(Article by Tanya Erway, Volunteer Solutions Recruitment Coordinator, Fairfax Area Agency on Aging)
We live in a world powered by technology which is rapidly evolving. Technology plays a vital role in helping people stay connected and can make lives easier in a multitude of ways. Volunteer Solutions (VS) has IT On-Call volunteers who are available to help people make the most of their online tools and devices.
Ragesh Ramesh Govind is an IT On-Call volunteer. He works as a Software Quality Assurance Manager for an IT firm based in Connecticut. He has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Software Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Kerala, India. He lives in Herndon with his wife, Anu, and daughter, Prarthana. He doesn’t allow his busy schedule to deter him from helping others in his local community.
Volunteer Solutions created this free technology support service in 2014 under the guidance of the Fairfax 50+ Area Agency on Aging Plan. Ragesh enjoys volunteering because he uses his technology skills to, “help older adults increase their social life and connection to others…so they don’t feel as alone and isolated.”
Volunteer Solutions recruits and manages tech-savvy volunteers, like Ragesh, who provide free technology assistance to Fairfax area residents, aged 60 or older and adults 18 and over with a disability. Volunteers assist individuals (at home or in senior centers) with minor technology issues or questions, including:
- Setting up computers, printers and email
- Learning how to search online, grocery shop and stream entertainment
- Learning video-calling capabilities using a smartphone
- Trouble shoot connectivity issues and malware
- Social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype)
- Using an iPhone, tablet, Kindle Fire
- Applications- Excel, Google Docs, Windows
Ragesh recently became certified in the Tech Caregiver program, which teaches older adults basic security measures they can take to avoid online scams.
Participants report the volunteers are “…knowledgeable and patient and willing to help” and “…did her research prior to coming to see me” and “a super experience!”
If you would like to receive free IT On-Call assistance, and are 60 or older, or an adult 18+ with a disability, please call 703-324-5406, or email questions to VolunteerSolutions@FairfaxCounty.gov. If you’re interested in becoming an IT On-Call volunteer, please contact them, too.
If you have volunteer opportunities you’d like to advertise, email Tanya Erway at Tanya.Erway@FairfaxCounty.gov.