HiDigital Fund

Addressing the digital skills gap among Ireland’s ageing population to ensure that no one is left behind.

Funded through Rethink Ireland the Hi Digital Fund is supported by the Vodafone Foundation, SmartSimple, private donors and Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht via the Dormant Accounts Fund, to tackle the digital skills divide for Ireland’s ageing population. 

The Hi Digital Programme aims to empower individuals aged 65 and older with essential digital skills. Students are trained by the charity ALONE, this project fosters intergenerational partnership, meaningful connections, builds a sense of community between young people and older adults, and emphasises the value of volunteering in bridging generational gaps.   

ALIVE student volunteering University of Galway, with the award winning studentvolunteer.ie are delighted to be part of this project working with with ATU and UL to deliver one to one digital mentoring and integrational learning, supporting our university-community engagement with a funded activity that meets a community need with groups in ARD Resource Centre, Westside Resource Centre, Ballinfoile Castlegar Neighbour Centre, Westside and Ballybane Libraries, and Cope Galway. 

Community engagement is a key aspect in our role as a university for the public good. The public includes all members of our society and this project will help us to provide additional, highly-meaningful and impactful volunteering opportunities with the older adults in our community. We aim to be creative in the ways our student volunteers can engage with the community. The activities supported by this project also connect very well with our university values of Respect, Belonging & Openness.