Digital Skills Training for Older People

Hi Digital Community Skills Training

ALONE and Active Retirement Ireland have partnered with Vodafone Ireland Foundation to deliver a new nationwide 5-year digital skill training program for older people called Hi Digital.

The programme has been developed to help bridge the digital divide by offering free digital skills training to older people and upskilling the organisations that support them. The Plan aims to train 230,000 older people.

The programme consists of three different strands:

Online learning
A new FREE online learning platform has been created at hidigital.ie where older people can go online and start learning
basic digital skills. The modules covered include:

• Introduction (what the internet is and what you can do)
• Using my smartphone
• Connecting with others (email, social media, WhatsApp)
• Entertainment and Shopping Online
• Hobbies and Travel

In-person group classes
Active Retirement Ireland will run in-person group classes across the country for older people alongside mentoring and training. For more information, please call 1800 20 30 30 Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Digital Champion workshops
ALONE will train individuals from organisations that support older people to become Digital Champions through online and in-person workshops.

The workshops will focus on getting an older person online. ALONE has been providing technology to older people for years, we know there can be challenges in accessing and using it. This course will acknowledge and address these challenges, using our experience and case studies to show how best we can support each individual to get online and stay online.

Learning Objectives
1. Understanding of the Digital Champions role in supporting older people with their digital skills
2. Understanding the older person circumstances and building trust
3. Understand the impact technology can have on an older people’s life
4. Able to plan out and support the learning process for the individual
5. Learn how best to facilitate one to one sessions and small groups

Duration: 3 hours
Cost: Free
IT/Digital Skills required: Basic
Who can attend: Any individual who works in organisation that supports older people and will be able to support older people with their digital skills.
Registration: You can register your interest in attending a workshop with ALONE by emailing digitalskills@alone.ie, you will then be sent a form complete. You can also call ALONE’s Support Line on 0818 222 024

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