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Simsbury commissioners back student tech‑help pilot to assist older residents
Summary
The Aging and Disability Commission discussed a pilot to pair Simsbury High student volunteers with older residents for twice‑weekly tech help, and noted pending grant applications (AARP Flagship and NCAAA) to support materials and programming.
Vice Chairman Jan Beatty and commissioners discussed a proposal to launch a multigenerational technology assistance pilot that would pair Simsbury High volunteers with older residents for help with Wi‑Fi, passwords, email, screen settings and social media.
The plan, introduced during the commission's Age‑Friendly Community agenda item, identified Simsbury High students (including guest attendee Eli Seiderer and Student Representative Kylie Stillman) as potential volunteers and suggested a twice‑weekly after‑school slot (around 3:00–4:00 P.M.) with sessions hosted at the Senior Center, the Library or Eno Memorial Hall. Commissioners discussed producing handouts of common how‑tos and advertising through the Senior Center and Library.
Commissioners noted two grant efforts tied to the initiative: an AARP Flagship Grant (approximately $15,000) to fund items such as mobi‑mats and program support, and a North Central Area Agency on Aging (NCAAA) grant of $7,500 for Souper Thursdays. Subcommittee members will meet with community partners to develop Age‑Friendly Action Plans and to confirm volunteer recruitment and scheduling. The commission also noted the Aging‑in‑Place Expo scheduled for Sept. 18, 2026, as an outreach opportunity to promote the pilot.
No formal vote was recorded on the pilot during the March 17 meeting; commissioners described the discussion as a planning step contingent on grant awards and partner coordination.
