BUCA Students Bridge Generation Gap: Digital Buddies Help Seniors Embrace Technology in 'Forever Young at Heart Year 3' Project"
In 2024, helping seniors safely and creatively integrate digital technology into their daily lives is crucial for developing online media literacy. Young students serve as buddies, making complex concepts simple. Notable mention goes to Mr. Tongtong Boonmee (Tongtong) and Miss Wanwisa Sripairoj (Film), Broadcasting and Streaming Media Production students from school of Communication Arts, who are 2 of 5 youth Digital Buddies in the "Forever Young at Heart" Year 3 project, organized by the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund.
The selected young participants attended both on-site and online training activities, including workshops on new platform content production, creating menus for visual and emotional nourishment, art courses for life enrichment, and dance classes with brain exercises for Alzheimer's prevention. Additionally, they established a new "Digital Club" community, a creative space for the forever-young-at-heart seniors.
Project Participation Origins
Tongtong: "This project reminds me of my mother. When she has problems, I help provide solutions. The senior participants are around my mother's age, so they probably feel like our own mothers. I wanted to help them learn about this technology.”
Film: "I learned about this project through my professor. After hearing about it, I was interested and researched more. I applied because I already use these platforms. Participating in this project allows me to learn alongside seniors and exchange knowledge and perspectives."
Working with Dedication
Tongtong: "Being part of this project makes me happy that I can help the seniors. Even with small matters, when they don't know something and ask, I'm happy to answer everything - I really get to help them."
Film: "I really wanted to be part of this project. Now that I'm involved, I'm committed and ready to help all senior participants."
Joy in Participation
Tongtong: "The seniors' work is already good, and they've gained even more knowledge and developed their skills significantly."
Film: "Seeing seniors who started from zero knowledge now able to add text to clips and submit assignments is a great achievement."
