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Harwich COA to expand website posts, launch summer 'passport' program and flag WCAG 2.0 compliance
Summary
The COA announced a July 9 program, a 'Passport to Summer' member engagement program starting July 1, more website/blog posts and links to the Barnstable Care Guide, and raised web accessibility (WCAG 2.0) as an IT coordination item with the town.
The Harwich Council on Aging told members on June 17 that staff will increase website and newsletter outreach, launch a summer engagement program, and link residents to local resource guides.
The Director said website traffic is steady and staff is getting “between say one to four” new registrations daily; Rosa has been adding Facebook posts that the COA will duplicate to the website’s blog. The director said she is the only person currently updating the site and wants to train staff to post duplicate content to both Facebook and the blog.
The COA announced a July 9 program at 10 a.m. titled “Supporting Their Next Chapter,” aimed at adults who visit or live near older parents and intended to introduce COA services and encourage family engagement. The board also described a “Passport to Summer” program starting July 1 (passports available June 30) in which members collect stickers for activities such as attending breakfast, bringing a friend, following the Facebook page or switching to email newsletters; top participants will be entered into a raffle with up to $75 in grocery gift cards as prizes.
The director said she linked the Barnstable Care Guide on the services page to provide a comprehensive list of local agencies and resources and plans to add a 'get involved' page where residents can suggest program ideas that, if adopted, will be reported on the blog.
Board members raised website accessibility obligations under WCAG 2.0 and advised coordinating with Joy Jordan (regional school community relations) and the town IT director to check compliance and reduce legal risk for noncompliant sites. The director noted previous local lawsuits tied to noncompliant websites and agreed the COA should confirm its site and materials are accessible.
Staff said peer tech volunteers are available to help seniors use app-based services or navigate online resources; the board agreed to add clearer transportation and resource links to both the newsletter and website.
