Best Buy recently joined forces with two nonprofits in Washington, D.C., to help older adults connect with technology — often for the very first time — with teen mentors by their side.
The company, along with Cyber-Seniors and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, brought together 30 teens and 23 seniors at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center. The event included a reception and demonstrations led by Best Buy and Geek Squad trainers. Several other employees from area stores volunteered to help out, too, as the event happened during the Best Buy Week of Service.
With aid from the employees, the teens helped the seniors learn a variety of technology skills, including how to:
- Navigate through the Internet, create social media pages to connect with old friends, and do research on historical figures.
- Use Microsoft software to produce documents, craft flyers for events at local nonprofit organizations the seniors are connected to and type letters to family members.
- Manage devices, including clearing memory from tablets.
“At Best Buy, our mission is to leverage technology to ‘ignite human potential.’ And that’s exactly what we’re doing here today,” said Stefan Mcclinnahan, GM of Best Buy Store #269 (Springfield, Virginia) during his opening remarks at the event. “I spent several years of my childhood in this area, and I understand what these types of programs can do to enhance the lives of teens and seniors in this community.”
Cyber-Seniors began as a film documenting teens who help seniors dip their toes into technology and connect digitally with friends and family. It has since grown into a program with events around the country where teens and seniors come together to experience what technology can do. Best Buy Canada has also worked with Cyber-Seniors.