Age Action is seeking nominations for Ireland’s first “Silver Surfer” Award

The award scheme aims to celebrate older people who are enthusiastic users of information technology, such as computers, internet and mobile phone.

The search is now on for Ireland’s keenest silver surfers - older people who are using IT for learning, leisure or enterprise. Age Action wants to hear their stories, whether they are new learners or more experienced IT users.

Nominations are being sought for the following awards:

· Silver Surfer of the Year. Someone who best embraces IT with a sense of adventure, a sense of fun, as a new opportunity for learning, pleasure or enterprise;
· Most dedicated IT learner. Someone who is a determined learner and who has overcome challenges to become a confident IT user;
· Group Communicator. Someone who uses IT for group communication (family, community, club) to the best effect – whether it is texting, emailing, skype, wiki, blogs or twitter;
· Passionate hobbyist. Someone who best exploits the internet in pursuit of a passion or hobby—eg a quilter, sailor, nature lover, gardener, photographer, bird watcher, cook, musician, local historian or genealogist.
· IT volunteer(s) of the year. Someone who provides support and encouragement to older learners on a voluntary basis. Nominations can be for an individual or group.

There will be a range of IT equipment as prizes. The prize for silver surfer of the year is a laptop and a year’s mobile internet sponsored by O2. All nominees have to be aged 55 or over (with the exception of the IT volunteer category).

“Despite the perception that older people have little or no interest in using IT, we have been overwhelmed with demand from older people for internet and mobile phone training” according to Helen McQuillan, National Development Manager of Age Action’s Getting Started computer training programme. “By the end of the year almost 5,000 people will have completed our classes. Everyone wants to learn more. The biggest challenge is to meet demand from older people for classes”.

The awards and prizes will be presented at a major IT conference for older people at Croke Park on Monday, September 28, hosted by Age Action. The conference, which is being run as part of Positive Ageing Week, will include interactive demonstrations and IT exhibitions. Speakers from some of the best IT programmes for older people in Ireland and the UK will also share their experiences.

The closing date for nominations is Friday, September 18. Nomination forms are available to download from www.ageaction.ie, by emailing ppower@ageaction.ie or phoning Pauline Power at 01-4756989.

FOR MEDIA QUERIES CONTACT EAMON TIMMINS, HEAD OF ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS, AGE ACTION, AT 01-4756989 OR 087-9682449.