Some senior citizens, new immigrants, those with disabilities, and others have taken computer training in past without success. Those individuals tend to be more technophobic and many believe that they cannot learn because the are “too old” or for other reasons. One NGO using the Senior Connects model has experienced a 90% “graduation rate” with this type of populations group – but it involved teaching these individuals on a one-to-one basis so that the lessons covering the materials in the training manual could progress at a pace that was comfortable for the “student.” Because Senior Connects pairs high school students to teach senior citizens, the student volunteers are able to identify the value proposition (e.g., email friends and family, researching health issues, and instant access to news and weather) for each individual that they are instructing. This, together with the social aspect of the “senior citizen students” telling others that it wasn’t as hard as they thought encourages others to give digital literacy training a second chance.

Digital Literacy is a process. It includes identifying a prospective user’s value proposition and overcoming barriers, concerns, and misconceptions about accessing the Internet, teaching computer and Internet skills, educating the user about Internet safety, providing those applications and websites that make use of the Internet relevant to the user, technical support, and of course, broadband connectivity. Some NGOs reinforce a new users’ value proposition during each training session, allowing the last 10 minutes of each hour training session to discuss what is important to the new user and thereby reinforcing the importance of broadband, digital literacy, and the Internet.

Many NGOs teach philanthropy by example – and children, when offered an explanation, embraced the concept of “giving back to others” at an early age.  The Digital Generation seems to take to technology more readily than other generations, and the mastery of technology will be increasingly important to this generation’s ability to compete and enjoy the richness that will be increasingly most accessible via broadband and the Internet.  Also, children that are the beneficiaries of computer labs and computer training often become the next generations’ teachers and philanthropists.

Visual impairment, hearing loss, mobility impaired, and a host of other disabilities result in population groups with disabilities having lower broadband adoption when compared to the universe of potential users. NGOs use a variety of tactics to help those with disabilities. Specialized equipment is difficult to procure but innovative NGOs are able to work with caregivers to identify alternative solutions. Training manuals with larger print, one-on-one training with those that are hearing impaired, and installing computer labs inside independent living facilities for the mobility impaired are a few of the many ways NGOs innovate novel ways to help increase digital literacy.

Some NGOs empower student volunteers to help teach digital literacy. Those individuals learn job skills, and life skills while serving their community. As stated by one volunteer, “I volunteered to help teach others – but I found that I learned more than those that I taught.”

Digital inclusion NGOs use many approaches to reach out to the members of their communities. Sometimes student volunteers teach inside independent living facilities, some schools adopt senior centers, and some schools invite senior citizens into their school to be taught by students after school. Through this program, as the digital divide is being crossed by seniors, the intergenerational divide is being crossed by student-volunteers.

Some non-adopters do not choose to become digitally literate because they are concerned about their safety on the Internet. Cyber-bullying, Net predators, viruses, scams and fraud – there are as many dangers online as there are in the “real world.” But knowledge is power and those NGOs that include Internet safety training as a required component of their digital literacy program are providing those they serve the complete product.