Where I cover: South Leicestershire: Market Harborough, Kibworth, The Langtons, Houghton-on-the-Hill, Billesdon, Foxton, Great Glen, Lutterworth, Broughton Astley, Narborough, Fleckney, Oadby, Wigston and South Wigston.

To contact Mike, click here.

Availability: I teach on 2 to 3 days a week at mutually convenient times

What I teach:

• Getting to grips with your computer
• Word – processing
• Publisher – publishing
• Excel – spreadsheet
• Powerpoint – presentations
• Internet – searching – shopping – hobbies & study – online safety
• Email – Outlook  - Webmail (Hotmail, Yahoo, etc)
• Presentation software
• Using a digital camera and transferring photos to your pc
• Photo editing – Picassa, Photoshop
• Skype – internet phone and video calls
• Using your printer
• Using your scanner
• Keeping your computer files organised

About me:

For many years I worked for Northamptonshire County Council, enjoying helping people to use library services including computers and the internet. Whilst mainly self-taught I am trained and qualified to ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) level.

In 2001/02 I managed a project bringing access to computers and the internet to people in libraries across Northamptonshire. This was part of national government initiative known as the ‘People’s Network’ that aimed to bridge the ‘digital divide’ between those who were and were not computer literate. Following that I worked for 2 years on a Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) project, teaching computer skills to disadvantaged people, including the over 60s, people with physical and mild psychological disabilities, the unemployed and people from ethnic minorities.  In recent years I have worked in library management and I currently work part time as a Library Projects Officer.

I am committed working with Digital Unite to help older people learn to live more independent lives through the use of computers.  Being over 60 I can empathise with those who are retired or in this age group.  During my years with the library service I delivered training courses such as ‘Computing for the terrified’ and I fully realize how daunting computers can be to people with little or no experience of using them.  I am happy to teach anyone in their own home. I aim to give simple clear advice in plain English, avoiding getting over technical.

My outside interests include reading (mainly thrillers), walking, music, movies and digital technology in general. My great passion is photography. I went fully digital some years back and I enjoy helping my DU clients to get the best out of their digital cameras.