Hard to access environments, such as neighbourhoods, public spaces and the social and commercial infrastructure, are a major risk for social exclusion. Especially persons with physical, mental or social restraints are often concerned by isolation. Healthy and age-friendly environments apt for these target groups include lviing spaces which are safe and comfortable, the possibililty to leave and return to one's building without barriers, health and social services and opportunities to actively participate in community life.The BIG game intends to raise awareness and to transfer knowledge about appropriate measures and actions to create environments that are healthy and built in an age-friendly way, also by making use of ICT solutions, e.g. by assistive or smart homes technologies. According to their professional experiences, stakeholders in this field are usually focussed on specific topics and areas. But an effective implementation of healthy and age-friendly environments need a holistic approach combining architectural, social and ICT measures. The game will offer learning experiences in applying this approach. As a contribution to closing the gap between existing devices and their application, the game will support learners to get acquainted with potential solutions and steps to be taken. Building on the current Erasmus+ project Hands-on SHAFE - Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Envrionments (2019-2022), the BIG game will be developed with the intention to make the results of the work done so far available as a playful learning experience to a broader target audience and thus spread knowledge and know-how on the creation of healthy and age-friendly environments at the greatest possible extent. The game will address diverse target groups, among others:• Professionals in municipalities and welfare organizations committed to urban development and social inclusion;• Volunteers in social associations, initiatives and Seniors Councils acting for the interests of persons in need of healthy and age-friendly environments;• Private persons like informal carers and persons in need of adequate environments themselves.Representatives of persons living in non-inclusive environments as well as of future learners will be involved in the project activities as follows: 24-32 workshop participants with first-hand experiences in inappropriate living environments hindering their soical inclusion and independent living, 12 participants in a Blended Learning Mobility and at least 100 stakeholders from associations and policy-making in national and European multiplier events.In order to achieve the project objectives, two Intellectual Outputs will be carried out. For IO1, the scenes of the BIG game will be developed in workshops with persons who have faced inapproriate conditions in their living environments and are committed to improve the situation. They will also assess the scenes which are elaborated by the responsible partners and initiate improvements, if necessary. In the second step, the scripts and scenarios will be transferred into technical qualifications. The beta version of the game will be developed and applied in a Blended Mobility of learners. Based on these results, the alpha version will be completed. In order to increase the impacts of the learning game, in IO2 a curriculum and trainer manual with instructions on how to make use of the game will be elaborated that includes, among others, a detailed section on validation and certification approaches that are apt for non-formal and informal learning experiences. Also IO2 wlll be tested during a Blended Mobility of learners and adapted where necessaryAll Intellectual Outputs will approach their topics from a person-centred perspective. The pro-active involvement of persons who are in need and committed for healthy and age-friendly environments is part of the quality management. Dissemination activities will target policy-makers and associations at all relevant levels but pay special awareness to grass-root initiatives fostering the social inclusion of persons who are in need of inclusive neighbourhoods.As a result, the project will increase knowledge on potential measures to create healthy and age-friendly environments from a holistic perspective. With its low-threshold approach it will also be attractive for learners will little interesest in formal or non-formal learning offers. The BIG game will be integrated on the Hands-on SHAFE website (https://hands-on-shafe.eu/en) where it is accompanied by a library and materials for adult educators, including a compendium of good practice, the workshop curriculum and trainer manual with learning aids.The desired impact of the game is to contribute to a fundamental change in the quality of physical and social environments and to the implementation of inclusive neighbourhoods and caring communities for all generations. However, the full impact of the project activities will only show in the long run.

