Brian Maloney said he believes that those late to learning computer skills needed to learn to communicate electronically with the world.

So he created a program to teach them.

His organization, the non-profit The Social Network Technology Initiative, offers one-on-one tutoring for adults who are late to learning technology, according to the group’s official website, tsnti.org.

Maloney, a graduate of the University of Alabama’s masters program in social work, said the idea came to him from his relationship with his mother.

“Years ago I taught my mother, who was in her eighties then, how to email,” Maloney said. “Over the course of time, age related losses started to mount up for her.

“She often tells me that without the Internet she would not feel connected. She is 86 and still going strong.”

Maloney also drew inspiration from his university work.

“Before I started this non-profit, I was leading older adults in group therapy and noticed that the 70 and 80 year-olds were talking about the computer and emailing,” Maloney said.

“I also noticed those with younger grandchildren or relatives living with them had available resources to help them and those without children nearby were struggling with public programs.”

Maloney said the older adults were struggling to learn for a variety of reasons, including being embarrassed to ask questions in front of a group, hearing issues and limited teacher-to-student interaction when they were being taught.

Kathleen Bolland, assistant dean for educational programs and student services within the University’s School of Social Work, supported the program from a social welfare perspective.

Bolland described the project as focused on a guiding principle of social work, “starting where the client is.”

“One is ‘self-determination,’ which is often expressed as ‘start where the client is,’” Bolland said. “This project ‘starts where the client is’ and helps the client to be self-sufficient with regard to the computer technology the client desires to use.

“This is indeed a good social work idea.”

Maloney began his pilot program in Linden, Alabama, a town south of Selma. Linden’s mayor, Mitzi Gates, said Maloney had the support of the entire town.

“The Linden City Council was delighted to hear the preliminary details of The Social Network Technology Initiative, and they are 100 percent behind it,” Gates said.

Gates added that Linden was already set up for the kind of program Maloney wanted to create.

“Many of the active adults who frequent our Nutrition Center are likely excellent candidates to become peer computer tutors for their lunch buddies who don’t share their level of competence in computer use,” Gates said. “I’m sure there are many Nutrition Center diners who have never even sat in front of a computer screen.”

“Those few frequent computer users at the Nutrition Center represent a wealth of information that can and will open up a whole new world to the ones who currently aren’t computer literate.”

Gates said the Marengo Nursing Home and the Nutrition Center would be ideal for Maloney’s program.

The Nutrition Center, formerly Linden High School’s cafeteria, is still located on the active Linden High School campus.

“The juxtaposition of the two facilities makes the possibility of making TSNTI an intergenerational project a very real and exciting possibility,” Gates said.

For Maloney, Linden is the starting point for a program he hopes will set an example across the state and beyond.

“What we are starting to look for in sustainable projects,” Maloney said.

“A benefit behind our program is that it is flexible enough to adapt with other disciplines who also require student volunteerism and community projects,” Maloney said. “I eventually want it connected to the University of Alabama as part of a sustainable community project’s class but with a focus on older adults.”

The program is currently competing for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant to help lower costs for participants and increase advertising.

For Maloney, while branching out from Linden is his goal, he does not want to leave Linden behind should success come his way.

“Linden has been behind me the entire time and although this program would be wonderful closer to UA, I’m not going to ditch them now,” Maloney said.

At the end of the day for Maloney, however, his focus is still helping people.

“I taught Skype to this older lady who had not seen her friend who lives overseas for years and when she saw her face and heard her voice, her face immediately filled with amazement,” Maloney said. “She instinctively reached out and grabbed my arm and the look on her face was worth everything.”