The e-Protect project for the semi-retired or retired Defence Forces!

The Rural Hub organised a Multiplier Event on 15 November 2022. This event took place in two different locations. The Multiplier Event was split into two parts, in order to accommodate the transport needs of the participants and also to minimise access issues.

The aim of both events was to showcase the diversity and full range of the e-Protect project’s training materials and resources, and to use this great opportunity to raise awareness of online safety, and to promote the digital skills and confidence of older people.

The IUNVA members who attended the first session in Cavan were people who had previously served as members of the Defence Forces, all with different skills and backgrounds. Participants at the second event were semi-retired or retired people and represented a number of older people’s groups and interests in the county, all of whom worked in different professions, including teachers, administrators, business owners and managers.

Both events were attended by the local Cavan Gardai (Police) to give a talk to all attendees about online safety and cyber-crime that is emerging in this day and age, where people are more digitally connected than ever before. The Gardai officer provided many excellent tips to help participants access the internet and how to stay safe while surfing the net or shopping online. The local police were able to share very useful online safety guidelines.

In total, 23 participants attended. All were very satisfied with the intervention offered at this Multiplier Event. Not only did they think the materials were good, but they expressed a desire to use these resources in their own cases, and they also expressed a desire to recommend it to others. The Rural Hub received very positive feedback from participants, who let us know that the e-Protect project had met their needs through these events, and expressed that these resources helped them to more effectively address their knowledge and skills towards the care and security of Internet Shopping and Payment.