As more of everyday life moves online, organizations that serve older adults are finding new ways to ensure technology does not become another barrier for the people who rely on them. Healthcare appointments, government services, banking, social connections, and opportunities to participate in community life increasingly depend on technology, yet many older adults need support developing the skills and confidence to navigate these systems. The organizations that know their communities best are often the ones seeing these challenges firsthand, and they are finding creative ways to help older adults stay connected, independent, and engaged.
At digitalLIFT, we are proud to partner with senior centers, aging services organizations, recreation centers, libraries, and other community organizations that have earned the trust of older adults. These partnerships demonstrate that digital inclusion is not simply about teaching someone how to use a device; it is about helping people access the services they need, connect with family and friends, participate in their communities, and maintain greater independence as the world around them changes.
Creating Welcoming Places to Learn
The City of Fairfield Adult Recreation Center is a great example of how a familiar community space can become a place where older adults feel comfortable learning something new. The Center already plays an important role in bringing older adults together for recreation, activities, and social connection, making it a natural environment for digital skills training.
Through its partnership with digitalLIFT, the Center provides older adults with opportunities to develop practical technology skills in a welcoming environment where they can ask questions, practice, and build confidence. Rather than treating digital skills as something separate from community life, the partnership connects technology learning to the activities, relationships, and interests that already bring older adults through the Center’s doors.
That trusted environment matters because learning new technology can feel intimidating, particularly for someone with little experience using it. When learning takes place somewhere familiar and is connected to the things people already enjoy doing, older adults are more likely to take those first steps and continue building their skills.
Turning an Urgent Need Into a Sustainable Program
Sourcewise, the Area Agency on Aging serving Santa Clara County, offers another powerful example of how digital inclusion can become part of an organization’s long-term approach to serving older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sourcewise saw how quickly healthcare, benefits, social connection, and other essential services were moving online and responded by helping provide devices, connectivity, and digital support to older adults.
But Sourcewise did not want digital inclusion to remain a temporary response to an emergency. Working with digitalLIFT, the organization developed an approach centered not only on devices and connectivity, but also on ongoing support, accessible learning environments, and services that reflect the needs of the community. That work eventually evolved into Tech Hubs where older adults can attend classes, receive hands-on assistance, participate in office hours, and explore technology at their own pace.
Sourcewise’s experience demonstrates what can happen when an organization moves beyond thinking about digital inclusion as a one-time project and instead builds it into its broader services. The organization has continued expanding its programming while exploring peer-led approaches that empower older adults themselves to become Digital Ambassadors and support others in their community.
Bringing Digital Learning Into Community Life
Our partnership with the Mechanic’s Institute in San Francisco demonstrates another way organizations can create opportunities for older adults to build digital confidence. The historic institution became one of digitalLIFT’s community sites for trained volunteers, offering weekly drop-in technology support and quarterly workshops for local residents. During Digital Inclusion Week, the partnership brought together digitalLIFT, the Mechanic’s Institute, and eBay for a hands-on workshop focused on helping older adults shop safely and confidently online.
The workshop combined practical instruction with hands-on learning, covering topics such as recognizing scams, secure payments, trustworthy websites, returns, price comparisons, and digital payment safety. Five eBay volunteers participated alongside digitalLIFT staff, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and practice what they were learning. Eighteen older adults participated, demonstrating the value of creating approachable opportunities to learn about the technology people are encountering in their everyday lives.
What makes the partnership particularly meaningful is that the workshop was not designed as a one-time event. The collaboration established an ongoing opportunity for older adults to receive technology support in a familiar community setting, while bringing together the expertise of a corporate partner, the resources of a community institution, and the digital inclusion experience of digitalLIFT.
Building Confidence, Not Just Skills
The impact of this work is ultimately about much more than whether someone can operate a device. For an older adult, learning how to use Zoom independently can mean being able to connect with family or participate in an important appointment without assistance. Learning to navigate a healthcare portal can provide greater control over personal health information, while gaining confidence with online tools can make it easier to access benefits, explore interests, shop safely, or remain connected to the broader community.
These seemingly small moments can have a significant impact on independence and quality of life. The goal is not simply to teach people how to click the right button, but to help them gain the confidence to explore, solve problems, ask questions, and use technology to pursue the things that matter to them.
The stories of Fairfield, Sourcewise, and the Mechanic’s Institute demonstrate that there is no single model for supporting older adults with technology. Some organizations create dedicated digital skills programs, others integrate technology into existing aging services, and others create welcoming community spaces where people can receive ongoing support. What connects them is a recognition that older adults deserve opportunities to participate fully in a world that is increasingly digital.
The Power of Trusted Community Organizations
The most successful digital inclusion efforts often begin with organizations that older adults already know and trust. A recreation center can become a place to learn new technology, an aging services organization can build digital navigation into its programs, and a community institution can provide a welcoming place for hands-on support. When digital learning is integrated into the places and relationships that are already meaningful to people, technology becomes less intimidating and more relevant to their everyday lives.
At digitalLIFT, we are honored to support organizations that are taking this approach and finding ways to make digital inclusion part of the work they already do. Their leadership demonstrates that helping older adults navigate technology does not require reinventing the wheel; it requires listening to the community, building on existing strengths, and providing the right training, resources, and support.
Is Your Organization Ready to Help Older Adults Build Digital Confidence?
If your organization serves older adults and is seeing technology barriers affect the people you support, digitalLIFT can help you build a sustainable approach to digital inclusion. Our Aging Services training packages provide organizations with specialized training, curriculum, and resources designed to help staff and volunteers support older adults with digital skills, digital navigation, online safety, and more.
Explore digitalLIFT’s Aging Services Training Packages and learn how your organization can help older adults build the skills and confidence they need to stay connected, independent, and engaged.
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