It is never too late to learn ICT...

It is widely recognised that ICT contributes to improving the quality of everyday life and social participation of people, facilitating access to information, media, content and services. But very often older people are not perceived and don’t perceive themselves as members of the Information Society. But with the growing access to many essential services like social care, health care, security and community engagement through the Internet the issue of digital engagement of senior citizens becomes very important. Moreover, the Internet is becoming a great platform for social interaction with its modern web 2.0 tools. But older people need a slightly different approach to learning ICT. And that is where the S@niors project wants to play its role.

The project aims at addressing the specific needs of the older population in relation to ICT by designing innovative training programmes and curricula specifically targeting the elderly population. These curricula will be cognisant of their learning capacity, will concentrate on imparting necessary skills for engagement in the Information Society, will require no prior knowledge and will be delivered in a relaxed, informal and fun environment. This training programme will help seniors to develop the practical computer literacy needed to participate in the new technological era. Moreover, an innovative learning tool will be established in a form of a social network website recalling life experiences both past and present of our older population. Not surprisingly it was be entitled My Past My Present.