Tag: foundation

One in Three Older Adults Feel Digitally Excluded

New European research conducted by the Vodafone Foundation among people aged 55+ in Ireland reveals that while daily device use is now widespread among older adults, many lack the confidence and support needed to fully engage in an increasingly digital world.
The survey, carried out in November 2025 across six European countries, was designed to inform the Vodafone Foundation’s Hi Digital programme and explore how older adults access and use digital devices, what barriers they face and how they seek support.
 The research shows that over 90% of respondents now use a digital device every day. However, 22% say they do not have anyone to turn to when they need help.
 Online safety is a major worry, with 72% of respondents concerned about being scammed or tricked online, significantly more than the global average of 55%, while one in four (25%) admit they do not know how to protect themselves, again higher than the global average of 18%.
 Despite high levels of concern, just 18% say they have experienced a bad online incident, on par with the European average, indicating that the fear may be greater than the reality.
 Feeling Left Behind in a Digital World
The findings also highlight the social implications of digital exclusion:
·         35% feel excluded in social situations when services are digital-only
·         51% stated that they don’t understand how certain apps or websites work
·         91% are open to learning digital skills
When it comes to areas where digital skills are most needed, respondents cited topics like Finance and Travel but said that Public Services were their top priority.

Supporting Older Adults and the Sandwich Generation 

This new research also highlights the important role played by the so-called Sandwich Generation; adults in their 40s to 60s who support older relatives with digital tools, communication and online security, while also caring for younger family members.

 With 46% of respondents preferring to learn from friends and family, intergenerational support remains a critical enabler of digital inclusion.

Closing the Confidence Gap in Ireland

Research conducted in 2022 by Deloitte for Vodafone Foundation found that only 19% of older adults in Ireland were digitally literate. Three years later, this latest study shows that while access has grown rapidly, confidence and skills may not have kept pace.

 To address this gap, Vodafone Foundation has developed the Hi Digital programme, a free, step-by-step online course designed to support those who need help developing digital skills, particularly aimed at individuals aged 65+ who may have rarely or never been online.
 To date, over 170,000 older adults have engaged with Hi Digital since its launch in 2021, through the online courses, in-person training, and drop-in sessions available in participating Vodafone stores on Friday mornings, from 10:00-13:00. The programme has now evolved into a free nationwide support programme, combining digital lessons, quick-tip videos, in-store guidance, and collaboration with community organisations delivering local digital inclusion initiatives to help older adults build confidence in everyday life.
 Participants can complete the online course independently or with support from family and volunteer tutors. The programme is also delivered in partnership with organisations, such as Friends of the Elderly, ALONE and Society of St Vincent de Paul, as well as through intergenerational initiatives like the Irish Girl Guides and Transition Year programmes in secondary schools nationwide.
 Recognising that access alone is not enough, Vodafone Foundation is also providing practical support to help older adults navigate essential online services. For instance, there is an instructional video demonstrating how to use the Transport for Ireland app, supporting older people to confidently integrate digital tools into their everyday lives.
 Since April 2025, the most popular Hi Digital module is the Introduction to the internet course, followed by Using My Smartphone, with Connecting with Others and Identifying Frauds and Scams close behind. Notably, RIP.ie is currently one of the most visited pages on the Hi Digital platform, reflecting the practical ways older adults are engaging online.
 Speaking about the findings, Liz Roche, Head of Vodafone Foundation in Ireland, said:
“This research shows that while older adults are using digital devices every day, many still lack confidence and feel vulnerable online. No one should feel excluded from essential services or social connections because they don’t feel digitally confident. Through the Hi Digital initiative, we have already supported over 170,000 and our ambition is to extend the reach and keep growing, empowering older people across Ireland with the skills and confidence they need to engage safely and independently in today’s digital world. We are also encouraging families and communities to play their part in supporting loved ones on their digital journey.”
 Drop-In Fridays
In 2023, the programme expanded to include in-person support through a nationwide Drop-In Friday’s initiative in Vodafone stores. Held every Friday from 10am to 1 pm, trained Hi Digital Ambassadors provide free, personalised support with phones and tablets.
Due to strong demand, the service has now expanded to 58 Vodafone stores nationwide. For those unable to attend in person, the free online course at hidigital.ie remains available 24/7.
 For more information go to hidigital.ie

Irish Girl Guides providing community learning for empowering older adults with digital skills

To celebrate and honour the older adults in our community, Irish Girl Guide members are teaching digital skills. This past week, Leaders from 10 new Units across Ireland joined a growing cohort of Hi Digital trained Members.

