SmartCafé in Luxembourg: how young people help the elderly to master the digital world
John Schnobrich, Unsplash
Every year, more and more public and administrative services are moving online, making life difficult for older people who are unfamiliar with technology. To help them adapt, Differdange runs SmartCafé, a place where young people teach older people digital skills while discussing technical issues over coffee and cake.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Family Affairs and is organised in partnership with GoldenMe, a non-profit organisation dedicated to teaching digital skills to seniors.
Alderman Jerry Hartung said that visitors come with both general and specific questions. Some even bring entire lists of concerns, which are then discussed in a dialogue format. Often the topics of conversation go beyond the usual device settings, touching on internet fraud and privacy.
One of the project participants, Sabine Reuter-Schmitz, admitted to RTL that she wanted to learn how to use email and work confidently on the internet. However, while discovering the world of technology, she also learnt digital painting on a tablet, which was a pleasant discovery for her.
SmartCafé is open on Mondays from 14:00 to 16:00. Participation is free of charge, but it is necessary to pre-register on the websites of GoldenMe or the municipality of Differdange.
