Silvia Ramirez sent children to Harvard, Princeton and Brown universities, where they continued their careers in research and tech. Meanwhile, she said, “I stayed back in time.”
On Friday afternoon that changed, when the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services gave Ramirez and 19 other seniors free iPads, and walked them through the basics of the digital world.
“I didn’t know anything about anything [before the workshop],” said Ramirez. “Now I have something to continue practicing with.”
“It goes to show how far the digital divide goes in San Francisco,” said Josh Chan, an instructor at the workshop, which was facilitated by the Community Tech Network, a local nonprofit. The workshop was held in Spanish at the Mission Branch Library on Valencia Street, part of a city initiative to increase digital literacy in San Francisco.
Ramirez said she hopes to start using the tablet to read and write emails.
“It’s like Christmas has come already,” said Jorge Marino, unwrapping the plastic from the Apple iPad box. Marino said he is looking forward to using the tablet to read about his many interests — world history and geography, music and sports. And to practice karaoke using YouTube videos, he said.
For three hours, instructors and volunteers from the Community Tech Network guided participants through the basics of using an iPad. For many of them, this was their first time using any kind of tablet; many have never used a computer and, while some have smartphones, most only use them for a limited number of tasks, like making calls, said Rafael Zuniga, one of the instructors.
Zuniga said this workshop addresses the biggest problem in making tech more accessible: Not knowing how to use it, from turning an iPad on, to logging into accounts or sending messages.
For a global tech capital, where many residents increasingly rely on phones to get around in driverless cars, get groceries and access city benefits and healthcare, San Francisco’s digital innovations have disparate reach.
Over 100,000 San Franciscans either lack broadband access or basic digital skills, and those who are low-income, senior, limited English proficient, or disabled are most at risk, according to a 2019 city report. That represents around one in every nine residents. Of the 124,000 households eligible for subsidized internet access in San Francisco, only 26 percent are enrolled.
The digital connection workshop aimed to address some of those barriers: The event was only open to residents over the age of 60, the training was given exclusively in Spanish, and iPads were provided free of charge, with funding from the city.
But having the basics down pat is one thing; using the iPad to its full potential is another. Zuniga said he would like to see the tech support expanded, because participants in past workshops have found themselves discouraged after one session, leaving without knowing much of the tablet’s functionality.
A seemingly perennial problem: Though they were not discouraged, several seniors left Friday with new problems — identification, account issues — that they said their kids would solve. “I’ll ask my daughter,” said Marino, on his way out.
i am interested in the bridge class learn how to use a digital ipad. online coming 2024.