Yasmin, from Regina, Saskatchewan, was eager to share her experience with our Digital Jumpstart program:
“My friend went through the previous program and recommended the program to me. I was interested in learning to do more on the computer. I am a fast learner, and I already do a lot of work on the phone, so having a laptop was helpful to learn. I have been retired for over six years now and I like to volunteer with the senior community.
Participating in the Digital Jumpstart program has made me more comfortable communicating online and staying in touch with friends and family using social media. It also gave me the opportunity to practice and use Microsoft Office programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. My main goal was to get more comfortable with social media and learn how to use Excel for budgeting and I have also become more confident using the computer and browsing the internet to look for information.
Since participating in the Digital Jumpstart program, I have become more comfortable with the internet and doing tasks on the computer. One thing that I was able to do using my new computer skills was to book my own tickets for an upcoming holiday to the United States. I used the internet to browse flight websites, compare information, and then purchase my flights. Previously I would have required help doing this, but I was able to confidently and independently do this by myself.
The Digital Jumpstart program provided me with an improved comfort level with the computer with help from a one-on-one instructor. I also received a laptop, an ergonomic mouse, a keyboard, as well as a headset. I am retired so I will not be searching for work, but this program helped me with my understanding of computers and technology. I volunteer with seniors in my community and so much of this information is also helpful to teach seniors.
As for my future, I am now going on vacation for the winter, but I will be taking the laptop with me. I enjoy using the laptop more than the phone especially now to keep in touch with friends and family on social media. I can navigate multiple tabs and windows and I feel confident and comfortable accessing my email, doing online banking, and creating my own documents, presentations, and workbooks.
I enjoyed my participation in the Digital Jumpstart program, and I appreciated all the assistance and help I received. One of my friends is not quite a computer-savvy individual and she now comes to me to help her or show her how to do things. Thank you all for your help and assistance and I know the program will help a lot of people!”
This project is funded by the government of Canada’s
Adult Learning Literacy and Essential Skills Program