How Tricia connected and changed her life.
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Mornington Peninsula non-profit Beyond Disability is looking to provide less mobile seniors in the area with a clearer connection to the outside world.
The organisation which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, provides computing equipment and ongoing technical support to people with mobility issues, age-related disabilities or PTSD at a small, highly subsidised fee of $11 a month.
It also offers broadband access to clients who don’t have a home internet connection in addition to its other services for a total of $23 a month.
The organisation can provide members with laptops and/or PCs that are fully preloaded with programs including Windows 7 or 10 and Microsoft Office as well as applications such as Skype for easy online communication.
The group services the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston and volunteers are available to help via remote access or face-to-face when required.
Team leader and Casey resident Tricia McGill first volunteered for the group 17 years ago after seeing newspaper advertisement.
"In those days we were still on dial-up", she said.
"We started with just a few clients and volunteers and have really built our-self up from there."
She does mostly administrative work nowadays but still enjoys providing support to some clients including Lynn, who entered a nursing home six years ago because of her multiple sclerosis.
Tricia said she thoroughly enjoyed volunteering for the organisation which had given her the opportunity to learn more about technology while helping others.
"The techs who prepare the computers have more knowledge than I will ever have. I've learned a lot from them", she said.
"When women my age come up to me and say they don't know what to do with themselves, I say for goodness sake, go out and do some volunteer work."
The team would like to hear from people in the area who feels they might be eligible for and benefit from the service. Computers can be adapted for individual needs.