BackgroundDigitisation and demographic changes are two major trends in Europe and beyond:The transformative power of digitisation is visible in almost every field of our society. It calls for new knowledge and skills to be able to fully participate in society. In a more structural perspective, we have to reduce the digital gap that divides certain groups (e.g. older people) from those with full access to the digital world. The worldwide Coronavirus crisis throws a light on the importance of ICT for staying in touch and participating in society.An “ageing Europe” has profound implications, not only for individuals, but also for the entire system (e.g. finances, health care). We have to find creative and sustainable ways to enable older people to live autonomously and to shape environments in such ways to support independence and social inclusion.ObjectivesOur project BRIDGE THE GAP! links these two challenges: Older people are empowered and trained to explore, analyse and (re-)shape their neighbourhoods with the help of digital tools. Our main objectives are•to train, empower and support older people to get active for their neighbourhoods, to bring forward their ideas for age-friendly environments and to master the digital tools they need to implement their ideas,•to develop meaningful, supportive and highly accessible learning formats and materials,•to raise awareness for the relevance of age-friendly environments and the political, social and digital participation of older citizens and inspire others (e.g. decision makers) to advocate these issues,•to contribute to new images of ageing and•to produce and disseminate sustainable outcomes and build strong networks for the participation of older citizens.ParticipantsIn each partner country (Austria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands) a group of 12–20 (in total up to 100) older people is trained and empowered to implement their ideas (3–5 projects per country) with the help of digital tools. The low-threshold training settings also support the participation of older persons with little experience in formal trainings. These trainings are the test cases for our outputs (O2–O5). The learners actively contribute to these outputs, to the events – both at national/regional (E1–E5) and EU level (E6). Peer-to-peer elements, research (O1), the events and a comprehensive dissemination strategy involve many more older persons and stakeholders of various kinds.Activities, results and sustainabilityPreparation, Research, BRIDGE THE GAP! Fact SheetThe partners carry out research that covers the social and digital participation of older people, good practice examples in this field etc. The Fact Sheet (O1) not only summarizes the findings but is also a valuable dissemination tool for the project.Development, Training Concept & CurriculumWe develop a framework curriculum as the basis for the five trainings. The curriculum innovatively combines the issues of age-friendly environments and digital literacy. The trainings are adapted flexibly to the contexts and the needs and interests of the participants.Trainings, Age-friendly environment projects, Multiplier EventsThe trainings in the partner countries are not only test cases for the curriculum but also the basis of age-friendly environment projects brought forward by the older learners. At the national events (E1–E5), the project results are presented – with the active participation of the older learners/activists. The Online Multiplier Event (O6) puts the project issues on the EU agenda. Again, the older participants actively participate in this format.Production of sustainable and transferable outputs: Booklet, Training Kit, Digital TrainingIn addition to the Fact Sheet, we produce sustainable outputs that support stakeholders to advocate the issues at stake, namely the social and digital participation of older citizens:The BRIDGE THE GAP! Booklet (O3) summarizes the project results and presents the age-friendly environment projects. It raises awareness for the social/digital participation of older people and addresses e.g. stakeholders, policy makers, and organisations working with/for older people.The Training Kit (O4) includes the curriculum and tools and methods that have proven helpful in the trainings. It mainly addresses training providers, trainers and organisations working with/for older people.The Digital Training (O5) gives an insight into the training, provides helpful background information and resources for practitioners in adult education and by older learners for autonomous distance learning.These activities are not only flanked by a project management and quality assurance that ensure the smooth project implementation, but also by a comprehensive dissemination strategy based on a diverse range of tools (e.g. mailings, social media, website, PR) that support the distribution and sustainability of our results.

