[Episcopal News Service] On the Big Island of Hawai‘i, there’s no Apple Store Genius Bar or Best Buy Geek Squad where residents can go to troubleshoot technical- or user-ability problems with their electronic devices.
So, to help older and elderly residents learn to use smart phones, tablets, watches, e-readers and computers, St. James’ Episcopal Church in Waimea hosts Teen Tech, where local teenagers teach adults aged 55 and older how to use their electronic devices, troubleshoot problems and navigate the internet.
“What the elders usually request is so simple, but they may not have a grandchild or younger neighbors to help them, so this service makes a huge difference in their lives,” Marilyn Fitzgerald, Teen Tech’s supervisor, told Episcopal News Service. For example, “We had a 92-year-old woman come in a couple of times with a new Apple Watch that she got in case she fell and needed to call for help, so the teens were able to set it up for her and show her how to use all the features.”
Teen Tech runs one Sunday a month between September and May, when school is in session. Between 10:30 a.m. and noon, three to five volunteer high school students are available at St. James to teach elders how to use and troubleshoot issues with electronic devices.
The elders can also learn how to use email and social media, as well as how to search information on Google and save photos and documents. They’re free to ask the teens any technology questions they have in a judgment-free environment.
“I think the kūpuna are oftentimes reluctant to ask family members because family members don’t always have the patience. I think they have a habit of making seniors feel like, ‘You should already know this,’” Susan Acacio, coordinator St. James’ Youth and Keiki Ministries, told ENS. “The teen volunteers are a neutral party for them at no financial cost, and they’re really good at explaining a broad range of issues.”
About seven kūpuna, Hawaiian for elders, show up every month for assistance, according to Fitzgerald. The volunteers typically spend between 20 and 45 minutes assisting each kūpuna.
The Rev. David Stout, rector of St. James’, pointed out to ENS that nearly a quarter of the Big Island’s population – about 200,600 people – are elderly.
Teen Tech follows the 9:30 a.m. worship service, but the program welcomes everyone from the community, not just the congregation. Participating teens earn volunteer credit for their college applications, and the program helps them develop patience and empathy as they work with the kūpuna.
“For me, Teen Tech is in the vein of keeping with living out the gospel of love and kindness and grace and mercy,” Stout said. “Out here on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where resources are more limited, any help to the community is vital and such a blessing.”
Fitzgerald and Acacio said it’s a “challenge” to recruit high schoolers wanting to wake up on a Sunday morning to volunteer, with their already busy schedules, especially after temporarily shutting down the Teen Tech program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who do volunteer, however, say they enjoy serving the community. Acacio said one Teen Tech alumna enjoyed volunteering so much when she was in high school that she returned to assist with the program while she was studying for law school exams.
“I always enjoy watching the seniors interact with the teens,” Acacio said. “At first, they’re kind of shy and cautious, but then they get to know the teens, who are so smart and have a great sense of humor, and they start to open up. That’s my favorite part of the program.”
-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.