Welcome to the October edition of our newsletter.
The year has flown by, and recent talk of the Melbourne Cup has made the approaching end of 2026 feel all too real.
OUR NEW ASCCA WEBSITE IS LIVE
I am delighted to announce the launch of our new ASCCA website, an important step towards making ASCCA more accessible, useful and connected.
My sincere thanks go to Suresh Rao, David Schanzer and Deborah Martin, whose hard work turned our concept into reality, and to Anu Gulmohar, founder of Lifespice.design, for the artwork and design templates.
The website will continue to evolve, with member resources, informative blogs and a growing partner ecosystem. A key feature is “Find a Club Near You,” which we hope will develop into a national directory of places where seniors can learn about technology and find trusted local support.
Please visit the site and send your feedback and ideas to office@ascca.org.au.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The world’s first website was created by Sir Tim Berners Lee at CERN and went online in 1991. An early champion of open and universally accessible technology, Berners Lee helped ensure the Web was made freely available in 1993, enabling it to flourish around the world. Its original address was info.cern.ch.
- Today, there are more than 1.5 billion website hostnames worldwide.
- The development of HealthCare.gov and its supporting data hub reached approximately US$294 million in contracted obligations by February 2014, making it one of the costliest publicly reported website projects.
STRENGTHENING ASCCA’S GOVERNANCE
We have launched our campaign to appoint ASCCA’s next Treasurer and Company Secretary, and applications have begun arriving. If you would like to help shape ASCCA’s next chapter, or know someone with the right skills and experience, I encourage you to apply using this link: https://app.aqyr.ai/jobs.html?job_id=1299 .
I would also like to acknowledge our current Treasurer, Ross Howard, who has helped the Board and me deliver a much stronger financial position than originally forecast. We will formally recognise Ross’s contribution in due course.
Planning is underway for our Annual General Meeting in late November, when we will appoint ASCCA’s Board for the term ahead and ask members to ratify and adopt our new constitution.
Our legal advisers, Baker McKenzie, have delivered an excellent result that provides clearer governance, greater transparency for members and a better separation of responsibilities between the Board and Executive. Formal information will be sent to all current ASCCA members ahead of the AGM.
EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY REACH
We continue working to extend technology support to seniors across Australia, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds.
We are exploring collaboration with the Western Sydney Community Forum, Fair Foundations and the Centre for Western Sydney, with the potential to support a region that is home to nearly 250,000 seniors. We are also reconnecting with former ASCCA members and inviting them to partner with us again.
GIVING SENIORS A VOICE IN THE AI CONVERSATION
I was recently invited to represent ASCCA at the annual University of Sydney Computer Engineering Alumni Dinner, where I spoke about the opportunities and societal impacts of technology and artificial intelligence. Most importantly, I highlighted the unique role community groups, including our clubs, play in ensuring seniors can access affordable, local support.
As these technologies evolve, seniors must be informed, included and heard in discussions about their responsible use.
A CHALLENGE FOR GET ONLINE WEEK
This October, I invite each of us to help one person take a small step forward with technology, whether that means making a video call, searching for a grocery item using the Coles or Woolworths app, or finding a computer club through our new website.
A little encouragement can build confidence, strengthen connections and open the door to new possibilities.
Warm regards,
Joseph Vijay
Interim President and Board Chair