leisure / socio / cultural | Thematic areas | Ageing in the Digital Age

E-Senior / Digital Greater Poland/ Silesian Academy of Senior/MEW@

The aim of the projects E-Senior / Digital Greater Poland / Silesian Academy of Senior /MEW@ is to activate persons over 65 in the area of digital competences through training and animation activities.

The results of the projects are the inclusion of Seniors in building the information society in Poland, the development of functional digital competences and the abilities of using IT in everyday life.

The trainings implemented as part of the projects enable each project participant to acquire very practical skills of:

using the Internet, computer, phone, tablet and other IT devices;
shaping the competences that are helpful in the everyday life of a Senior (online communication,

e-services including online shopping and banking, medical services, e-government and more).

The project includes various activities with Seniors, among them the following can be distinguished:

I. Training of digital competences:

basic level – adapted to the needs and capabilities of Seniors (subject, time and atmosphere of classes), are carried out in two versions:

standard training – 60 hours of classes for persons with minimal experience in using the computer and the Internet;
extended training – 90 hours of classes for persons who do not have experience in online communication and work with the computer, and due to their health condition or disability, require longer support.

advanced level – 30 hours of additional thematic training for persons who will want to deepen basic digital competences (e.g. in the field of digital photography, blogosphere, online finance, etc.

II. Animation projects – group activities activating Seniors in the local community using functional digital competences and IT tools (e.g. creating online discussion and hobby groups, book clubs, film, art, photography or tourism, local culture and history lovers‘ clubs, creating websites / blogs by enthusiasts, etc.)

Projects implemented in partnership, and the project promoter is the Foundation for Social Participation.

Projects co-financed by the European Union under the Operational Program Digital Poland for 2014-2020.

Source: https://cyfrowy-senior.com/, https://www.cyfrowa-wlkp.com/cel-projektu/, http://cyfrowy-slask.com/, https://cyfrowa-mewa.com/

Access date: 29.03.2022

60+ Virtual Culture

60+ Virtual Culture was an international initiative in which 4 partner organizations of similar background in informal education, including education of seniors, from Poland, France, Czech Republic and Italy have worked together to improve and optimize educational offer for elderly concerning their digital competences within the context of culture accessibility.

The process of optimization has been developed in two stages. First, each organization appointed one teaching tandem (young ICT educator and one experienced senior (50+) educator) who took part in 3 Joint Staff Trainings, during which based on exchanged practices and knowledge, an educational model for local senior centers or libraries had been developed. Therefore, an innovative offer of ICT courses for seniors aiming at encouraging older people to participate in culture resources and cultural events using new technologies (e.g. accessing e-books, audio-books, visiting virtual museums, buying tickets online, creating and uploading content etc. ) was created. Simultaneously so created teaching program was implemented, tested and adjusted during two cycles of ICT workshops for seniors in each country. The teaching tandems provided during the project a total of 198 hours of workshops for 105 seniors in four countries. Additionally, from among the participants of workshops 8 Digital Ambassadors were selected – people at the age of 60+ whose leadership and digital competences enabled us to include them into dissemination process and in some cases into the process of supporting the trainers in the teaching processes both during and after the termination of project activities.

Results:

Lesson plans of ICT Workshops for Older Adults:

online newspapers,
books on-line (e-book and audiobook),
music and films online,
going out- cultural event,
monuments of the world- visiting historical places abroad.

Tips for trainers. How to approach seniors during ICT trainings.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under Erasmus+ Programme.

Source: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/2016-1-PL01-KA204-026593

Access date: 14.10.2021

The Silver Code

Living both in a rapidly developing digital world and in aging society, the Silver Code project goal is to make older learners active players and citizens, equipped with competences required by our hyper connected world.

The main Silver Code project objective is to increase the digital literacy of older learners and offer basic knowledge and skills in coding.

Older EU citizens from the 27 EU countries are both the target group, reached through direct activities (30 learners per partner country will take part in the training activities), and direct beneficiaries, reached through peer-to-peer learning methods and dissemination events (about 100 people per partner country). A relevant number of participants, among older people, will be medium-high skilled, such as retired professionals and older people being professionally active and willing to improve their knowledge and competencies.

This will be reached through:

The development of a training course, delivered by professional trainers (for theory and general supervision) and youngsters, possibly ICT students, expert on coding, acting as “tutors”(for the practical sessions).
Creation of a “Silver Coding” community based on tools such as platform, forum, social network groups.

Source: https://www.utzo.si/en/projekti/silver-code/

Access date: 30.09.2021

SPERO – Social Communication Platform for Seniors

Seniors living in their home face a great risk of loneliness. The risk is much higher when the extended family is not living in the same house. Usually they are linked to the local environment through church visits, doctor visits, grocery shop, newspapers and television. The project develops an innovative social communication platform and end-user device designed for seniors who can easily communicate to everybody who joins the platform. They are able to read news; they can be immediately informed on the local events, sport activities, clubs’ activities. It can be used also as a reminder. The end-user device is designed to have only five buttons. It is connected to TV since it is senior’s prime display in the house. By implementing new communication channel to seniors, and sourcing multiple digital communication channels of senior’s friends, family, local community and care organization, we can tackle the social isolation problem raised by the introduction of the digital communication in the society.

Source: Development Centre oft he Heart of Slovenia

Access date: 12.12.2021

DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR SENIORS

Slovenian Third Age University (National Association for Education and Social Inclusion)

is currently a nation wide set network of 52 universities in 52 localities with about 21.000 students, more than 1.000 mentors and 1.000 volunteers.

Since 1984 when it was established it has been catering for the needs of older people in the field of informatics and new technologies. In 1986 mentors of Slovenian Third Age University developed a programme for low -literate employees complete beginners to learn both English and computer skills needed for the programme WordStar. It was accompanied by a film with mimes illustrating basic computer skills and was a breakthrough in ICT education. In Ljubljana there are currently more than 620 students enrolled in computer classes right now. There are programmes catering for students needs at different levels and developing overall computers skills.

Source: The Slovenian Universitxy of Third Age

Access date: 30.09.2021

Digital study guide for older people (ViLE e.V.)

Virtual and Real Learning and Competence Network for Older Adults was founded in December 2002 by senior citizens and staff of further education institutions from all over Germany.

The network offers introductory courses in the technical basics of virtual learning, virtual literature circles, its own online newspaper for adults interested in further education (www.lerncafe.de), project and seminar work, workshops and travel offers in the sense of research-based travel. The members work together virtually and in real life, also in regional groups.

The association’s latest project is the production of an information brochure on educational opportunities for older people at universities: The “Digital Study Guide for All”.

Source: https://vile-netzwerk.de

Access date: 01.06.2022