<< Background >>DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IS A REALITY IN EUROPE: According to Eurostat, in 2019, people aged 55 years or older accounted for just over one third (33.6 %) of the total EU-27 population. The share of this age group (55+) will increase in each of the 27 EU Member States and is projected to reach 40.6 % by 2050. For example, by 2050, those aged 55 years or more are predicted to account for 45.9 % of the population in Italy, and for more than 45.0 % in Lithuania, Portugal, Greece and Latvia [14]. Moreover, between 2019 and 2050, the number of very old people in the EU-27 is projected to more than double, up 113.9 %. To give some idea of the magnitude of this change, the number of people aged 85 years or more is projected to increase from 12.5 million in 2019 to 26.8 million by 2050, while the number of centenarians (people aged 100 years or more) is projected to grow from 96 600 in 2019 to close to half a million (484 000) by 2050. At the same time, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE are key priorities globally, and in Europe. Without action on climate change, in the next decades we will face a potential 5°C temperature increase and experience thousands of premature deaths due to air pollution and heatwaves [1]. As such, the EU is committed to A GREEN TRANSITION TOWARDS A CARBON NEUTRAL SOCIETY by 2050 that must also be an INCLUSIVE AND JUST TRANSITION. Durable changes in citizens’ behaviours towards more sustainable and healthier habits are needed to achieve this. A fundamental cultural shift and EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICIES TO CREATE CARBON NEUTRAL SOCIETIES. While youngsters are possibly the most well positioned to create such transformation due to the extended adoption of internet and social media, adults 55+ are harder to reach as they tend to have less internet access [3] and fewer digital skills, knowledge and confidence [6]. Moreover, MOST CLIMATE-RELATED ISSUES ARE FAR FROM MANY OLDER ADULTS’ AWARENESS. Yet, many older adults are open to learn more and change their behaviour towards more environment-friendly patterns. Given that OLDER ADULTS MAKE UP A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE EU POPULATION (33.6% are 55+ and 20% older than 65) [5] their participation in sustainable behaviours is crucial to ACHIEVE A GREEN TRANSITION. Hence, the GreenerAge project will CO-CREATE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS that tackle CLIMATE CHANGE LITERACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING and awareness while also INCREASING DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE through a GAMIFIED DIGITAL PLATFORM. The use of playful digital tools can be an effective means to address societal challenges and provoke change in the target group, aiming to provoke improvements in lifestyles and consumption decisions that secure a higher quality of life and protect the environment. Older adults will for example learn to lower their carbon footprint, opt for sustainable food and mobility choices, reduce energy use and waste. Overall, the project will meet the NEED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT-AND CLIMATE-FRIENDLY ACTIONS, through accessible and inclusive digital communication and technology tools that ALSO MEETS THE NEED TO INCREASE DIGITAL LITERACY OF OLDER ADULTS through unique and especially developed virtual activities in learning and cooperation. This way older adults’ are included in both the digitisation shift as well as being part of the necessary green transition towards carbon neutral societies. At the heart of the GreenerAge platform are the Erasmus+ HORIZONTAL PRIORITIES OF ENVIRONMENT AND FIGHTING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE and INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY. THE LEARNERS WILL ALSO DEVELOP MORE ADVANCED DIGITAL SKILLS and the project PROMOTES ERASMUS+ among EU citizens and stakeholders in five EU countries (Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland and Portugal).<< Objectives >>The GreenerAge Project plans for significant contributions to the mission of the Green Deal call to “USE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION TO KICK-START THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATIONS REQUIRED TO TACKLE THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE”. However, we cannot achieve a green transition in European societies when excluding adults 55+ given that they constitute over one third of the European population and may be the hardest to reach. Hence, the GreenerAge project will CO-CREATE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS that tackle CLIMATE CHANGE LITERACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING and awareness while also INCREASING DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE through a GAMIFIED DIGITAL PLATFORM for older adults. THE OVERALL GREENERAGE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE: (1)ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE: #INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL SKILLS OF CITIZENS 55+ through informal gamified learning strategies and tools, co-developing a compendium of knowledge and practices that promote changing behaviour and values necessary to achieve a carbon-neutral society. #PROMOTE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY AND UPTAKE OF GREENERAGE TOOLS AND MATERIALS, by developing a set of recommendations for adult trainers, policy makers and relevant organisations. (2)DIGITAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES: #BROADENING ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE AND USER-FRIENDLY TOOLS, co-developed with the target groups to create a step-change in environmental literacy via the usage of a new inclusive digital gamification platform. (3)BRIDGING INTERCULTURAL, INTERGENERATIONAL DIVIDE:#INCREASING CAPACITY AND INCLUSIVITY OF ADULT EDUCATORS to provide low-threshold and highly adaptable training of environmentally-friendly practices through the development of an inclusive gamified training toolkit adjustable to online, face to face and blended training, bridging the intergenerational digital and climate literacy divide. (4)EXPECTED IMPACT: ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY is an individual’s understanding, skills and motivation to make responsible decisions that consider his/her relationships to natural systems, communities and future generations here and abroad. Increased climate and environmental literacy. COMBINED WITH IMPROVED DIGITAL SKILLS, the GreenerAge project will empower older citizens to adopt healthier behaviours for themselves and the planet, promote a more active citizenship with other citizens in other EU countries and their intergenerational cooperation, influencing their family members, neighbours and friends. This will support the HORIZONTAL PRIORITY OF ‘ENVIRONMENT AND FIGHTING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE’ and ‘INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY’ by enhancing older citizens’ DIGITAL SKILLS. ERASMUS+ will also be PROMOTED among EU citizens and stakeholders. (5)UNIQUELY, THE PARTNER’S PREVIOUSLY GAINED EXPERTISE WILL BE BROUGHT TOGETHER AND EXPANDED WITH THE GREENERAGE PROJECT, providing some partners with important insights on the lives of 55+ citizens and how to best approach them, and others will expand their knowledge of climate change and environmental issues and of gamified approaches. Through their experiences from past projects synergy effects can be achieved while learning from colleagues. THE COMBINATION OF THE PROJECT'S KEY FOCUS AREAS– EDUCATION THROUGH THE DIGITAL GAMING APPROACH, AND CO-PRODUCTION AND EMPOWERMENT OF ADULTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES – IS INNOVATIVE FOR ALL PARTNERS and allows existing educational approaches to be expanded.<< Implementation >>THE GREENERAGE PROJECT IS RELIANT ON A TRANSNATIONAL APPROACH as we all COMBINE OUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE to make the difference needed TO OFFER GENUINE EUROPEAN ADDED VALUE. Cooperation with transnational partners in the GreenerAge Project bring benefits to organisations, cities, regions, and ultimately citizens all across Europe, through the impact of its outputs that will span across FIVE COUNTRIES AND CULTURES and in SIX LANGUAGES, with different CITIZEN TESTIMONIALS AND PERSPECTIVES. GreenerAge transnational cooperation relies on BUILDING TRUST ACROSS BORDERS AND FOSTERING European integration for a more inclusive Europe by sharing similar cross-cultural challenges such as climate change and environmental issues, while facing different local implementations and structures. THE GREENERAGE PROJECT EMPLOYS THE PRINCIPLES OF CO-CREATION AND CO-PRODUCTION as a way of working whereby citizens and decision makers work together to create a COMMON solution or service. The APPROACH IS VALUE DRIVEN and built on the principle that THOSE WHO USE A SERVICE ARE THE BEST PLACED TO HELP DESIGN IT. A LIVING LABORATORY will be created for developing and testing new ways of addressing major challenges together with local citizens in each partner country. The transnational aspect of the project will allow us to develop TAILOR-MADE SOLUTIONS which require strategic international partnerships and it will PROMOTE ERASMUS+ AMONG ALL CITIZENS AND GENERATIONS (ADULT PRIORITY). THESE PRINCIPLES ARE AT THE HEART OF THE FOUR MAIN PROJECT RESULTS (PR) THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED: #PR1: 55+ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE LITERACY COMPENDIUM#PR2: 55+DIGITAL GAMIFICATION LEARNING PLATFORM ‘GREENERAGE’#PR3: 55+ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE LITERACY TRAINER MANUAL#PR4: GREENERAGE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS #SUMMARY OF OTHER ACTIVITIES: (1)The project contributes to the EMPOWERMENT OF CITIZENS 55+ towards the adoption of more environmentally-friendly habits and behaviours by means of gaining new knowledge and motivation to make change through a learning platform. At the end of the project, 75 to 100 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TARGET GROUP in five countries will have been involved in the development of the platform through interviews or workshop attendance. (2)THERE WILL BE FIVE TRANSNATIONAL MEETINGS and FIVE MULTIPLIER EVENTS in each country. AT LEAST 200 STAKEHOLDERS (policy makers, national and European representatives from environmental, digital or ageing related initiatives) will be directly targeted and involved in MULTIPLIER EVENTS and workshops. As a result of the efforts to raise awareness about the learning platform, it is expected that AT LEAST 200 LEARNERS will have used it during the two months between the MULTIPLIER EVENTS and the completion of the project. (3)AS PART OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, a QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) GROUP will be established and a QA PLAN, a RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN, SHARING AND PROMOTION PLAN and LONGER-TERM SUSTAINABILITY PLAN will be developed from the early stages of the project and dynamically updated. During the lifetime of the project, the public and other stakeholders at local, regional, national and European level will have been regularly informed in a targeted way by NEWSLETTERS, LEAFLETS, PERSONAL CONSULTATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRESS RELEASES etc. (4)REGULAR COMMUNICATION among partners and an open, outcome-oriented working atmosphere. (5)WE WILL ALSO ESTABLISH A LOCAL ASSOCIATED PARTNERS GROUP in each country, who will consist of key stakeholders taking part in project activities, co-development of Project Results and take part in MULTIPLIER EVENTS. (See Support letters and Associated Partners Section). Associated Partners will also support SHARING AND PROMOTION ACTIVITIES and the long-term SUSTAINABILITY of the GreenerAge project through dissemination of results in their organisations and networks, as well as uptake of the Project Results in their daily activities after project ending.<< Results >>The GreenerAge project aims to INCREASE GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE AWARENESS, including leveraging existing validated tools and methods (e.g. air pollution exposure, mobility decision support, more sustainable consumption patterns, personal environmental footprint calculations etc.) by DESIGNING A DIGITAL PLATFORM targeted at older adults’ environmental and digital literacy. THE CITIZENS OVER 55 YEARS OF AGE ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF THE ACTIVITIES: they will play a major role in the development of all of the Project Results (PR), alongside other stakeholders (e.g. trainers, associations, policy-makers). These older adults will be invited to participate in the interviews and the co-design workshops. In this respect, THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER FOUR MAIN PROJECT RESULTS (PR): #PR1: 55+ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE LITERACY COMPENDIUM: in PR1 (led by TAU), we will co-develop an environment and climate change compendium and tools with experts and citizens, including interviews and testimonials from them across the five partner countries to create a concerted approach of environmental and digital literacy needs and gaps in the partner countries for adults 55+. This will be based on evidence-based knowledge. #PR2: 55+DIGITAL GAMIFICATION LEARNING PLATFORM ‘GREENERAGE’: PR2 (led by SHINE) will develop an INCLUSIVE AND INTERACTIVE (gamified) LEARNING PLATFORM to enhance digital and environmental literacy. It will co-create a simple and attractive interface that combines all of the compendium content, tools and training contents and PROVEN GAMIFICATION STRATEGIES TO INFLUENCE BEHAVIOURS. These interfaces will be developed jointly with citizens from the target group, to gain access to the experiences and views of the people concerned and experience and test options for successful low threshold and inclusive learning in each partner country. #PR3: 55+ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE LITERACY TRAINER MANUAL: With the compendium and digital gaming platform being established, PR3 (led by ISIS) will develop a TRAINER MANUAL to accompany the learning platform and compendium, WITH BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND WORKSHOP CONCEPTS for the materials and a guide FOR ADULT EDUCATORS. #PR4: GREENERAGE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: in PR4 (led by AFE) a set of policy recommendations will be addressed to the EU, relevant organisations and local policy makers, WITH GUIDELINES FOR ACTION, background knowledge and further data for using the full training and learning toolkit at scale. #OTHER OUTCOMES include INTANGIBLE RESULTS and include: (1)KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE GAINED by the project team, participants, or other stakeholders. (2)EXPERIENCE AND NETWORKS GAINED in the MULTIPLIER EVENTS, consultation activities, etc (3)INCREASED SKILLS OR ACHIEVEMENTS in environmental issues, climate-change and digital skills. (4)LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND REAL-LIFE IMPACT is another desired outcome of the project. This is supported by the successful SHARING AND PROMOTION of the results and uptake of the PRs by different stakeholders in their everyday practices after project ending. IN SUMMARY, the GreenerAge project AIMS TO CREATE A LOW-THRESHOLD AND PLAYFUL ACCESS TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY ENVIRONMENT, PROMOTING A SELF-REFLECTIVE, POSITIVE AND EMPOWERING EXAMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATIC ISSUES. Ensuring inclusive participation it meets essential needs of the target groups, the HORIZONTAL priorities and the project partners’ needs and missions. Its Project Results will be of high value for their work and future exploitation as well as further collaboration, supporting the LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY of the GreenerAge project.

