Within the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, ECDL Foundation will partner with AGE Platform Europe to promote older people’s digital inclusion. This collaboration involves the launch of an updated ICT training programme adapted to older people’s needs: a revised version of the ECDL Foundation’s accessible ICT training programme, EqualSkills.

1. From the field
Fostering Older People’s Digital Inclusion to
Promote Active Ageing
Author Within the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between
Generations, ECDL Foundation will partner with AGE Platform Europe to promote older
Conor Brownlee,
Communications Executive, people’s digital inclusion.
ECDL Foundation
This collaboration involves the launch of an updated ICT training programme adapted
brussels@ecdl.org
to older people’s needs: a revised version of the ECDL Foundation’s accessible ICT train-
ing programme, EqualSkills.
Tags
ICT training, accessibility, Within the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Gen-
digital inclusion, ageing
erations, ECDL Foundation will partner with AGE Platform Europe to promote older people’s
digital inclusion. This collaboration involves the launch of an updated ICT training programme
adapted to older people’s needs.
This collaboration taps into the capacity of both organisations’ extensive networks in support
of the Year’s aims around ICT skills development. The development of older Europeans’ ICT
skills is considered crucial to their active ageing and continued participation in society, and
to their ongoing contribution to the labour market. At any age, and particularly with an age-
ing population in Europe, European citizens need to be able to use the technology that can
greatly improve their quality of life.
ECDL Foundation is the certifying authority for the leading international computer skills certi-
fication programme - ECDL / ICDL. Its mission is to enable proficient use of ICT that empowers
individuals, organisations and society, through the development, promotion, and delivery of
quality certification programmes throughout the world. With over 11 million candidates par-
ticipating in a range of programmes, ECDL Foundation has set the global benchmark in end-
user skills certification. AGE Platform Europe is a European network of around 165 organisa-
tions which aims to promote the interests of the 150 million senior citizens in the European
Union, and to raise awareness on the issues that concern them most. In this partnership,
these entities will work together towards using the potential of ICT to open up training and
employment opportunities for older people, including those with disabilities.
The new training programme is a revised version of the ECDL Foundation’s accessible intro-
ductory ICT training programme, EqualSkills. This new version of the highly successful Equal-
Skills workbook seeks to meet the specific needs of older people. EqualSkills is a tutor-led,
introductory ICT skills development programme that helps to remove the fear of computers
for complete novices, by using a simple, non-threatening approach to providing basic skills
for using a computer, email, and the Internet. These essential ICT skills are key to individuals’
full participation in technology-dependent societies, and are an important factor in promot-
ing lifelong learning. So far, almost 100,000 Europeans have participated in the EqualSkills
programme.
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2. From the field
ECDL Foundation, as a leading advocate for the promotion of
digital literacy in Europe, fully supports the aims of enabling the
digital inclusion of the elderly in Europe throughout 2012, and
beyond. Through the partnership with AGE Platform Europe,
the project forms part of the EY2012 Coalition, which is a grow-
ing group of stakeholders who promote a vision of a society for
all ages, where everyone is empowered to play an active part
in society and enjoy equal rights and opportunities in all stages
of their life regardless of age, sex, race or ethnic origin, religion
or belief, social or economic status, sexual orientation, physi-
cal or mental condition, or need for care. The Coalition strives
to make the current demographic change a key opportunity for
everyone, to work together to create an Age-Friendly European
Union by 2020.
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