Bridging the Digital Divide
Rockingham school program connects students with local seniors.
By Wade McColl (12/06/2026)
Certificate II Community Students, Teachers and Generation Connect Participant. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
In an increasingly technology-driven society, a unique and deeply moving partnership in the City of Rockingham is proving that the cure for digital isolation lies within our younger generation.
On Friday, June 12, Safety Bay Senior High School hosted a graduation afternoon tea to celebrate the roaring success of “Generation Connect,” a pioneering intergenerational program believed to be one of the only initiatives of its kind in Australia.
The project pairs Certificate II Community Services students with local seniors and military veterans to build their confidence, skills, and safety when navigating mobile devices, apps, and online communication.
Turning a Setback into a Community Triumph
Wade McColl, Founder & Director of Baldivis Times interviewing Sheena Edwards, Switched on Seniors Founder. Photo by Myah Loo, Baldivis Times 2026.
The program was born out of an unexpected hurdle. Sheena Edwards, the founder of the local not-for-profit organization Switched on Seniors, was facing a shortage of volunteer placement availability due to an influx of university applicants.
Rather than allowing the vital digital literacy support program to stall, Sheena collaborated with Safety Bay Senior High School Industry Links Teacher, Jayde Kazimierczak. Together, they realized that high school students possessed the exact technical fluency and community spirit needed to take the program directly into the Rockingham area.
For the students, the program has transformed abstract coursework into real-world advocacy. For the participating seniors, it has provided a lifeline to the modern world.
“A Win for You, a Win for Them”: The Student Perspective
Wade McColl, Founder & Director of Baldivis Times interviewing Luke, Certificate II Community Services Student at SBSH. Photo by Myah Loo, Baldivis Times 2026.
While the benefits to local seniors are massive, the impact on the teenagers themselves is profound. Speaking with the Baldivis Times at the graduation, 17-year-old Safety Bay student Luke shared how the program completely shifted his worldview.
“I didn’t have anything and I thought this would be a good way to kind of grow and see how this would end up and what would come from it,” Luke explained.
For Luke, the most valuable part of becoming a “Tech Buddy” was stepping outside of his own digital comfort zone to see the world through a senior’s eyes.
“Getting to experience how other people see parts of what I usually think is normal... and getting to have my own put into that and see those parts have really made an impact,” he said.
Rather than just viewing seniors as students, Luke quickly realized that empowering local elders with technology makes the entire community stronger;
“There’s so many seniors that have been enabled and they’ve probably been able to do more good than I could have with my phone.”
When asked if this program should expand beyond Safety Bay, Luke didn’t hesitate:
“Well, it’s a why not? It’s a win for you, it’s a win for them. And then other schools will see that and they’ll go, ‘well why don’t we do this?’ So in my opinion, I think it’s probably one of the best things you can do.”
Real Skills Protecting Local Legends
Wade McColl, Founder & Director of Baldivis Times interviewing a local Veteran about Generation Connect. Photo by Myah Loo, Baldivis Times 2026.
Throughout the program, students have provided tailored, one-on-one mentoring sessions covering essential modern survival skills. The lessons focus heavily on navigating government online forms, managing digital photo libraries, shopping safely, and mastering video calls to stay connected with distant family members.
Crucially, the students have focused on digital safety, training seniors and local veterans to recognize sophisticated online scams, identify phishing emails, and secure their personal devices against cyber threats.
The emotional impact of the initiative was fully on display during the afternoon tea presentations. A local veteran spoke candidly about the profound isolation caused by a fast-paced digital world, and how the patience and kindness of the Safety Bay students had completely transformed their daily lives.
A Proud Return to Safety Bay
(L-R): Wade McColl, Baldivis Times Founder & Director, Sheena Edwards, Founder of Switched on Seniors, & Jayde Kazlmlerczak, SBSH Industry Links Teacher. Photo by Myah Loo, Baldivis Times 2026.
As a former student of Safety Bay Senior High School, returning to the campus today to witness this presentation was an inspiring experience. Seeing the depth of character, maturity, and community responsibility displayed by today’s students shows a beautiful evolution in local education.
The school’s deputy principal echoed these sentiments during the graduation, praising the phenomenal dedication of the students and the lasting social value they have delivered to the Rockingham region.
Looking to the Future
Jayde Kazlmlerczak, SBSH Industry Links Teacher Presents at Generation Connect Graduation. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
With society continuing to phase out traditional, non-digital services, programs like Generation Connect are no longer just a luxury: they are an essential community service. Following the success of this initial rollout, organizers are hoping to attract wider media attention and corporate backing to expand the initiative across more Western Australian schools.