September 19th, 2024
The government is set to expand its digital training programme for seniors, announced Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen on Monday.
The move aims to equip up to 5,000 older citizens with essential digital skills through six providers, enabling them to participate more actively in modern life.
According to Andersen, as many as one in four older people do not access the internet regularly. Budget 2022 has allocated NZD 1.341 million over three years to the Office for Seniors to broaden its award-winning digital literacy training for seniors programme.
Barriers to digital inclusion for seniors can encompass a lack of access to devices or connections, inadequate skills to utilise them, or mistrust of the online environment. The programme's objective is to help older individuals develop the skills necessary to navigate the internet safely and confidently.
The additional funding specifically targets the delivery of digital skills training tailored for diverse groups of older people, including older Māori, Pacific, and East Asian individuals.
The Office for Seniors Digital Literacy Training for Seniors programme previously clinched the education category in the 2021 IDC Smart City Asia Pacific Awards.
"From doing banking online to staying in touch with grandchildren, we want to make sure our seniors have access to all that modern technology offers," Andersen said.
The three-year expansion plan also includes funding for evaluating the effectiveness of the training.