Galway’s first Active Retirement Ireland ‘digital ambassadors’ have graduated at a special event held in Dublin.
Ben McPoland from Moycullen, Lilly Mooney from Ballybane and Sandra Costello from Galway city will now lead free digital skills classes for older people in their communities after completing the training over the past three months.
The classes are part of the Vodafone Ireland Foundation Hi Digital programme, in partnership with Active Retirement Ireland and ALONE.
The programme was created to help older people in Ireland build basic and essential digital skills, and help them to stay connected in their communities.
The in-person classes cover topics including using the internet, smartphones, sending emails and keeping in touch through social media or video calling.
Tuition is also provided in online communication and recreational services including how to use WhatsApp, watch TV or listen to the radio online, plan driving routes and other travel, and book events, outings and holidays online.
Commenting on the graduation of the digital ambassadors, Maureen Kavanagh, CEO of Active Retirement Ireland, said that the digital exclusion of older people is a real and growing problem in Ireland, and one that is leading to increased feelings of isolation and disconnectedness.
“Through this new stage of the Hi Digital programme, our digital ambassador-led, in-person classes will further support older people’s participation online,” she said.
“This will help ensure they have the appropriate access and skills to engage with digital services, along with expanding the possibilities on offer to them from the digital shift.
“We are so proud of our digital ambassadors who have given up so much of their time for training and who now want to share their skills with others in their communities.”
National President Active Retirement Ireland Anne Drury added: “There is a clear national need for more older people to learn online skills. Digital literacy levels of older people In Ireland are among the lowest in the EU and when you pair that with the way Irish life is moving online, this is of particular concern.
“Hi Digital is a significant step on the path to digital inclusion and I am so proud of Active Retirement Ireland’s graduating digital ambassadors for volunteering their time to support this important programme and their communities.”
Older people wishing to learn or refresh their digital skills can start today with the free, self-guided Hi Digital online courses, in both English and Irish, at www.hidigital.ie.
The online courses can be completed at home, either independently or with help from friends, family or other people in their community.
