We welcome your involvement as:

1. •a Senior who wishes to receive periodic and regular video calls;
   

2. •a “ Skype™ Buddy” to make periodic and regular video calls to Seniors;
   

3. •a family member to assist Senior Skypers;
   

4. •a community volunteer who wishes to assist with transportation and communication.
   

Who are we?

The Seniors Skyping Seniors program is sponsored by Harcourt Memorial United Church in Guelph, Ontario. It is directed by a Steering Committee of Harcourt Church members and community partners representing a variety of stakeholders in Guelph and Wellington. The program is facilitated by Terry McDonald. He will be your primary contact for becoming involved and getting technical assistance.

Why Skype™?

The project is not affiliated in any way with Skype™. Rather, we are using Skype™ because it is available free-of-charge and it allows users to place face-to-face video calls over the Internet to other Skype™ users at no cost.

What do I need to get started?

A basic level of technology is needed to participate in this project:

1. ✓a computer and monitor or a laptop;
   

2. ✓a broadband or high speed internet connection (not dial-up);
   

3. ✓a webcam – either built into your monitor or laptop or as a separate piece;
   

4. ✓a headset with earphones and a microphone;
   

5. ✓the enthusiasm to join an exciting project paving the way for 21st-century communications!
   

6. If you don’t have Skype, we can download, install and set it up for you.
   

 

Seniors-Skyping-Seniors is a 12-month pilot project sponsored by Harcourt Memorial United Church, Guelph, Ontario. It is funded by a grant from New Horizons for Seniors, a program run by our federal government. The project is overseen by a Steering Committee made up of Harcourt members and community partners working with Seniors in the Guelph-Wellington community. The goal of Seniors-Skyping-Seniors is to examine how effective it is to use Skype™ for free, face-to-face video calls for reducing the feeling of social isolation among Seniors.

Contacts:

Seniors Skyping Seniors Website

Project Facilitator: Terry McDonald

Communications Assistant: Daniel Welch

Steering Committee, Chair: Joan Barham

Harcourt Memorial United Church Office