With Europe’s population aging rapidly, digital exclusion among seniors remains a growing concern. The Erasmus+ project “A Year Better” (AYB) addresses this challenge by equipping older adults with the skills to navigate the digital world, enhancing their independence, inclusion, and quality of life.
On May 20th, 2025, partners met in Brussels, hosted by the Belgian partner IHF asbl, for the project’s first in person meeting. The session focused on reviewing progress and aligning the next steps across all the Work Packages.
Key discussions included project coordination (WP1), mapping activities (WP2), training development in six languages (WP3), and the design of AYB’s user-friendly Open Educational Resources platform (WP4). A dedicated workshop on green practices further connected AYB’s goals with broader sustainability principles.
A highlight of the meeting was Work Package 2 (WP2), led by IAL FVG, which focuses on mapping essential Digital Survival Skills aligned with the DigComp framework. WP2 identifies the competencies seniors need to manage daily online tasks—such as healthcare access and financial services—safely and independently. It also collects free, user-friendly digital tools available in each partner country (Spain, Italy, Poland, North Macedonia) and across the EU, promoting social inclusion and reducing loneliness.
Each partner has conducted secondary research and produced national reports, soon to be available on the project website. Together, these resources will form a digital repository to support targeted training and sustainable upskilling paths for seniors.
As the project moves forward, A Year Better continues to foster digital inclusion for older adults—ensuring they are confident, connected, and empowered in a digital society.
