+Simple, digital inclusion for older people

Summary

Within the framework of the Technology Inclusion Program, we delivered 106,550 tablets with the “+ Simple” platform to people over 60 years of age.

The platform groups content such as news, procedures, and social networks, as well as providing access to pages of interest. At the same time, older people were trained in the use of this tool through a 2-hour course. Finally, based on the needs transmitted by the beneficiaries, we incorporated new contents and applications.

The aim is to promote their social inclusion through a complete digital literacy process. A first registration stage was carried out, followed by the draw and delivery to beneficiaries. We opened 40 Digital Classrooms accessible and with Internet, where they are scheduled and trained daily. More than 20 people have the role of trainer and teach in the classrooms. For the first delivery, the National Communications Agency (ENACOM) participated, and in the second delivery we had the EXO company. For the development of the platform was the company INAMIKA. Retirement Centers, and other private institutions provide us with space, through agreements, for the delivery of courses.

We managed to meet the target of total tablet delivery by 2018, and we exceeded 50% of trained beneficiaries. We cover all the communes of the City with the open Digital Classrooms. Thus, each beneficiary has a nearby classroom to learn how to use the Tablet. Throughout the program, we learned the importance of constant and fluid communication with older people to detect unmet needs, as well as new difficulties, and on that basis carry out improvements in the literacy process.

The “+ Simple” program seeks to narrow the existing digital gap among older adults, and reach technology to the most vulnerable sectors within that age range. The program has a constant process of opening and replacing digital classrooms, in order to improve educational conditions; as well as implementation of improvements to the digital tool. In the short term we seek to bring the platform to both mobile and web, to expand access to all elderly people living in the City.

Finally we incorporated “+ Simple Community”, an application that seeks to approach older adults through the creation and participation of events, as well as offering the possibility of finding love.

Within our website, you can find tutorials, news, and details of the contents of the platform:

http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/desarrollohumanoyhabitat/personasmayores/massimple

Website: https://www.facebook.com/MasSimpleGCBA/

Key facts

Main target group: Vulnerable older people (e.g. at risk or victims of abuse, living alone, poor etc.)

Other target group(s): It sought to reach digitally more vulnerable older adults. That is, those who, by socioeconomic level, are less likely to have access to technology. For this, both in the registration and in the draw, conditions were established regarding the economic income of the possible beneficiaries.

Sector(s): Education, Information and communication, Other

Desired outcome for older people:
Learn, grow and make decisions

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:

Ageism
Ageing in place
Inequities
Inclusion
Participation
Technologies

Contact details

Name: Manuela Vazquez

Email address: manuelaestefaniavazquez@buenosaires.gob.ar

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Local authorities

Others involved in the project:

Older People’s Association
Private sector

How collaboration worked: For the development of the platform was the company INAMIKA. Retirement Centers, and other private institutions provide us with space, through agreements, for the delivery of courses.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages

Details on older people’s involvement: To improve the +Simple platform we constantly carry out focus groups, and online and face-to-face surveys, with a series of standard questions that allow us to measure the use of the different contents as well as the strengths and weaknesses. The OA are essential in the program improvement process, in their role as needs and difficulties detectors.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: Yes

Was the impact positive or negative:
Positive

Please share with us what you found in detail:
To evaluate the impact, we carry out focus groups, online and face-to-face surveys, with a series of standard questions that allow us to measure the use of the different contents as well as the strengths and the improvement of the Tablet as a digital tool.

Feedback:
The most important feedback was given in view of the content, and the way of presenting the platform. The format of square buttons, of a considerable size to facilitate the view, and the color palette that distinguish each section, was made taking into account their needs.

Expansion plans:
Our short-term goal is to bring the “+ Simple” platform to mobile phones and the web, so that all OAs can have access. We also seek to expand the offer of training, targeting smartphones and computers, to include the greatest number of devices within literacy.

Looking back

Challenges:
The main difficulty was presented as absence in the trainings. This slowed down the amount of OA trained, because they had to be called again and a new date for the course was scheduled. If there is a new delivery of tablets, we think about the possibility of delivering and training at the same time to avoid this difficulty.