Lindsay, Ontario – On Sept. 23, Ampere hosted Connected & Protected, a digital learning and connection day for seniors that brought individuals from the Kawartha Lakes area together for a fun, welcoming day.
“We want to help seniors build confidence with everyday technology, recognize scams, strengthen passwords, and feel safer online,” says Sherisse Richards, Partner Delivery Lead with Ampere.
“We also want to create spaces where everyone feels comfortable asking questions, sharing stories, and trying something new.”
At Ampere, team members like Richards work diligently to support learners at every age and stage of life. It’s part of the organization’s lifecycle approach: learning is a life-long journey, education must be, too.
Connected & Protected reflects that approach, while also helping us build something bigger with the participants: a sense of belonging, which is also core to our identity, and fundamental to our local seniors.
“The highlight was seeing learning turn into connection. Seniors shared their experiences, encouraged one another, and brought so much curiosity and humour to the activities. Hearing a participant say, ‘This is a club I want to belong to,’ captured what made the day special,” says Richards.
With 17 seniors present, Richards says music, games, laughter and shared stories made digital safety feel approachable and engaging. There was time to learn, socialize and ask questions in a safe, supportive space.
“As an educator, it’s rewarding to see people leave with new knowledge. Seeing them also leave feeling included, supported, and excited to return makes it even more meaningful,” adds Richards, noting the energy in the room was palpable.
At the end of the day, everyone left with an Ampere bag, practical digital safety knowledge, and a shared experience to talk about.
The enthusiasm came through in their feedback, which included:
“This is a club I want to belong to.”
“I’m going to tell everyone I know about this program.”
“I had fun, learned so much, and felt safe. When’s the next one?”
Richards says the requests for another session were an exciting sign of the day’s impact as seniors were eager to keep learning and help spread the word to others in the community.
“Connected & Protected showed how a local gathering can bring digital learning, joy, and belonging together,” says Richards.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for Ampere to give back to the community—and a reminder of how much can happen when people have a welcoming place to connect and learn.”
