The Swedish Motala library has received 670 000 SEK to a project where the newly arrived young people will teach seniors manage computers and how the internet works.
The money comes from the non-profit organization Enter Sweden, which since 2010 runs the project IT Guide Sweden. The mission is that newly arrived young people teach seniors Internet using computers, tablets and phones, while the young people come in close contact with the Swedish language and learn more about Sweden.
Motala & Vadstena Tidning/Pelle Johansson
– We will recruit and train the newly arrived young people who read the language introduction program at Motala secondary schools. They will then be on hourly employee and given the task of helping seniors. This includes to teach them to surf the web, how to pay bills and how to create an account on Facebook, says Ms Lundberg, manager Enter Sweden.
Two immigrants who today are IT guides will serve as trainers and mentors to the students who will participate in the project.
– It feels really exciting and we know from experience how much the newcomers can learn about Sweden through meetings with seniors, says Library Director Birgitta Hellman.
– We expect to be off and running with it-cafe on Saturdays in October and then we hope to expand to branch libraries. It can also be a collaboration with the elderly care.