What is Age UK

Age UK is a non-profit organisation from the United Kingdom whose mission is to support senior citizens and help them navigate today’s busy world.

They have 120 local offices all across the country, and a few subsidiary divisions, namely Age Cymru (Wales), Age NI (Northern Ireland), Age Scotland, as well as Age International which serves communities in 40 countries around the world.

The British charity provides many services to elderly people, but we are going to focus on services and ongoing projects concerning digital technology which is so prevalent nowadays.

The charity estimates that 25% of people over the age of 65 in the UK don’t use the Internet; in the early Internet days that was fine, but today seniors who lack computer skills are at risk of being shut off from the world, including basic necessities such as banking and health services.

This is why Age UK takes the issue of computer literacy very seriously and their volunteers are working hard to teach elderly people vital digital skills that could change their lives for the better.

Age UK is doing a tremendous job in helping senior citizens and it’s our pleasure to show you some of their fantastic work in today’s article.

Digital Champions

Based on various research conducted over the years, Age UK found that there are three main reasons why senior citizens don’t use the Internet:

• Lack of proper equipment
• Distrust in the Internet
• Lack of digital skills

In order to remedy that problem and show elderly people that the Internet is there to help them, Age UK created the role of “digital champion”.

Digital Champions are either charity staff members, volunteers, or members of the local community who meet with elderly people and discuss the benefits of using the Internet. Besides big community events, Digital Champions also offer personal sessions with interested seniors.

The sessions are meant to make senior citizens enthusiastic about using modern technology and to also teach them how to do that. Age UK focuses on communities where lack of digital skills is prevalent.

The digital sessions are tailored towards each participant and they can be conducted in person, remotely, individually or as part of a group. The goal is to reach as many people as possible and to show them why digital skills are important in today’s society.

There is currently a programme recruiting and training Digital Champions, aptly named Digital Champion Programme 2022-2026.

You don’t have to be an IT expert to enrol, though some extra knowledge is always appreciated. If you want to volunteer with Age UK and help senior citizens gain access to the modern devices and the Internet, make sure to check out the current volunteer openings on the dedicated website.

One Digital

A few years ago, Age UK created the One Digital programme, in partnership with Digital Unite, SCVO, Clarion Futures and Citizens Online, whose goal was to educate and familiarise elderly people with digital technologies.

Over the course of the program (2015-2020), Age UK recruited and trained over 4,700 Digital Champions who had experience in working with seniors. The charity estimates that it helped more than 61,000 people of all ages in the UK learn new skills, 18,000 of whom were senior citizens who no longer felt digital exclusion.

Tablet Scheme

Age UK regularly introduces programmes that provide devices to seniors who are learning how to navigate the Internet. Here are some of those programmes:

• Vodafone Connected Age – Tablet Loan Scheme (2021-2022)
• Currys Tech Connected – Tablet Loan Scheme (ongoing)

As you can see, Age UK has partnered with big businesses such as Vodafone and Currys to provide access to tablets to senior citizens. The two programmes identified digitally excluded seniors and offered tablets on loan, so they could develop new skills and connect with loved ones and businesses.

Computer Courses

Age UK is known for offering computer courses throughout the country which help elderly people develop computer skills and feel confident in their abilities. In order to find if there’s availability in your area, simply look up your postcode in the search bar found in this article.

In case there are no computer courses in the area, you can look up other charities that might provide them instead or go to your local library or community centre, because there are many organisations in the UK which aim to increase the digital literacy of the nation.

How to Reach Age UK

If you’re an elderly citizen or a person taking care of one, feel free to contact Age UK and ask them what programs you or your loved one can enrol in. The non-profit organisation has offices all across the nation which can be easily found using their locator service.

You can also phone them using the Age UK Advice Line whose number is 0800 678 1602. The line is open every day between 8 am and 7 pm.

Remember, it’s never too late to go online and learn a new skill.