755 elderly people acquired digital skills through the pilot project Connecting Generations in the digital world
- 755 elderly people participating in the project Connecting Generations in the Digital World, an initiative of the Vodafone Foundation, carried out by the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation in Bucharest and 10 other localities in Romania
- 156 workshops with 8 themes specially designed for the digital education of elderly people over 60 years old
Bucharest | November 4, 2024 – The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation has completed the pilot project Connecting Generations in the Digital World, initiated and supported by the Vodafone Foundation through the Hi Digital program, dedicated to the digital education of elderly people in Bucharest and ten other localities in the country and carried out from November 2023 to October 2024.
Throughout the implementation period, 755 elderly people over the age of 60 had access to a series of practical workshops focused on the use of smartphones, social media applications such as Facebook and WhatsApp, online shopping and payments, access to digital entertainment, and the use of health monitoring applications. They also learned essential online safety skills to ensure a secure and accessible digital experience.
In Bucharest, 24 workshops were organized, benefiting 61 elderly people, totaling 337 attendances by elderly participants. During these sessions, participants received not only information on how to use their mobile phones to manage in an increasingly technology-driven society, but also opportunities to expand their social network, remain active, and stay connected with people of the same age.
“It is a great joy and a great necessity. I had long wanted to learn how to use this phone. No one teaches us how to use it. You hold a modern device in your hand and you don’t know what to do with it. Not only is it an extraordinary means of communication, but it is important for us, elderly people, to know how to use it for more than just making and receiving a call. It is very important to me and I am grateful that someone is thinking about us as well, so that we do not remain isolated,” says Mrs. Gherghina, 86 years old, project beneficiary from Bucharest.
Extended results at national level – The project involved 10 local non-governmental organizations from Arad, Baia Mare, Mărășești, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Pitești, Rovinari, Sfântu Gheorghe, Sibiu, Tulcea, and Turnu Măgurele. Through a train-the-trainers program, 30 individuals, including 24 elderly people, became mentors in their communities, organizing a total of 132 workshops attended by 694 elderly people from these localities, totaling 1,589 attendances.
“I wholeheartedly recommend these workshops to all elderly people who, like me, believe that technology is difficult. With a little patience and the desire to learn, we can see that the digital world is not as ‘scary’ as it may seem and that it brings us many joys. I sincerely thank those who organize and support these workshops. They helped me rediscover the pleasure of learning and of being close to my loved ones,” also shares Mrs. Rozalia, 75 years old, project beneficiary from Sibiu.
The project aims to bring about an inclusive digital transformation for elderly people in Romania, promoting social participation and their access to essential digital information and services in today's society.
The conclusions of the pilot project and the interactions with the elderly people show that digital education is a necessity, proves its usefulness in their daily lives, and in-person group sessions represent an effective learning method, creating both a framework for socialization and the formation of a support group. Even the beneficiary elderly people, after completing the workshops, emphasized the importance of continuing digitalization activities, as they are essential for their full integration into society and for ensuring a higher quality of life.
Investment in digital education programs and technology accessibility for elderly people is not only a practical initiative, but also one with a profound social and emotional impact.
*******
About The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation
Established in 1990 by Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, together with her father, King Michael, the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation is today an elite non-governmental organization that supports children, youth, and elderly people through sustainable interventions based on the exchange of experience and values between generations. Throughout its 34 years of activity, the Foundation has developed numerous sustainable projects in the fields of education, community development, civil society, health, and culture, projects that have contributed to the spiritual and social renewal of Romania. The Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation supports elderly people through programs designed to increase their quality of life, with the involvement of volunteers and the mobilization of institutional partners and the entire community, the most recent being the Elderly Fund, The Elderly Helpline and the Generations Community Centers. More details are available at fundatiaregala.ro/ and www.facebook.com/frmr.ro.
