Meet our Digital Seniors’ Coaches

John MacGibbon

John MacGibbon is one of three coaches at Martinborough’s Digital Seniors’ hub. It is one of five hubs in the Wairarapa which are trialling the Digital Seniors programme, with a view to a national roll-out. The hub operates in the St Andrews Church hall between 9.30 and 11.30am on Thursday mornings. The other local coaches are Roger Fraser and Fred Davies.

  MacGibbon has coached in Martinborough since March last year. He has a background as a writer, communications consultant and book publisher, who since 1991 has been self-employed. To keep his business running he’s had to be his own problem-solving IT manager. He has often been called on by friends and family to help with their technology and volunteering to be a Digital Seniors coach was a natural extension.

  “It’s been an interesting experience, and the learning has gone two ways,” MacGibbon says. “I get quite a charge when I’ve successfully help people make better use of their electronic devices, but often our sessions end up with me learning something as well,” he says.

  MacGibbon says the Martinborough hub is mainly about portable devices such as Android and Apple phones and tablets, but people also bring in their computers – Windows, Mac and Chromebook. Usually issues are solved at the hub but help is also given in people’s homes. “They usually come to the hub first, but people can also request home service by calling 0800 373 646”

  “Mostly we help seniors with basic set-up and organisation of their phones. “Sometimes we do advanced tweaking, but usually we’re helping choose the most useful apps for seniors and organising the display of those apps on the phone’s home screen. We give basic coaching, like how to use camera and email, and how to attach photos to an email they can send to their children and grandchildren.

  “Or we help with popular apps such as Facebook, YouTube and Google Maps, and explain how to discover the world through their browsers. More and more we’re helping with internet banking, which was very useful during the Covid-19 lockdown and is being forced on seniors anyway, as banks phase out cheque payments.”

Digital Seniors services are free to those aged 65+.