Empowering Technology

Today, many of us take our ability to navigate technology for granted. From banking and shopping to talking to friends and family, many of us are using technology for these everyday activities. Without digital skills, individuals can become isolated and disempowered. “As people who don’t live with any kind of physical or mental disabilities, we don’t realize how often disability can lead to isolation,” says Elizabeth Kaleta, Director of Social Inclusion and Support Services at Cerebral Palsy (CP) Alberta. In 2010, after realizing the rapidly changing technologies were leaving people behind, CP Alberta started offering the ComputAbilities program to help people with disabilities feel connected in an increasingly digital world. Held weekly over three months, the course is offered four times a year — and many people currently enrolled in ComputAbilities have been taking the classes for years, including Greg Liknes and Chris Cli.

Over the last 15 years, the program has evolved, although most of the basics have remained the same: teaching seniors and people with disabilities to do everything from typing to coding, and using programs like Microsoft Word and Google Maps. As social media became more popular, they added instruction on using these platforms. As the program has grown, so too has the focus on digital safety. Seniors in particular can be vulnerable to online scams. Every component of what ComputAbilities teaches — from applying for jobs to online banking to social media — includes education about potential scams and risks in using this technology. More recently, they’ve introduced a tablet course, making technology even more accessible. Many assistive tools for people with disabilities rely on tablets. But all the hardware required to teach these classes can become obsolete quickly and upgrading is expensive. That’s where Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) comes in. By providing CP Alberta with a $20,000 grant, ECF helped the organization upgrade their computers and tablets.

The effectiveness of programs like ComputAbilities depends entirely on being able
to provide learning on up-to-date technology,” says Cassandra Lundell, ECF’s Manager, Grants.

“This grant is ensuring that CP Alberta’s clients are staying at the head of the curve in a time when technology is changing so fast. We’re proud to support initiatives that remove barriers and create more opportunities for inclusion through digital literacy.”

While the program is run by CP Alberta, ComputAbilities serves people with all kinds of disabilities who might need help using technology. Seniors who may not live with a disability but still struggle with technology enroll in the class, too. The goal is to foster independence, connection and confidence with digital skills. “I enjoy it, and the volunteers are nice,” says Liknes. “I get to choose what I’m learning about.” For Liknes, the class gives him something to do and a reason to get out of the house. Cli says the class has taught him helpful tricks like keyboard shortcuts and has connected him with friendly, helpful volunteers like Kryssy Black, who has volunteered with CP Alberta for eight years. She sits with different participants in the program and lends a hand navigating to different websites and programs, or troubleshooting and offering a soothing word when something goes wrong. Because ultimately, while the participants come in every Friday to gain computer skills, the program builds community. “I like seeing you every week,” Black tells Cli, who nods. “Yeah, me too.”

This story comes from the Summer 2025 Edition of Thrive Magazine.

Read the full issue.