Now through September, the Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE) is offering free digital skills training through the Northstar Digital Literacy curriculum to up to 500 older adults in Massachusetts. The opportunity is available for councils on aging and aging service access points (ASAPs).

The Northstar curriculum provides tailored step-by-step, self-guided training modules to learners at various levels of digital skills. These courses typically cost $500 per organization to administer. By partaking in this free offering from AGE, your organization can help your community learn the skills needed to fully participate in daily life and navigate online resources. Northstar offers set-by-step courses on basic computer skills, software skills (such as Microsoft Excel and Google Docs), and using technology in daily life (such as social media, accessing telehealth, and cybersecurity). They also offer certain courses in Spanish.

By setting your organization up with Northstar, you can also conduct assessments with your participants to track their progress over time. These assessments can also help auto-tailor the digital skills program to best meet your participants’ needs.

If your organization is interested in partaking in this opportunity, please email Isabella.Santos@mass.gov to begin administering training at your location.

Please note: this curriculum is conducted online, so all trainees must be given access to a device if they do not already.