In line with the intentions of the current European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, the key stakeholders in the EY2012 Alliance, ECDL Foundation and AGE Platform Europe, are collaborating to promote the older people’s digital inclusion by launching an updated ICT training programme suitable to older people’s needs.

The development of older Europeans’ ICT skills is crucial for active ageing and continued participation in society to allow older people to give their contribution to the labour market. European citizens, above all the great part of them represented by ageing population, need to be able to use technology to improve their quality of life and work.

In that perspective, the ECDL Foundation is intended to fully support the aims of the European Commission’s EY2012 in enabling the digital inclusion of the elderly in Europe throughout 2012 and beyond, by beginning training and employment opportunities for older people, including those with disabilities. For that purpose, in cooperation with AGE Platform, it is launching a revised version of its accessible introductory ICT training programme, EqualSkills. This new version of the EqualSkills workbook aims to meet the needs of older people. It consists of a tutor-led, introductory ICT skills development programme that uses a simple, non-threatening approach to provide to novices the basic skills to use a computer, emails and the Internet.

For further information, please visit http://www.age-platform.eu/en/age-a-the-media/age-communication-to-the-media-press-releases/1490-fostering-older-peoples-digital-inclusion-is-key-to-active-ageing