That’s why she decided to attend a recent digital learning workshop hosted by the Western Quebec Literacy Council (WQLC) at Shawville’s St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall.

“We may be old, but we don’t want to be left out,” Richardson said of her and her fellow attendees, most of whom were seniors.

“There’s no use having tools if you don’t know how to use them.”

Organizer Alina Holmes, who is the WQLC’s digital literacy tutor, said she used to have more topic-focused technology workshops, but found participants would always have lingering questions.

“Everyone there would have different questions that were often unrelated to the workshop topic,” she said. “I was trying to think of a way that I could reach all of these people and answer their questions.”

So she decided to organize a series of workshops, which she refers to as cafés, scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month, at the church hall.

Holmes said the idea of this series is to give people a chance to ask technology-related questions in a collaborative environment.

“Often what happens is a question that one person has somebody else knows the answer to, so it’s really meant to be just a very safe space for people to feel confident and welcome,” she said.

Holmes added some of the biggest questions she has seen after two workshops have to do with security and how to use technology for regular communication, including tasks such as setting up contact lists, texting, and setting up email accounts.

“Even if you don’t have a question, you can just come and have a chat,” Holmes said, noting coffee and snacks are on hand at all workshops.

“Sometimes we need a little relaxed social outing as well, so I guess it serves that dual purpose.”

Richardson wanted to take advantage of both. Besides learning how to connect to a WiFi network, she enjoyed taking the opportunity to grab a coffee and chat with her friends. “There’s a social aspect to it, for sure,” she said.

Betty Chamberlain of Norway Bay, who brought her tablet, agreed. “I would go anywhere to have coffee and talk to people,” the Norway Bay resident said. “Plus, there’s always something I need to learn.”

Lynette Harris of Bryson, who brought her tablet to the event, said she wants to become more self-sufficient when it comes to technology.

“I don’t like to have to call my grandchildren every time I have a question,” she said.

All three women said they felt obligated to use technology to keep up in this day and age, but are resolved to learn the skills to survive.

Harris said technology has made it easier to connect with her kids. “They don’t call me anymore; they text me. It’s so much more convenient because it’s when it suits them, and then I get back to them when it suits me. I found that it is a real asset.”

Also an author, Harris said she has written an entire book on her iPad. “All I had to do was write it and then send it off to be published,” she said.

Chamberlain, who paints and teaches art, uses YouTube to watch painting videos. “I can follow artists and watch YouTube instead of going in magazines,” she said.

The digital learning cafés will take place on the first Tuesday of every month in the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall in Shawville from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and are free to attend.

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