Senior Planet classes offer free, in‑person tech training and volunteer 'train‑the‑trainer' in Calaveras County

Calaveras County’s Health and Human Services Agency is running in‑person Senior Planet technology classes for older residents, using volunteer trainers and materials provided by Senior Planet at no cost to the county.

Rosemary Brock, a community liaison with the county, said Senior Planet supplies the training materials and the county has enlisted volunteer trainers — "I think there's now about 10 around the county," she said — who lead short, focused lessons on tasks such as accessing medical records, online safety and photo editing. Brock described the county’s model as regional in‑person classes meeting at community centers and libraries to teach specific skills in small sessions rather than attempting to teach all phone features at once.

Martha Rubin, the show host and one of the program’s volunteer trainers, described the county train‑the‑trainer course as a multi‑week online commitment (clarified in the discussion as five weeks) that includes online lessons, homework and a final test. Brock said the county prints handouts and provides slide guides so trainers can support students who may need repetition or in‑class assistance.

Brock said the county’s in‑person series complements the Senior Planet public website, which offers hundreds of classes online (she noted many include exercise, with roughly 70% of public‑site classes listed as exercise and about 20% as technology). Local in‑person offerings are scheduled in Arnold (third Thursday at the branch library), Murphys, Burson/Valley Springs, Copper and the San Andreas Senior Center; Brock said early attendance included repeat participants and that organizers hope to expand offerings as interest grows.

Those interested in becoming trainers or learning about classes were directed to contact Brock at rbrock@calaverascounty.gov or by calling (209) 754‑6882. Brock said volunteers typically donate time and that the program has helped reduce isolation by bringing small community members together.