Navigating the online world can be daunting to begin within, but once you get to grips with the various platforms out there, you have a whole world of resources right at your fingertips.
Attending online activities could a lifeline for many. It will help you stay connected with friends, family and other people, allow you to learn new skills, and share skills and tips you might have. Many of the activities online are also free, but there are also safe and easy ways (such as paypal) to pay for activities online.
The Co-op have produced a handy simple guide on how to attend online activities. Click here to read it.
There are many different platforms that are used by event organisers to hold “live” events. These include:
Many of these platforms will require you to set up an account. It should be fast and straightforward to set up user accounts via their respective control panels. If in doubt you can refer to help screens, or support pages of the platform you are using.
User accounts will require you to choose a suitable username and password. Passwords should be strong and as difficult as possible to guess, preferably with a mixture of numbers and letters. You should also try to use different passwords for each account you open, which will reduce the likelihood of the passwords being “cracked”. Be careful where you store your passwords; use a secure notepad somewhere and keep it away from your computer or tablet. Never share your password with anyone else. If you share your computer with others then always make sure you log out from the platform you are using when you have finished.
Age UK have published a handy guide to all things online. You can read that on their website by clicking here.
The Friends of the Elderly have produced this handy, short guide to social media for older people. You can download it by clicking here.
Further information about the safety features of the popular social networks is available from the UK safer internet centre here.