In total, 30 Units are ready to work with older people on the island, which include 60 Leaders and 402 Guides (10-14 y.o.) and Senior Branch (14-30 y.o.).

Since Irish Girl Guides started the partnership with Vodafone Foundation, over 2,000 older people have learned new skills, and this number will continue to expand.

The members learned about some of the barriers older adults face in navigating the digital landscape and how they can help combat social and digital isolation through the Hi Digital programme in partnership with the Vodafone Foundation.

The Units host sessions in their community centres, in parish churches, in Men’s and Women’s Sheds and Active Retirement Groups. Hi Digital sessions last one to two hours and the older adults get a chance not only to learn new skills but also to chat over a cup of tea or a mug of soup.

Learning digital skills is not just about understanding the step-by-step instructions but building confidence and skills towards a more independent life. This is achieved through comprehensive education that demonstrates not just how singular apps work but through universal symbols and recognizable instructions while supporting the growing confidence in the older adult.

One older participant said, “I feel more at ease, knowing that much more about my phone”. While the Irish Girl Guides grow into confident Leaders, they are also helping show the older adult’s new ways to lead more independent lives as they navigate their phones. As one Clogherhead Senior Branch member highlighted, “it was really great for our personal growth but also our community growth”.

Watch this video to see the Hi Digital programme in action!

To see more about Hi Digital check out www.hidigital.ie and for more about the Irish Girl Guides go to www.irishgirlguides.ie

Datapac enables faster rollout of vital services for Cope Foundation

Datapac, Ireland’s leading technology solutions and services provider, is today announcing that it is delivering a managed IT helpdesk solution to Cope Foundation following a competitive tender, enabling faster rollout of the organisation’s vital services to over 2,800 children and adults with an intellectual disability and/or autism across Cork City and county.

Founded in Cork in 1957, Cope Foundation is a non-profit organisation which supports people to live a life of their choosing, in their chosen communities. The Cork-based charity provides individuals and families with support services and resources such as education, training and employment opportunities, Community Hubs, residential houses, day services, Arts and Creative Art Therapies and Physical Activity and Sports.

As the organisation grew, Cope Foundation needed to refresh its technology infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the organisation, its employees, and the people it supports. Datapac rolled out a fast and reliable IT support service for over 1,000 employees across Cope Foundation’s 70+ locations which has reduced downtime and boosted productivity right across the organisation. In turn, this is enabling employees to focus on delivering Cope Foundation’s services to children and adults in local communities across Cork.

Datapac’s service acts as an extension of the organisation, supporting employees by quickly and effectively remediating daily challenges such as connectivity problems, issues with devices, and access issues such as password losses or resets. Since implementation, the managed IT helpdesk has reduced the number of support tickets raised by 27%. This has freed up time for the organisation’s internal IT team, enabling them to focus on their core tasks. A key priority for the team is continuing to bolster Cope Foundation’s cybersecurity strategy to ensure that the sensitive information of the people they support is protected. The solution is flexible and will scale as the organisation continues to grow.

Datapac also provides comprehensive software maintenance and support services for Cope Foundation’s server and storage ecosystem. This underpins the organisation’s intranet and email capabilities, ensuring seamless communication for dispersed teams across Cope Foundation’s locations.

In addition, Datapac has rolled out a managed print service to Cope Foundation which has reduced the organisation’s printing costs by 40% annually. Datapac upgraded Cope Foundation’s entire print fleet with no disruption to daily operations, and provided training to employees.

Colin Chapman, Business Relationship Manager, Datapac, said: “Cope Foundation is a remarkable organisation that has been doing incredible work in Cork communities for nearly 70 years. The invaluable services that the organisation provides to families are underpinned by Datapac’s managed helpdesk, which provides employees with access to reliable IT support and enables them to continue to roll out critical resources to those who need them. It acts as an extension of the organisation, with speedy and seamless remediation for day-to-day support queries. Not only does this ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the organisation, but it delivers critical time savings for the IT team. We look forward to continuing to build on our relationship with Cope Foundation as it grows and expands its network of crucial services.”

Sean Abbott, Chief Executive Officer, Cope Foundation, said: “Having enlisted Datapac’s services in the past, we knew we could trust them to deliver on this next phase of our journey with an overhaul of our IT support processes. The enhanced service gives us the peace of mind and confidence to support and launch innovative new resources for families across Cork.”

Brian Marshall, IT Manager, Cope Foundation, said: “Datapac have provided us with a managed print solution that has driven down the cost of printing right across the organisation. They now provide us with IT support services and server maintenance that has allowed the IT team to focus on core projects that they would otherwise be unable to. I would happily recommend their services to any organisation.”