Brisbane Seniors Online (BSOL) provides affordable one-on-one home tutoring to seniors and over 50s in the Greater Brisbane area using voluntary computer mentors. BSOL have no paid staff. All mentors and administrative staff are true unpaid volunteers. Training is offered on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, Apple devices and smart phones. Assistance is also provided to help learners to recognise and avoid scams and fraudulent activity when going online. As there is now less face to face contact with businesses and banks, more processes now need to be done online over the internet.

Seniors and over 50s who live alone, have mobility or transport issues restricting them from leaving home often or are currently isolated at home for health reasons could benefit from having computer and internet skills to make contact with the outside world, pay bills and order meals for online delivery to their home.

Digital photography is also offered in the BSOL Woolloongabba Training facility and all members and mentors can attend the monthly meeting of this group and participate in photography excursions and training on photographic techniques. Linux, Apple and Mentor Support Groups also meet monthly. Some free events are held in Brisbane City Council libraries across Brisbane. These activities are listed on the BSOL website under coming events and free to attend. Seniors and over 50s can usually attend these events held at Brisbane City Council libraries and are free.

With families and friends spread overseas and around Australia, keeping in touch by email, social media and online video chat is a convenient and effective way to stay in touch. BSOL can show learners how to use this media to stay in touch safely.

Brisbane Seniors Online is always looking for more volunteer mentors as well as new learners across most of the Greater Brisbane Area. Learners pay a one-off joining fee of $20 and an annual membership fee of $45. This gives the learner as a guide 12 x 1-hour one-on-one home lessons on their own computer or device in their own home using a patient and experienced volunteer mentor. At the end of this tuition, ongoing support for the balance of the membership year is offered.

Should a learner acquire a new device or there is an upgrade of their existing system, they can seek help from their mentor. There is no membership fee for volunteer mentors and additional training is available to mentors. New mentors particularly those confident to teach Apple devices are most welcome.

The coronavirus has impacted the activities of the BSOL. 

The office has been closed but all the usual office functions are being maintained by staff working from home:

  • Phone calls to the office will go to message bank and be checked regularly by a staff member who will call back to sort out the caller’s query.
  • Membership applications, renewals, and reinstatements will be processed from home by Sue Green our membership administration staff member.
  • Payments for membership, renewals and reinstatements will be processed as usual.

All Special Interest Group meetings in the BSOL Office have been suspended.

Contact Brisbane Seniors Online 3393 2225 or www.bsol.asn.au