Mouse Mobile: Volunteers help with smartphone and tablet

What to do if a new smartphone or tablet was under the Christmas tree for grandma or grandpa, but there is a lack of understanding for the new technology? If you know the problem, the Mouse Mobil group in Bocholt can help. The volunteers provide tutoring for tablet and co.

Making a video call to a grandchild living away from home, quickly sending a picture from vacation, checking the weather forecast for the next few days - the possibilities offered by cell phones and tablets have long been known and are used every day. But as the possibilities grow, so do the uncertainties: What do I have to watch out for? Which programs are reputable and which should I avoid? And where do I even get new "apps"?

Since 2007, the helpers of the Bocholt group "Mouse Mobil" have been helping with these and many other questions about technology. They are supported by the city of Bocholt, the Stadtsparkasse Bocholt and the "Leben im Alter" association. "In the first few years, it was just home visits," recalls Ewald Betting. He is part of the group that meets twice a week for open consultation hours. Anyone who has questions can come there. "Later, we also offered taster sessions," says Betting. But the offer was discontinued in 2018. The reason: Most problems are individual problems that require a one-on-one conversation.

At that time, many questions still revolved around programs on the home computer. "But now it's mainly problems with smartphones or tablets," adds Karl-Heinz Benders. Franz Klein-Vorholt also confirms this trend: "These are the fewest people who have questions about PC programs," he says.

"We all have our areas of focus, one is more familiar with the iPhone, the next with Android," says Klein-Vorholt. They then train each other and bring each other up to date. Over the years, they have built up extensive knowledge in many different areas.

The time after Christmas is the time when the group's help is particularly in demand. When the new smartphone is under the tree, good advice is often expensive. And for help, Mouse Mobil members have something that the granddaughter or grandson often lacks: "Time and patience," says Klein-Vorholt.

Weekly consultation hours

The members of Mouse Mobil have set up fixed office hours for their services. Every Tuesday between 10 and 11:30 a.m. they are at the Apollonia-Diepenbrock-Haus at Moltkestraße 4, and every Thursday there is a consultation hour between 3:30 and 5 p.m. at the main branch of the Bocholt Stadtsparkasse at Neutorplatz 1.

In addition, Mouse Mobil offers a consultation hour every 2nd Monday of the month between 10 and 11:30 a.m. at the Diepenbrock domicile at Adenauerallee 96.

New generation wanted

And still another request have the Mouse Mobilisten: We are always on the search for Mitstreitern , say small Vorholt. Anyone who is interested can simply visit one of the group's meetings.

Questions about Mouse Mobil can be answered by Ellen Edelmann from the senior citizens' office of the city of Bocholt at Tel.
02871 953-758.