Since the first COVID-19 cases appeared, countries have developed different strategies and responses to cope with the pandemic. After the emergency state, a collaborative leadership approach will be essential and working together as a collective, investing in a participatory citizenship, will be key.It is not possible to consider this is a time with no consequences and that no other emergency situations will occur. The use of teleworking, the social distance and the increased health and care needs implied uncovering new methods of work, understanding society’s biggest fragilities and will imply changes in work and training, tools and routines that will only be clear in the next months and years. Apart from all the innovations that are being developed and the new ways services are now being delivered, there is the need to prepare bottom-up initiatives that build-up the competences of social care professionals, community leaders, informal caregivers and volunteers so that these are prepared to deal with such emergency situations in the future.STEP-UP intends to develop a training tool for these target groups, where they are introduced to the actual impact of behaviours in the spread of a pandemic/emergency situation. There, they can learn what preventive measures exist, their impacts and the different levels of measures – individual, at work, in the family, at state level, among others. Although there is plenty of information available online, it is difficult to know which one is reliable. Also, there is the need to prepare the right training methods to approach the care sector, in an adequate and engaging way.The core of this tool will be an educational game but that can also be used as a recreational game for the common public. In STEP-UP, the players will play with the aim to stop a pandemic from spreading. A list of measures will be displayed and the player needs to learn about them in order to be able to choose those that would help to impede the virus spread without damaging the economy or causing societal anger. This would also help people to better understand and follow governmental measures (which they actually not always do in current times) and to set aside true facts from myths and fake news.STEP-UP is first aiming at social care workers and similar target groups described above as primary users, but the game will also be usable by any citizen and will therefore have a larger aim in adult training, especially those with lower skills and qualifications.Besides the gaming tool and the complete training toolkit, a manual on social and policy interventions will be delivered, that aims to offer target-group oriented guidelines and insights on early detection, preventive measures, healthcare and social care interventions, policy measures and communication. The manual will be completed with real-life oriented user stories, good practices and lessons learned.

<< Background >>Digital technologies applied to health bring significant advances in self-care, promoting health and preventing illness by facilitating contacts (consultations, medication requests), access to health records, to informative or service provision websites, m-health solutions (e.g. apps) or wearables (e.g. activity tracker, pulse monitoring). The growth of digital health is rapid and brings many advantages, but often exacerbates existing health inequalities, such as those of people with lower levels of literacy, as it became evident during the COVID19 pandemic. People who are digitally health literate are able to achieve healthier lifestyle behaviours; however, people with lower socio-economic backgrounds, experiencing vulnerabilities, or older people may struggle to keep up with technological advancements.The Directorate-General of Health in Portugal recently stated that “The growth of digital health risks widening health inequalities. Specific strategies are needed to address digital health literacy and Portugal is keen to help design and implement evidence-based practice”. A broad health literacy approach can build citizens’ confidence and skills to develop digital skills, and hence benefit from digital technology, and such an approach can reduce, rather than widen, digital inequalities. However, digital health literacy is a growing concept and in the most recent years has been nurtured by a new needed facet – data literacy. In fact, citizens are now asked to share their data, either for research purposes or for integrated care services, but they are now sufficiently aware of how data sharing works or what It means in practice. Even if more perspectives could be added to this ecosystem (media literacy, health systems literacy, etc.), health, digital and data are a sufficient combination to empower citizens to better track, manage and improve their health and well-being through the use of digital tools (approaching the definition of Digital Health as provided by the WHO). There is thus the need to provide citizens with a concerted approach that also includes data literacy. On one side, citizens need to grasp how to navigate in the world of digital health and this requires knowledge, competences and practical skills. Informal educators, such as health care professionals, community associations or municipalities that support citizens in their daily life need a low-threshold tool that they can use to facilitate citizen inclusion. Formal educators can also benefit from costumisable low-threshold learning tools. Finally, policy makers need to advance on citizen access to digital health, to improve quality and efficiency in the health care services.The project partners work in adult education on different perspectives of this trio – health, digital and data – and observe the lack of a combined tool as the one envisioned in TRIO, that could be used by the partnership in their future work. The project “TRIO – Adult education on digital, health and data literacy for citizen empowerment” will thus develop a modular approach to the trio of literacies (digital, health and data), creating and designing a manual, a toolkit for trainers and a Green Paper in co-production with the relevant stakeholders, supported by a platform that ensures customisation of content to different needs. The contents will be designed in three blocks adjusted to different age-ranges (18-35; 36-50; 51+), with special attention to groups at risk of exclusion and/or with physical, cognitive, emotional and cultural challenges and be prepared for diverse modes of delivery (f2f, online, blended).TRIO will create 5 small country pilots, in collaboration with local networks to address the needs of adequate competences and skills on health, digital and data, empowering citizens of all ages and different levels of education to navigate in the eHealth world, and make informed and trusted decisions, thus increasing their well-being, autonomy, inclusion and access to services.