Focused on developing an innovative training program designed for anyone interested in providing instruction to older adults – whether they are professionals from the care and social assistance sector, volunteers, or even retirees who wish to share their knowledge, the Erasmus+ DigitalScouts project (2022-2025) brings to public attention the challenges and opportunities of digital participation for older people.
Coordinated by ISIS Institut für Soziale Infrastruktur gGmbH from Germany, the project brings together an international consortium consisting of BerufsWege für Frauen e.V. (Germany), AFEdemy – Academy on Age-Friendly Environments in Europe (Netherlands), Association Group for Education and Action for Citizenship – GEAC (Romania), and Austrian Red Cross. This European collaboration aims to provide the tools, knowledge, and skills necessary for those individuals („digital scouts”) who want to contribute to the digital literacy and inclusion of seniors.
The National Report for Romania, conducted within the DigitalScouts project, presents a detailed and nuanced picture of digital participation among people over 60 in our country. This comprehensive research highlights both remarkable progress in digital infrastructure and persistent challenges in developing basic digital skills among the elderly population.
Digital Infrastructure: Successes and Paradoxes
Romania demonstrates impressive performance in terms of technical connectivity. According to data presented in the report, our country has achieved a substantial adoption rate of high-speed fiber optic connections of 57% and notable coverage of 87% with ultra-capable networks.
These figures place Romania in a favorable position in terms of digital infrastructure, creating the premises for extended digital participation.
However, the paradox becomes evident when analyzing the actual digital skills of the population. While infrastructure is robust, only 28% of Romanians possess basic digital skills, compared to the European average of 54%. Even more concerning is the fact that only 9% of Romanians have advanced digital skills, in contrast to the EU average of 26%.
This significant discrepancy between infrastructure and digital skills underlines the necessity of specialized training programs, such as the one developed within the DigitalScouts project.
Digital Behavior of Romanian Seniors
Data from the National Institute of Statistics survey „Population Access to Information and Communication Technology in 2022,” based on a sample of 10,188 households, offers a detailed perspective on internet usage by elderly people in Romania.
The proportion of internet users decreases dramatically with age: while 98% of young people in the 16-34 age group use the internet, for the 55-74 age group the percentage reaches 73%. Professional status significantly influences usage frequency: over 96% of pupils and students access the internet more than once a day, while only approximately 44% of retirees do the same.
However, Romanian seniors demonstrate active involvement in the digital sphere, with approximately 93% of surveyed retirees using the internet for communication, including emailing, instant messaging, voice/video calls, and social media participation. Additionally, 58% engage in reading digital news, 38% seek health-related information, and 31% find entertainment through platforms like YouTube and online radio.
Areas for Improvement and Identified Challenges
The report identifies clear areas that require special attention. Only 2.1% of retirees engage in online consultations or participate in civic and political activities such as signing petitions. Similarly, only 4% use the internet to schedule medical appointments, and 7% for online banking services, including mobile ones.
A relevant observation from a gender perspective shows that women aged 55-74 use the internet more than men to search for general health information (43% versus 31%) and for voice/video calls (70% versus 65%), while men use it more to read online news (51% versus 41%).
Implications for the Future
According to the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which monitors EU member states’ progress in the digital domain, Romania is well below the EU average regarding basic digital skills. This gap becomes even more relevant in the context of a society undergoing demographic aging, where the need for digital services adapted for seniors is constantly increasing.
The DigitalScouts project directly addresses these challenges by developing a flexible educational offer that qualifies „digital scouts” to support older adults in using digital tools. Through this „train the trainer” approach, the project aims to create a sustainable network of facilitators capable of responding to seniors’ individual needs in the digitalization process.
In conclusion, the National Report for Romania from the DigitalScouts project highlights a complex situation: advanced digital infrastructure coexists with limited digital skills, especially among the elderly population. This reality underlines the importance of initiatives like DigitalScouts in building a truly inclusive digital society, where age does not constitute a barrier to accessing opportunities offered by modern technology.
For more national research results, explore the Report for Romania.
Photo: AI generated
