In an increasingly digitized world, technological skills have become essential to everyday life. However, for many seniors, mastering technology can be challenging. Aware of this reality, Parets del Vallès has taken an important step by hosting a pilot course aimed at reducing the digital divide among its senior citizens.
On May 9, the Sala d’Entitats de Ca n’Oms was the venue for the first session of this pilot course, organized by the FiraGran Foundation.
With the participation of 22 attendees, mostly women users of the town’s senior citizens’ homes, this initiative aimed at improving the digital skills of older people with little technological knowledge was launched.
The Councilor for the Elderly, Gemma Garcia, expressed her satisfaction with the celebration of this pilot course, highlighting the importance of seniors acquiring digital skills in an increasingly digitally oriented world.
Garcia praised the motivation and curiosity of the participants, underlining their determination to learn and make the most of the technology.
Pilot course for seniors to bridge the digital divide
During the inaugural session, a placement test was carried out to assess the technological knowledge of the attendees and the course syllabus was explained, which consists of five training sessions until early June.
Participants will learn basic digitalization functions, such as sending e-mails or downloading mobile applications, with the aim of increasing their confidence and competence in the digital environment.
This course is part of a wider program sponsored by the European Union and financed by Next Generation Funds, which aims to reduce the digital divide among older people across Europe.
The Generalitat de Catalunya, through its Plan de Choque contra la Brecha Digital Divide de las Personas Mayores, has planned 9,000 courses in which 90,000 elderly people from all over Catalonia will participate.
A high-impact initiative
The impact of this pilot course in Parets del Vallès goes beyond its 15 participants. The aim is to lay the groundwork for future courses and contribute to the improvement of digitization strategies for the elderly.
Parets del Vallès, along with other municipalities, has been selected to host these pilot courses, which will serve to gather suggestions, test improvements and experiment with techniques that will benefit more than one million elderly people throughout Europe.
This course represents a step forward in the mission to bridge the digital divide and ensure that seniors have the skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly digitized world with daily advances in technology.