<< Objectives >>The project main OBJECTIVES are:1. Increasing health, digital and data literacy of citizens through informal learning strategies and tools, including them in co-developing the knowledge and practices that promote inclusion, access to services and trusted decisions.In the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2020, Portugal ranks on the 19th position out of the 28 EU Member States. The percentage of the Portuguese population without at least basic digital skills decreased from 50% to 48%. However, about 26% had no digital skills at all. In 2019, Portugal continued implementing the national initiative on digital competencies INCoDe.2030 and other private ventures, such as the Iamdigital Initiative. However, these initiatives are only focused on basic digital skills and thus don’t provide any specific focus on the health needs and data literacy as TRIO predicts. TRIO proposes a concerted upskilling pathway, by improving health, digital and data literacy of citizens in three different age-ranges, promoting adult education through the development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity. 2. Broadening access to knowledge and user-friendly tools co-developed with the target groups to create a step-change in a concerted literacy approach for eHealth via the usage of a digital platform.Literate citizens will have increased access to basic services as well as other forms of adult education, which also facilitates inclusion and diversity in all fields of training. The tailored approach of TRIO will allow that its platform and tools may be easily used by people in disadvantageous situations (economic, social, educational, with mild impairments, etc.) and can be adapted to any EU country.3. Increasing capacity of adult educators to provide low-threshold and highly adaptable training on health, digital and data literacy through the development of a training toolkit adjustable to online, classroom and blended trainings.TRIO will build on collaborative, experiential and interactive learning, based on the exploration and execution of small pilot actions in the five countries involved, using an educational platform to support the development of the competencies defined at the level of the DigComp. 2.0 and the Competence Framework. The Digital Competence Reference Framework (https://www.incode2030.gov.pt/sites/default/files/qdrcd_set2019.pdf), will be used as inspiration to design the learning contents.4. Promote future sustainability and uptake of the TRIO tools and materials, by developing a set of recommendations to policy makers and relevant organisations.European initiatives, such as EuropeHealthNet have publicly recognised the sense of urgency to advance digital health literacy as a means to improve health for all, issuing several recommendations, such as the development of a knowledge hub to share results and facilitate networking and learning; promote technological citizenship and advance critical digital health literacy during the life course; ensure interdisciplinary cooperation, promote digital health literacy at all levels and tailored to the needs of divers groups to avoid widening health inequalities.Overall, the project responds to many of these issues, and TRIO’s Green Paper aims to provide the recommendations together with the release of the tools to implement them in practice. TRIO’s results will be easily adapted to other countries and can thus imply a huge progress for Europe.As a consequence, TRIO’s objective for the consortium members is to obtain a needed package of tools that will broaden their portfolios with new and attractive offers, increase visibility and strengthen local, regional, national and European networks, providing the opportunity to share experiences across borders and hence help them to better fulfil their missions.<< Implementation >>TRIO activities will be divided in 3 areas:Project Results: PR1 Manual on digital, health and data literacy”: This Project Result is based on the concept of Health 2.0, as a conceptual approach that places the citizen at the center of the healthcare pathway, going beyond the sole use of pervasive social networking technology. It is based on patient empowerment, communication and collaboration between patients, their caregivers, citizens and health care professionals, seeing citizens as co-producers of their care. However, this demands for strong literacy in the health, digital and data domains require to make a meaningful use of the available health apps. This is the conceptual basis of the Manual that will be edited as online publication and contribution to public awareness-raising, and it will serve as a basis for PR2. PR2 Educational platform: The Educational platform will create a simple and attractive interface that combines tools with training contents and gamification strategies to enhance literacy, including a library and materials for adult educators, (workshop curriculum, toolkit for professionals and template for certificates), and policy recommendations for stakeholders at political level. These materials will be developed jointly with citizens, to gain access to the experiences and views of the people concerned and experience and test options for low-threshold learning. After the translation of requirements into technical qualification, the beta version of the platform will be tested and probed in local workshops with representatives of the group of future learners. PR3 Toolkit for professionals and