Society for WINGS: Keeping Up with Technology

“Every time I asked my kids to teach me how to use an app or send a video, they brushed me off and made me feel like I could not learn anything,” shared Joanie Lingle on her experience before benefiting from ‘Digital Ties That Bind’ (DTTB).

Like Joanie, many mature women may not know how to use digital technology effectively. Recognising this, Society for WINGS (Women’s Initiative for Successful Aging) started DTTB in 2022 to equip women above 40 with essential digital skills. This helps them become more confident and independent when navigating the digital world.

Launching ‘Digital Ties That Bind’ (DTTB)

Society for WINGS conducts a wide range of classes and activities to help women age well. When COVID-19 forced a sudden pivot to online classes, many could not join online as they did not know how to log on.

“It became clear that we needed to teach them these digital skills so they could participate and not feel socially isolated,” shared Society for WINGS Executive Director Wong Ting Mei.

With the support of the Digital for Life Fund, Society for WINGS developed an extensive digital skills curriculum for DTTB and acquired the necessary tools, such as digital devices and photography equipment. Besides mastering basic applications like Zoom, Google Suite and email, beneficiaries also gained skills in areas like videography, government app navigation, e-payment, and e-scrapbooking, which enriched their lives significantly.

The Student becomes the Teacher

DTTB also has a dedicated team of former beneficiaries turned volunteers, who now help other women acquire digital skills.

Society for WINGS Senior Digital Ambassador Volunteers Betty Teo (right, seated) and Alina Yeo (right, standing) teach a beneficiary how to film their own Legacy video.

When Society for WINGS Senior Digital Ambassador, 64-year-old Betty Teo first heard about the course, she felt that ten sessions over a three-month period was too long.

After attending the sessions, she was impressed by how structured, in-depth, and varied the sessions were. She realised on hindsight that the ten classes were perfectly paced. Through hands-on practice, she grew more confident in solving digital problems.

Eager to share her new skills, Betty now #PlaysItForward as a volunteer to help other women through the different classes.

Fellow Society for WINGS Senior Digital Ambassador, 59-year-old Alina Yeo, also enjoys empowering others. In her past five months of volunteering, she has passed on her digital skills to many others.

“I taught many women how to use apps like Google Maps, TikTok, and YouTube. It’s satisfying to see them coming in without the skills and then leaving with new knowledge. That has been the most wonderful part about volunteering,” shared Alina.

Digital Ties That Bind beneficiaries Joanie Lingle (left) and Lee Swee Khuen (right) share more about their favourite courses in the programme.

Digitising Memories to Last a Lifetime

One of the classes, e-scrapbooking, has always been a crowd favourite. For DTTB beneficiary Lee Swee Khuen, she enjoyed creating her own legacy video as a lasting memory for her loved ones.

“My love for the e-scrapbooking class actually stemmed from fear. As an older woman, I’m fearful of dementia because it robs you of your memory. And when it robs you of your memory, it robs you of yourself.”

Fellow DTTB beneficiary Joanie Lingle had always wanted to digitise all the photos from her travels, but found it excruciating to sort through thousands of them. After attending DTTB, she has put together multiple digital albums easily.

“All the apps and skills that I have learnt helped me get artistic for any album or newsletter I want to create. So far, this course has been awesome. I wish it could be twenty lessons, but I will take what I can get!” shared Joanie.

Doing Better with Digital for Life

Thanks to the support of the Digital for Life Fund, the DTTB programme has flourished and expanded to offer more classes. The competition for classes has intensified as new slots are snapped up once open for registration.

Director Wong explained that these women have challenged the stereotype that the ageing and elderly cannot become tech-savvy. With their passion for learning, the beneficiaries have successfully proven that they are just as capable of participating in and contributing actively to the digital world.