The Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center (BLEC) has received rave reviews for its Digital Skills Ready \textcircled { a } 5 0 + Initiative, which helps individuals 50 and older learn new online skills needed to navigate an increasingly digital world.
The initiative was made possible through a partnership with the AARP Foundation and a grant from Google.org. Classes and workshops offer training on a wide range of technology, including video conferencing, online job search tools, and office productivity software.
Since the launch of the initiative in 2022, BLEC has trained over 200 participants who have gained essential skills needed to help them communicate more comfortably with the use of technology when applying for a job, exploring entrepreneurship, or hoping to stay connected with family and friends.
“BLEC is pleased to provide a much-needed service to a special population in our community,” said Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, BLEC executive director. “We are thankful for the funding from and partnership with AARP and Google.org. It is our commitment to ensure lectures and workshops are convenient and easily accessible to our target audience.”
Participants are engaged in classes covering such topics as affordable home internet; protecting your personal information online; connecting to the internet; finding information online; Gmail (email) tips and tricks; video chat with Zoom; getting started with Zoom; signing up for Gmail; Google workspace; and crowdfunding for entrepreneurs.