workshop methodology: Although PR2 can be used as an independent outcome, the impacts of the learning platform will increase when embedded in a workshop. Therefore, a toolkit for trainers will be developed. A specific section will deal with needs of different stakeholders to conduct workshops for the target groups. Like the beta version of the platform, PR3 will be tested during local workshops in small national experiments and adapted where necessary. PR4 Recommendations for policy-makers: Lobby groups and associations in health, digital health, data sharing, digital and socio-political fields are elementary to spread knowledge about the existence of this learning opportunity and to foster its implementation. A Green Paper with recommendations on how to enhance the trio of literacies and to facilitate the usage of the platform will sustain the outcomes. Multiplier events at national and European level will also serve to inform relevant stakeholders and provide them with the Paper.Events:Five national multiplier events will involve at least 30 people per country and the International multiplier event in Porto also at least 20 participants. This will amount to at least 170 multiplier event participants in total.TRIO will have five transnational partner meetings to discuss the achieved results and prepare the next working steps as well as for quality management and sharing and promotion. In line with eco-friendly practices, in two of the partner meetings only one person per organization will attend physically and the other one will attend online. Moreover, train trips will be privileged, when the trip duration does not go over one working day. The responsibility for hosting will be shared by five of the six partners. The selection of the locations is also oriented at time and cost-effectiveness of the travel.Horizontal tasks:Project management and coordination at European level and communication with the National Agency will be assumed by the European coordinator who will be supported content-wise by the leaders of the PRs. Sharing and promotion will be led by SHINE and Quality and Risks management led by CETEM with support from ISIS. Sustainability will be a leading task for INESC TEC but strongly endorsed by all partners.<< Results >>Based o the assumption that most citizens are now more open to learn and change their behaviour towards digital health use and data sharing patterns, TRIO aims to design a platform targeted at increasing their literacy on the referred areas, costumised to three main age ranges.TRIO plans for significant contributions to the mission of the Berlin Declaration on Digital Society and Value-based Digital Government, addressing and strengthening digital participation and digital inclusion in our societies. The fact is that this was already a challenge, but the COVID-19 pandemic increased poverty rates and will further grow the wealth gap, which raises obvious worries on the potential exclusion of those more in need of digital services. More than just a wish list, the Declaration brings a set of actionable measures that will be put in place to ensure these extremely important priorities: social participation and digital inclusion, empowerment and digital literacy, trust, and human-centred systems. Fully in line with this context, the project will deliver four main results:• In PR1 (leader AFE), it will develop a Manual, including interviews with experts and citizens to create a concerted approach of the combined literacy needs and gaps on health, digital and data. The aim is to create 3 knowledge blocks for people within the following age ranges – 18-35; 36-50; 51+. • Based on these outcomes, PR2 (leader INESC TEC) will build an interactive learning platform to enhance literacy through gamification techniques. Features and materials will be developed jointly with citizens from the 3 learner groups. The aim is to gain access to the experiences and views of the people concerned and experience and test options for low threshold learning, allowing the learner to move freely in the platform and explore the different contents.• With the Manual and educational platform being established, PR3 (leader ISIS) will develop a toolkit for professionals to accompany the learning platform, containing background knowledge and workshop concepts for the 3 learning blocks, being also a guide for adult educators. It will be tested in small pilot experiments in all countries of the partnership.• Last but not least, in PR4 (leader SHINE) a set of policy recommendations will be addressed to the EU, Member States, relevant organisations and policy makers, with guidelines for action on this innovative concerted approach and further data for using the full training toolkit at scale.From the very beginning, the outreach and impact of the project results are considered important. High quality of the project results is a precondition for successful sharing, promotion and sustainability. During the lifetime of the project, stakeholders at local, regional, national and European level will have been regularly informed in a targeted way by newsletters, leaflets and personal consultations. The broad public is targeted via social media and press publications. At the end of the project, 75 to 100 representatives of the target groups in five countries will have been involved in the development of the curriculum, platform tools and methods, through interviews or workshop attendance. At least 180 stakeholders (policy makers, national and European representatives from health, digital or data related initiatives) will be directly targeted and involved in multiplier events and workshops. As a result of the efforts to raise awareness about the learning platform, it is expected that 200 people will have used the platform during the two months between the multiplier events and the completion of the project.Last but not least, by developing new practices and methods, the TRIO consortium partners along with their local network members will have strengthened their links at European level, introduced their staff to transnational work experiences, and broadened their expertise and range of services by another attractive educational offer.