EAVI, in collaboration with four European partners, participated in the INFORMATION MATTERS project, which focused on enhancing media and digital literacy among adults aged 55 and above in Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria. The initiative aimed to empower older adults to navigate the digital landscape confidently and critically, addressing challenges posed by the global infodemic, misinformation, and fake news.

The project developed and piloted innovative learning materials tailored for elderly learners and training programmes for adult education staff. These resources emphasized the importance of media literacy, the capacity to evaluate and understand media messages critically and digital literacy, which enables individuals to navigate an increasingly online world, including understanding the influence of social media platforms, websites, and apps on society.

Project Objectives:

1. Enhance the digital and media literacy competencies of elderly individuals through the development of interactive learning materials focused on combating disinformation and misinformation. The project aimed to positively impact at least 300 adults in Bulgaria, Romania, and Austria during its duration and reach at least 3,000 individuals across Europe by mid-2025.

2. Improve the competencies of adult education staff to effectively engage in building the digital and media literacy of older adults. This involved developing and piloting a training programme to directly upskill 120 adult educators during the project and at least 400 by mid-2025.

3. Promote the importance and benefits of enhancing digital and media literacy among the elderly by effectively disseminating project activities and results, aiming to reach 3,000 stakeholders across Europe.

The project culminated in a closing conference held on October 15, 2024, at Hall 1 of Toplocentala in Sofia, Bulgaria, attended by over 150 guests. During the event, it was reported that pilot training sessions had been conducted in Bulgaria, Austria, and Romania, resulting in the training of 170 adult media and digital literacy trainers. These trainers, in turn, educated over 400 individuals aged 55 and above. The conference highlighted the project’s success in equipping older adults with practical skills, such as protecting email accounts, creating strong passwords, and understanding internet banking safety rules, thereby enabling them to navigate the digital world more safely and confidently.

The INFORMATION MATTERS project underscored the critical need for targeted media and digital literacy initiatives for older adults, demonstrating that with appropriate resources and training, this demographic can effectively engage with and benefit from the digital society.