A FLOOD of bookings from seniors requesting help for setting up SafeWA and ServiceWA has Fremantle library staff and volunteers at maximum capacity.

Council community development manager Bek Slavin said the city was hoping to recruit more volunteers so seniors could get one-on-one assistance through its Tech Help program.

She said Covid-19 had highlighted the need for seniors to have better tech skills so they could follow government instructions and access help during tough times.

“Young people supporting older people is the heart of the experience,” Ms Slavin said.

“It is a rewarding experience for all when the interactions are approached with patience and compassion.

“There is a lot to learn from those who have a lot of life experience, and it’s a great opportunity for the youth to engage in that space.”

Ms Slavin says teching-up and getting either SafeWA or ServiceWA on their phones would make accessing venues and businesses much easier for seniors.

It will also free them from having to share unsanitized pens and leaving their personal details on cafe counters for all to see.

Ms Slavin says the city’s youth officer is looking for ways to involve students from new Fremantle-based high school The Studio School in Tech Help while Christian Brothers College is already running after-school sessions.

The program, which runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30-11am, offers help on using mobile phones and laptops, and accessing important online government services such as Centrelink, My Gov, Medicare and My Aged Care.