Digital skills for seniors

Persistent gaps in digital skills leave many seniors excluded from essential services, social connections and civic participation. Traditional training models, often designed for the general population, frequently fail to reflect the realities of older learners, such as different learning paces, lower familiarity with technology or age-related challenges. As a result, seniors may disengage or struggle to retain skills, and even well-resourced initiatives risk reinforcing rather than reducing the digital divide. Addressing these barriers is essential. Well-designed programmes can improve daily life, strengthen autonomy and reduce isolation by making digital tools more accessible and relevant. This policy brief offers practical recommendations for governments and partners to design and implement effective digital training for seniors. It highlights key dimensions of programme design and delivery and provides guidance on how to translate broad principles into practice.