The three main project objectives that defined the implemented activities were: 1. To enhance elderly people’s digital and media literacy competences, through the development and exploitation of innovative interactive learning materials with focus on tackling the "infodemic", misinformation and fake news, expected to cause positive effect on at least 300 adults in Bulgaria, Romania and Austria during the project lifetime and at least 3000 across Europe by mid-2025. 2. To enhance adult education staff’s competences to effectively engage in building elderly people’s digital and media literacy, through the development and piloting of a training programme to directly upskill 120 adult educators during the project lifetime and at least 400 by mid-2025. 3. To promote the importance of and the benefits from enhancing elderly people’s digital and media literacy by effectively disseminating the project activities and results, reaching out to 3000 stakeholders from across Europe.
The INFORMATION MATTERS project focused on the development and piloting of learning materials for elderly people over 55 years and a training programme for adult educators to prepare them in teaching digital and media literacy to elderly learners. The project was designed to respond to new specific needs that have only occurred during the last few years, as a result from the latest implications created by the global digitization, and the spread of misinformation and fake news. The project combined targeted effect in 3 EU countries - Austria, Bulgaria and Romania, but also worked towards causing substantial impact at European level. The implementation of the IM project demonstrated the significant benefit digital and media literacy training can have on the elderly population since the training sessions equipped participants with practical skills and fostered a sense of empowerment and community engagement. The feedback by the learners and trainers illustrated education’s transformative power in navigating the digital world. Moving forward, the IM project should continue to expand by reaching even more senior citizens across Europe and providing them with the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly digital environment.