From the Chair

Hello everyone,

This is SeniorNet Kapiti’s last newsletter for the year and what a year its been!

Recently a number of tutors were busy at the Paraparaumu Library, helping people in the community to register for their Vaccine Pass and to download the pass to their smartphone. We saw a few SeniorNet members, who popped in with good cheer, and to let us know what classes they would like to attend at the Learning Centre in the New Year.

We are looking forward to face-to-face classes, and also to hear all about your experiences with your digital learning, over the past months. Again, I would also like to say a huge thank you to our Members for supporting SeniorNet throughout the year.

I would also like to thank the Committee for their ongoing support, I hope you enjoy a break over the Festive Season.

Technology is giving us all the opportunity to meet with friends and family using Zoom or other similar apps, and also to learn from home.

Please take the time to look at SeniorHangouts (more below) over the Festive Season. The tips and tricks you will pick up, will be of interest and could help you or a friend.

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, and all the very best for a Happy and Healthy 2022.

Sue Connor
Chair, SeniorNet Kapiti Inc.

In the meantime, why not try a SeniorHangouts session – they’re free to all SeniorNet members. You can see the latest offerings at this page (click here) on the SeniorNet Manawatu website. It’s just one click to start a session – no Zoom required!

Membership & 2022 Course/Workshop Fees

We are very grateful to all those of you who have remained loyal to SeniorNet Kapiti this year. We encourage you to take advantage of the offer below, and join us at the Learning Centre in the New Year.

The Committee agreed that all Course and Workshop Fees will be reduced by 50% for the entire calendar year 2022 (with a minimum charge of $5).

Support From The Pub Charity

We recently applied to The Pub Charity for a grant to assist us to upgrade the PCs in The Learning Centre so we can support Windows 11 next year.

We are pleased to announce that we were successful and we are thrilled to advise that we received a Grant of $12,000 which will be put towards this upgrade. Upgrading 8 machines to All-In-1’s (yes, far fewer cables!).

Skinny Jump

The Easiest Way To Get Low-Cost Home Broadband

Kāpiti Libraries believes that everyone deserves equal opportunities to learn and thrive in our digital world. We have partnered up with the Skinny Jump service to provide super-affordable broadband to Kāpiti homes.

Skinny Jump is flexible prepaid broadband: Only $5 for 30GB of data, no contracts or credit checks, and the modem comes free of charge. Just top up as you go to a maximum of 150GB/$25 per month.

Please use the link below to find out more:

https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/libraries/my-library/skinny-jump/

Likely Changes Due to Covid-19 When We Re-open

With the proposed changes to a Traffic Light system, recently announced by the Government, we can all expect things to be a little different when the Learning Centre is able to re-open. Reading between the lines we can expect some or all of the following changes (depending on the colour of the light!);

Our landlord (KCDC) has agreed in writing, to SeniorNet Kapiti to reopen the Learning Centre. This will be under the new Traffic Light System, (per Govt guidelines related to the Traffic Light level at the time).
Tutors will be required to be fully vaccinated in order to run face to face classes
Only fully vaccinated members will be able to enter the Learning Centre to attend face to face classes or other functions – Vaccine passports (now they are available) will be used for validation
For privacy reasons, no vaccination information will be retained by SeniorNet Kapiti – validation is all that will be required
SeniorNet will assist all our members to get the vaccination certificate App working on their smartphones or to print a paper certificate
Masks will have to be worn in the Learning Centre based on the Traffic Light level at the time – the Lead Tutor is not required to wear a mask when teaching
Tutors will be discouraged from handling members devices (laptops, smartphones etc)

SeniorHangouts is Running – every day

SeniorHangouts, the online learning platform run by SeniorNet, is still operating (with fancy new branding too!)

All current members of SeniorNet Learning Centres in New Zealand are welcome to participate (free) and you don’t even need Zoom to join.

If you are interested in what’s coming up next week (and every week), we’ve found this excellent site (thanks to SeniorNet Manawatu) which is updated Sunday evening once the weekly timetable is published. It also includes direct links to the upcoming sessions – just click and go!

To watch old sessions, go to the SeniorHangouts website, where you can watch previously held sessions in the extensive library on a wide variety of topics that may interest you.

From the Team at SeniorNet Kapiti

Happy Christmas!

Please Support our Sponsors

Please don’t forget to support our National sponsors – they’re important to SeniorNet and help us at the local level in many ways, including offering discounts to our members.

Always show your membership card and ask if there’s a discount for SeniorNet members – you might be rather surprised!

The best example is Noel Leeming where the SeniorNet discount extends well beyond computers to everything in their store but please be insistent that they scan your barcode before they give you a price!

Suzuki has recently reconfirmed their offer to our members of free on-road costs on new vehicles so it always pays to ask.

There are more details about the individual sponsorships on the Federation’s website here