The main objective of "Cyberseniors: Active Ageing through ICT" is to train people over 55 at risk of socio-digital exclusion in general, and in rural areas in particular, in the use of ICT tools that help them perform daily tasks in different areas: leisure, health, online banking, virtual communication, public administrations, etc., and how to use them safely. Other objectives of the project are: -To combat loneliness and social exclusion of the elderly, especially those who live in rural areas, emphasizing the gender perspective, promoting inclusion and equality. -To raise awareness among older people about the safe use of the internet and ICT applications. -To create an innovative multilingual eLearning platform with open educational resources for guided face-to-face and online training, or self-training, in the use of useful ICT applications on mobile devices, aimed at older people in Europe, and adapted to different countries. The idea of this project arises from a programme of Fundación Cibervoluntarios called Expertclick, successfully developed nationally in Spain since 2019, focused on training people over 55 who live in rural areas in applications for mobile phones and tablets for perform daily operations. This idea was reinforced by the health crisis that broke out in Europe in 2020, causing collective priorities to change. The fact that citizens had to stay at home made ICTs to communicate and carry out procedures (banking, health, basic needs or other procedures) essential. In this sense, it is clear that ICTs have the potential to prevent or reduce this isolation through various mechanisms of participation and connection with the outside world. Therefore, Cyberseniors equipes older people with those digital tools and skills that allow them to maintain their independence and continue to carry out daily activities necessary for the development of their lifestyle, regardless of where they are, and to do so at a European level, involving different countries, with the aim of creating a common space where our elders are reflected and promoting participation and active ageing. To achieve the objectives, the consortium has carried out several activities: -Preparation of the launch of the project, strategy and methodology to follow, and the means of communication between members of the consortium. -Project image design, document templates and communication strategy. -5 transnational project meetings and 3 online progress meetings. -Launch of https://ciberseniors.org/, platform that contains the informative website of the project and the eLearning platform -Analysis of applications used by elderly people at a national level and Focus groups for direct consultation with 36 seniors, in all the countries of the consortium. -Development of training materials in ICT applications for seniors, for 4-hour guided training, face-to-face or online, and for online self-training, with an online self-assessment test, in 5 languages. Video experiences of participating seniors are included to encourage others to use the resources. -Joint staff training activity and testing of OER with 269 elderly people in 5 countries -Resources in the form of tutorials and video tutorials, at a European level and in the countries of the consortium, for lifelong learning. -Usability report based on evaluations gathered. -Dissemination activities reaching 44,700 people interested in the focus of the project. The results of this project, based on the above activities are: The first result is the OER in useful ICT applications for mobile devices, lasting 4 hours and divided into 4 modules, focused on educators and trainers who work with people over 55 (guide for facilitators) and the elderly themselves. These resources are based on an exhaustive analysis of the most used and demanded applications, and on specific focus groups with 36 older people participants, to maximize their usability, and available in 5 languages, designed for online or face-to-face guided training. The other main result is the eLearning platform (www.ciberseniors.org) in English and Spanish containing: the information of the project; the OER for guided training and self-assessment tests in the 5 languages; 2 explanatory videos; further audiovisual resources and tutorials for longline learning; video experiences of older people participating in the local pilot training activities, to encourage others to use the OER; dissemination kit. The last results is the Usability report of the OER and eLearning platform, based on the evaluations gathered in the local pilot training activities carried out in the consortium countries, in which 269 older people from 5 countries participated. Lastly, the impact achieved through the communication and dissemination activities, both multiplier events and online posts, is of 44,700 people, interested in the project objectives. The target groups are: -People over 55 years of age residing in partner countries and their environment, with especial focus on those living in rural areas, who can now learn about digital tools and applications that help them carry out daily task, thus combating isolation, loneliness and socio-digital exclusion and improving their independence. -Organizations and entities whose beneficiaries are people over 55. They may include this type of training among their offer focused on improving the quality of life of their beneficiaries. -Workers / trainers / volunteers: People who work day by day with the older people targeted by the project, carrying out innovative and inclusive good practices. The consortium is made up of 5 organizations from Spain, Austria, Ireland, Romania and Cyprus, with experience in working with older people and in developing projects focused on training and the creation of open educational resources. Fundación Cibervoluntarios in Spain is the creator of the project and brings the experience of the national background project. The Vienna Association of Education Volunteers and Age & Opportunity of Ireland provided the point of view of organizations that work directly with older people. The Synthesis Center for Research and Education in Cyprus brought its expertise in the development of adapted educational resources, and the National Association for Women in Rural Areas in Romania brought the gender and rural perspective. Finally, the project fits in with the Sustainable Development Goals, and especially with goals 4, 5 and 10 (Reduction of inequalities).
The main objective of "Cyberseniors: Active Aging through ICT" is to train people over 55 years at risk of socio-digital exclusion in general, and in rural areas in particular, in the use of ICT apps for mobile devices, that can help them perform daily tasks in different areas: leisure, health, online banking, public administrations, etc, and how to use them safely. Other objectives of the project are: -To combat loneliness and social exclusion of the elderly, especially those who live in rural areas, emphasizing the gender perspective, promoting inclusion and equality. -To raise awareness among older people about the safe use of the internet and ICT applications. -To create an innovative multilingual eLearning platform with open educational resources for face-to-face and online training in the use of useful ICT applications on mobile devices, aimed at older people in Europe and adapted to different countries.
The idea for this project arises from the Experclick program, of Fundación Cibervoluntarios, in collaboration with the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), successfully developed in Spain since 2019, focused on training people over 55 years who live in rural areas, in useful digital apps for mobile devices. The program responded to an analysis of access, use and demand of older people in regard to ICT tools. This idea was reinforced by the health crisis that broke out in Europe in 2020, causing collective priorities to change. The fact that citizens had to stay at home made ICTs to communicate and carry out procedures (banking, health, basic needs or other procedures) essential. In addition, clinical and empirical data find that social isolation in older people has negative consequences for their physical and psychological health. According to Eurostat data, approximately 32.1% of older people live alone. In this sense, it is clear that ICTs have the potential to prevent or reduce this isolation through various mechanisms: connecting them with the outside world, obtaining social support, and increasing self-confidence and participation in social life.