In the run up to the final event, we would like to share more opinions from the protagonists of Project Starting Back Up Together, developed in collaboration by INMI Lazzaro Spallanzani, Regione Lazio and Fondazione Mondo Digitale to contrast the isolation of elders and introduce them to the use of on-line health services.
The first sound clip takes us back in time. Maria Teresa, excited and impatient, is looking forward to her first contact with the knowledge volunteer that will tutor her. “I couldn’t wait for it both to come into contact with someone young and to learn how to use digital tools on my own.” Maria Teresa’s enthusiasm is also perceivable in the messages she sent to her peers in which she advises them to continue learning to stay young. She also points out to the young volunteers that interacting with elders is always a form of enrichment.
Ascolta "Insieme si riparte con Maria Teresa" su Spreaker.
Maria Teresa’s volunteer is Lia (21), a computer engineering student at the University of Rome. It’s her message to the volunteers [read the news here]. Lia describes Maria Teresa as curious and committed to learning how to use all the tools at her disposal. Moreover, thanks to “Starting Back Up Together,” Lia learned about the virtue of patience and helped Maria Teresa overcome obstacles step by step. She noticed her improvement session by session and how they were slowly reaching an important objective together.
Another recognisable face is that of Emilio, entrepreneur and social media manager [see news: 244 Years Old] who helped out a couple, Graziella and Vittorio [see news: Feeling Cuddled] and another lady. Emilio describes his experience as a knowledge volunteer and the difficulties he encountered, especially at the beginning when he took for granted that his elder students were aware of certain terms and concepts.
“There was a great feeling. They became my grandparents, and I was their point of reference.” What Emilio most appreciated was learning that thanks to his support the elders were able to do things they had never dreamt of before and that scared them. “They are no longer scared by technology and want to learn more and more to use it at its best.”
