important to remember if you've grown up with computers - what seems obvious to you will probably not be someone who has never used one before.

Explain the PC

If your trainee is entirely new to computers, then make sure you explain a few of the basics before you move onto the web.

Show them how to turn the computer on, otherwise they won't get far!

Run through mouse use (most PCs have card games on them like Hearts and Patience, which are great ways to get someone using a mouse more confidently), what the icons on the desktop do, how to minimise and close windows, these kinds of basics.

Establish them online

You want your trainee to return to the web when you're not there to help, so maybe see if they'd like to sign up to a social networking site or create an email account.

That gives them another reason to get back online in the future.

Search engines

Nine out of 10 visits to the internet start with a search engine, so make sure your trainee knows how to use one, whether it's Google, Bing or one of the others.

If they don't know about search engines, they'll be stuck using websites they've been told about, and that will really hold them back.

Be interesting

For anyone using a computer and browsing the internet for the first time, there's a lot to take on board and they'll be working hard.

So, while you may want to show them how to shop for cheap flights, switch their gas and electricity, renew their car tax or whatever - bear in mind that they do need to see that the internet can be fun too.

Have the odd YouTube break or play a silly viral game - that way you'll both have more fun.

Related Links

Bookmark and Share

Rate This Article

Click on a star to rate this article.

1 rating

Email a Friend

Let a friend know about this news item with an email containing a link to this page, and a customised message.

 *
 *
 *
 *

 

 *

This helps us prevent automated programs from using and slowing down our services.

About This Author

Felicity Hannah

Deputy Editor

Rating

Rated 5/5 (average from 1 rating)

Related News

More News...