Do you want to blow up your computer? click on the computer.

When North Ayrshire Council decided to create a computer Buddy scheme for North.Ayrshire, called “The North Ayrshire Libraries Computer Buddies”.  Little did they expect how successful it was going to be especially in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae.

The scheme has now been running in Millport since June 2002, and so far the Computer Buddies have given one to one tuition to some eighty people. This support has been provided by a group of volunteers. Fiona Tomany, Alastair Duthie, Bill Sommers and Tommy Sommers. A number of these students have gone on to pursue further education classes in computing. The Library staff, June Allison and Jan Sommers provide the administration side of the Buddy scheme.

Many of the students are older retired people who where somewhat apprehensive of this new technology. Once they have tried it they realise it was not as difficult as they had thought. Word of mouth is Millport is a big thing, and it soon got round about the “Computer Buddies” and the scheme has mushroomed with the passage of time. One very sweet lady found her way to Harrods on the internet and was happily finding her way round the Harrods website. That lady was special since she is our oldest member of The Buddies at 90+! hence the saying “your never too old to have a go!"

Another aspect of The Buddies for older people, is companionship and getting out of the house for a few hours. Thus improving the quality of live for our older residents in Millport has a side effect. It is hoped that in the future “The Buddies” in Millport may go beyond the Computer Suite and it maybe possible to take the scheme out to disabled people in the community.

What has it done for the buddies themselves? Friendship, new contacts in the local community, and a steep learning curve. We learn as much as the students!

If you feel you would like to try computing come along and collect a form from Millport Library and sign up for a Buddy.If you do not have a similar scheme where you live and like the idea of the Computer Buddies, then suggest it to your local councilor or Library and try to establish a similar scheme.