Frequently Asked Questions

Bridging Generations through Technology, Information, Media and Engagement

How did BGTIME get started?

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation issued a challenge grant to community foundations nationally to find creative uses of media and technology to help keep communities informed and their citizens engaged. Led by Central Carolina Community Foundation, a team with representatives from the University of South Carolina (College of Mass Communications and Information Studies, Ifra Newsplex, and the Office of Information Technology), Benedict College, The State Media Company, and South Carolina Educational Television designed a winning grant with the primary purpose of bridging ethnic, economic, gender, educational, and especially generational lines to raise digital literacy among seniors, enhancing their participation in civic dialogue. The coalition works through senior centers, retirement communities, and other community organizations to reach seniors interested in bridging the digital divide. Central Carolina Community Foundation was one of twenty grant winners nationwide.

Why was this project selected?

Senior citizens in our community have much to contribute to the civic dialogue. However, many seniors lack the skills and opportunities necessary to use digital media. The primary focus of the project is not to train seniors to access information from the Internet but rather to contribute information that can be shared easily with others in our community. Our community dialogue often lacks the valuable experiences, insights and historic perspectives that our seniors have to offer. We have carefully selected our initial project sites to engage seniors from all walks of life. The Board of Trustees of Central Carolina Community Foundation and the BGTIME Advisory Board chose to support this project because they believed strongly that it was especially appropriate because of the tremendous benefits for the seniors who participate, the benefits for students who work directly with the seniors, and the benefits for the entire community that is enriched with the wisdom and insights shared by our seniors.

How is BGTIME supported financially?

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided a grant of $383,332 over two years. Central Carolina Community Foundation matched the grant with $200,000 over three years, and the Foundation and its partners added cash and in-kind services of $499,220 for a total project value of $1,082,552 for three years.

Who is responsible for the BGTIME project?

As the grant recipient, Central Carolina Community Foundation is fiscally responsible for the project. However, the project is a collaborative effort, and the BGTIME Advisory Board is responsible for the content, programming, and implementation of the project. Click here for a list of the Board members and their affiliations.

How does the program operate?

The first steps were to design the program, setup the website, equip the senior sites, select the student mentors/trainers, and select the senior participants. Basic computer literacy training was provided to seniors needing it. The Ifra Newsplex multimedia facility was used to train students from both Benedict and USC to teach seniors new media and technology skills at the BGTIME Centers. The seniors and students are now working on stories and are posting on the BGTIME website. Media partners are engaged in ensuring that the voices are heard across our broader community. The State Media Company is helping to ensure that our databank and conversation hub for the virtual Town Hall is working properly and that the broader community is aware of the site and the resources available to seniors on the site. South Carolina ETV is documenting the process and will promote it statewide via its documentary production "Carolina Stories."

Do seniors have to pay a fee to participate in the program?

Seniors are not charged any fees to participate in the project nor are they required to provide any hardware or software for the project. State-of-the-art computers and digital tools required for the project are provided in each center.

Can other organizations join the BGTIME partnership?

Yes, we would be delighted to have other organizations join the BGTIME partnership. The initial partners have focused on program development, equipping sites, training student trainers, recruiting and selecting seniors to participate, and establishing and engaging the media hubs and forums for discussion. Additional centers are planned for the second and third years of the program. The locations have not yet been determined. Our goal is to broaden the program, expand it to ensure broad community representation and participation, and make it sustainable. We plan to document this initiative carefully so that it can be replicated in other communities. This goal cannot be reached without the support of additional partners. We actively seek additional partners, and we also encourage organizations that may have an interest in BGTIME to contact us.

What computer skills must seniors have to be eligible to participate?

No computer skills are required as a prerequisite for the program. Basic computer training is provided for those seniors who have had no computer experience. It is helpful if seniors have basic keyboarding skills.

Where will the BGTIME Senior Centers be located?

Three senior centers have been equipped and are currently serving as site hosts for BGTime. Two additional centers will be established in 2010 and will be announced late in 2009.

Capital Senior Center
1650 Park Circle
Columbia, SC 29201
www.capitalseniorcenter.com

Oak Read Senior Apartments
2211 Read Street
Columbia, SC 29204
www.chasc.org/cola/communities/page_oakread.htm

Still Hopes
1 Still Hopes Drive
West Columbia, SC 29169
www.stillhopes.org

How are student mentors/trainers selected?

Students with extensive journalism and information technology knowledge who are committed to service learning and who have the human relation skills to work effectively with seniors are selected by professors and administrators at Benedict and USC. Then they are provided with intensive training specifically for this project at the IfraNewsplex facility.

How can seniors get involved in the program?

Information and orientation sessions are held at the centers periodically at the centers to provide information about the program to seniors. Interested seniors are asked to complete the basic application form that is available on this website. Seniors who wish to receive additional information about the program should provide contact information by e-mailing the project director at Carolyn@yourfoundation.org or by calling Carolyn at 254-5601 x 328 if e-mail is not an appropriate alternative.

Information on how seniors can get involved is provided periodically in advertisements in The State newspaper, in the magazines published by The State Media Company, and on The State website. Seniors who reside at Still Hopes or Oak Read or who visit the Capital Senior Center may also provide their contact information to the project contact person at that center. The contact persons are Denise Heimlich at Still Hopes, Deborah Black at Oak Read and Deborah Markert at the Capital Senior Center. Other interested seniors should contact the BGTIME project director.

What is the expected time commitment for seniors?

Seniors are asked to commit to work with the student mentor/trainers in the program for at least one year. Seniors and student trainers typically meet weekly or perhaps twice a week to learn to use the technology and to work on projects. The schedule is flexible so that it meets the needs of both students and seniors. The time actually committed to working on preparing and posting "stories" or articles is flexible and will vary among the individual participants. The typical senior is retired and has more time to commit to the project than a person who is employed would have. We understand that individuals have travel plans and other commitments which is why the schedule for student trainers and seniors to work together is very flexible and can be arranged to meet individual needs.

What is the final outcome of this project?

The final outcome is the opportunities that seniors have to share their knowledge, wisdom, and experience by posting interesting stories that are of interest to others and that also enrich the civic discourse in our community. Our goal is to have lively discussions on a wide variety of topics of interest to seniors and that are selected by the seniors. Our ultimate goals are for BGTIME to continue to gain momentum and become self-sustaining. It will truly be successful when BGTIME becomes a forum for discourse and comment by the senior community at large and it develops a life of its own and no longer needs to be sustained by the partners.