At 102, He's Australia's Oldest Tech Support Volunteer

When you need help setting up WhatsApp in Turramurra, Australia, your tech support might arrive with more than a century of life experience.

Dean Simes runs the Computer Pals club on Sydney's north shore, teaching seniors everything from Windows 11 to Excel to smartphone apps. At 102 years old, he might be Australia's oldest technology volunteer, and his students say his age never crossed their minds.

"It wasn't a criteria," says Michael Last, who attended a recent class with his 94-year-old wife Vera to learn Android basics. Bill Soper, the club's secretary treasurer, puts it simply: "All of us bow down to Dean's knowledge of computers."

The remarkable part? Simes came to computers late in life. He worked in mining before becoming a consultant in the 1980s, using computers for work but never owning one himself until his 80s.

When he finally got a hand-me-down computer after retirement, he wanted to learn more. So he did what any motivated student would do: he enrolled in TAFE for three years of computer courses.

"I also had in mind that I could perhaps help others in this computer club, which I joined," Simes said. Now he's president of Computer Pals, which has been running since 2000, adapting from Windows XP to today's technology landscape.

Simes even uses AI to draft his lesson plans, projecting them on a big screen for his classes. He warns students to ask AI precise questions to avoid going "down a rabbit hole chasing things that had nothing to do with what you want."

His teaching philosophy is simple: practice, but practice purposefully. "When you're shown how to do something, don't just be shown," he advises. "Do it yourself, under supervision, go home and do it again and again."

Why This Inspires

In January, Ku-ring-gai Council named Simes Local Citizen of the Year for his service helping elderly residents navigate an increasingly digital world. Digital literacy advocate Jocelyn Brewer says his work is crucial, as older Australians need guidance not just on technical skills but on avoiding scams and misinformation.

Beyond teaching tech, Simes plays bridge, visits his six children, attends a Probus club, drives his own car, and goes to the gym to maintain muscle tone. He knows he'll eventually have to step back from Computer Pals, but for now, he's content staying active.

"I suppose it stops me from being a couch potato," he says. "I don't get too much time sitting twiddling my thumbs."