Tech-Savvy Teens Deliver On-Demand Tech Support for Seniors

Adult literacy

South LA LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership) County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Every day, 10,000+ Baby Boomers turn 65, yet most are unprepared to navigate the technology essential for aging in place with dignity, while facing mounting health challenges, loneliness, and isolation. As a result, when disaster strikes, they are left disconnected, vulnerable, and often alone. Moreover, teens who are tech-savvy but have underdeveloped social skills could be at risk of becoming unmentored adults, struggling with communication, empathy, and real-world connections. As a single mom, when my widowed mother came to live with us, I leaned on her to assist me with my teenagers, and vice versa. I saw firsthand how she struggled with everything from the television remote to her Bluetooth hearing aids. Conversely, my teens lacked some of the social graces they would have normally received from a more present parent. Through connecting the generations, my teens benefited from adding more life to their years while the 91-year-old matriarch received more years to her life.

The grant will support the development and expansion of Generation Connect’s on-demand, intergenerational technology support platform—a hybrid virtual and AI-enhanced service that empowers seasoned adults to age in place with dignity while helping teens build critical soft skills through real-time, meaningful engagement.
At the heart of our solution is a scalable, culturally responsive platform that matches tech-savvy high school students with seasoned adults who need personalized, patient guidance to navigate today’s digital world. The platform offers live one-on-one tech support sessions—available virtually and on-demand.
Personalization: We will integrate AI to create dynamic, adaptive lesson paths tailored to each seasoned adult’s needs and learning pace. AI will also help teens improve their teaching skills by analyzing interaction patterns and offering communication coaching prompts, improving empathy and patience.
Interactive Resource Library: An on-demand content hub filled with short, step-by-step video guides, senior-friendly glossaries, and practice simulations.
24/7 Tech Concierge: A human-centered AI chatbot will handle basic troubleshooting, answer common tech questions, and guide seasoned adults through tasks like resetting a password or syncing a smartwatch.
Teen Training & Certification: Expand our soft skills and digital literacy certification program for teens, including AI-generated coaching simulations, scenario-based role playing, and feedback loops.

If our work is successful, Los Angeles County will be a place where no seasoned adult is left behind in the digital age, and no teen enters adulthood without strong communication and empathy skills. Older adults will have the confidence and support to age in place safely and independently, with access to tech tools that improve health, connection, and quality of life. Meanwhile, high school students—many from under-resourced communities—will gain real-world experience, emotional intelligence, and career-readiness through meaningful, intergenerational service. Neighborhoods will become more connected, families more supported, and communities more resilient. By bridging generations through technology, Los Angeles will set a national example for how to close the digital divide while investing in youth development, elder dignity, and community well-being—all through one well-designed, scalable, and human-centered platform.