Free AARP TEK workshops with translation supportexpanding to more cities in 2015
AARP Seminar
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 10, 2014 – More than 300 people attended AARP TEK workshops designed for Chinese, Filipino, and other Asian American and Pacific Islander communities on how to use personal technology during AARP’s Ideas@50+ National Event and Expo in San Diego last week. AARP TEK (which stands for Technology Education and Knowledge) is a comprehensive technology education program specifically geared towards the 50+ audience and works to close the technology gap for older adults.
Workshops were held in English with translation support available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Korean. As with the inaugural translation-supported workshops delivered in Boston earlier this year, the San Diego workshops were offered at no charge. As AARP TEK continues to provide more workshops with translation support, AARP trainers are learning how to better present and integrate multilingual content and materials within the program to better serve Chinese, Filipino, and other AAPI communities.
AARP Seminar
“After the hands-on training, the smartphone was no longer as intimidating or irrelevant to their lives,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience. “Transformations were occurring in the two-hour session as participants learned basic tools to stay connected with family and friends, including how to Skype, text, send emails, take photos and ‘selfies,’ use maps, and more. A 95-year-old Chinese American woman traveled from Los Angeles to join us! What great spirit!”
AARP TEK offered six free workshops at the San Diego Convention Center, the CCBA Senior Gardens (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association) in San Diego, and the Loma Verde Center in Chula Vista.
This year, AARP TEK has helped enriched thousands of people’s lives with technology in seven cities – Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, New York, San Antonio and San Diego—with the intent to expand significantly in 2015. Sessions being offered include “Intro to Tablets & Smartphones” and “Staying Connected with Apps,” among others.
Additional information on AARP TEK workshops and online tools and resources can be found atwww.aarp.org/aarptek.
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.