Lauren Buggar, a senior cybersecurity major at Illinois State University, became the president of the Technology Assistance Community Outreach Service (TACOS) soon after volunteering for the group as part of an assignment for a communication class.
She now spearheads the organization. Its main goal is for its members to create a positive impact on the local community, particularly seniors, through their knowledge of troubleshooting, programming, and other technology-related skills.
Why seniors?
TACOS targets seniors in their outreach because the club’s members believe the demographic can benefit from their knowledge and skillset.
“We offer our services to seniors because most of them don’t know new technology. Some of them get iPads as a gift from their grandchildren and they don’t know how to use them, and we are more than happy to help them become more connected,” said Buggar.
Research by Penn State University found that seniors, ages 65 and older, use Facebook as a form of social surveillance to stay socially connected. This demonstrates the fast-growing rate of internet use for the population as well as a need for them to become more literate technologically.
How do TACOS partnerships work?
The Luther Oaks Partnership is one of three partnerships that TACOS has that aims to troubleshoot technological issues faced by seniors in the assisted living facility. To do this, TACOS members commune at the facility’s dining area and the residents approach them with their devices. In some cases, the facility provides a list of residents who need help troubleshooting.
TACOS also has partnerships with the Bloomington Housing Authority, as well as Living Well United where its members teach IT classes.
“The goal is not to teach them advanced technology but to equip them with the basics. For instance, we teach introduction to the internet during the lunch and learn technology classes that we teach at Bloomington Housing Authority,” said Buggar.
The teaching process, which occurs in the facility’s computer room, can be initiated by the seniors or by TACOS members themselves. TACOS receives help from Oasis Connections, a program which offers technology aid that caters to older adults, in the form of instructional booklets for use in their classes.
When the classes are initiated by the seniors, they propose what lessons they want to learn. Once they have made their propositions, Buggar and her team create volunteer sheets so members of the club can sign up without interfering with their school schedule.
“In most cases, the residents don’t care to know everything, which is why we begin our classes by asking them what areas of the booklet spark their curiosity,” Buggar said.
The teachers follow a module that shows seniors the basics of operating such technological devices as Android phones, iPads, and Firesticks.
The residents take notes and reference their books if they need help beyond the volunteer hours. They also reach out to their coordinators about any issues they want the instructors to touch on during their next class.
This outreach program is not just beneficial to the seniors, but also to the students. Members practice their skills and apply concepts they’ve learned in class to real-world issues. To get new members, TACOS students make posters and pin them around campus. They also send out mass emails to incoming freshmen and sophomores.
During their informational meeting, which takes place at the beginning of each semester, TACOS members sign up, get acquainted with the goals of the club, and commemorate the event by eating tacos.
“We usually have a good turnout for our informational meeting, but the challenge we face as a group is lack of retention because only a handful volunteer thereafter,” Buggar said.
“Additionally, because of time and financial constraints, we only meet once a semester,” she added.
Greatest achievement so far
Buggar’s greatest highlight in her tenure as president of TACOS was helping set up computers at the Bloomington Housing Authority.
“We helped set up new computers there, and the computer room is now open and updated for the residents who don’t have a computer or internet access in their apartments,” she said.
“Working with people individually is more memorable and fulfilling to me. I remember this elderly woman who had recently lost her husband. She wanted me to help her turn off her late husband’s email notifications. It was such a simple task for me, but it meant a lot to her. I think it helped with her grieving process,” she said.
Looking ahead: What’s in store for the future of TACOS?
Currently, TACOS aims to grow membership to accommodate working on more projects and increase outreach to local communities. The two go hand in hand because as the club branches out to new locations, the need for more volunteers increases, as does the need to retain those volunteers.
Buggar’s team, which is comprised of herself, vice president Stefan Laneman, and treasurer Ben Achammer, as well as other TACOS members, are keen on taking up the challenge.
“Who else will do it, if not us?” Buggar said. “I believe if you have an idea, don’t necessarily tell everyone about it, but tell the right people about it, and everything will fall into place. So just go for it.”
Visit the School of Information Technology website at IT.IllinoisState.edu for more information on supporting the organization and becoming a member.
