The project “Digital Skills for People Living in the 3rd Age - Effective Digital Access to Public Services” aims at training elderly people on developing specific digital skills needed to access public services online, and thus to better adapt to digital-oriented changing world and to feel confident using online tools to manage and improve their health and life quality.According to Eurostat, by 2060 one in three Europeans will be over 65 years old. On those basis, the need to invest in lifelong learning and digital education is a top priority for European societies. Although we live in an increasingly online world, a significant part of the population remains digitally excluded. 53% of the older population in the EU has never used the Internet (Eurostat) and many more are missing out on the opportunities the digital world offers. Internet helps us making our lives easier: people communicate and purchase throughout the web; services are increasingly designed as digital by default and soon medical care will be delivered over the web. More than ever before, services, including public services and business transactions, are moving online. The need for public services is particularly strong amongst the older population but only 23% access them online (Eurostat). There is a need everyone to be able to use these digital services so they can reap the financial, health and social benefits they offer.For those lacking basic digital capability, the reasons for this exclusion are often complex. The Policy paper of UK Government “Digital skills and inclusion”, published on 1 March 2017 defines the key barriers affecting individuals: • access: the ability to connect to the internet and go online • skills: the ability to use the internet and online services • confidence: a fear of crime, lack of trust or not knowing where to start online • motivation: understanding why using the internet is relevant and helpfulThe project provides tailored solution for overcoming the barriers by: • giving elder people the digital skills that they need; • applying confidence building approach by developing virtual assistance based on older people’s real life scenarios; • using interactivity as part of the learning process in meaningful ways to provide opportunities to “learn through doing” and in doing so promote understanding and motivation • providing skills to access public services online, which for elders means to keep up-to-date personal competences and transversal skills, leading to a significant step towards active ageing.The project activities include:- Identifying the relevant to the target group public services provided digitally - governmental, regional, municipal, and within a community, and developing their “road maps”- Research to identify the specific themes of digital literacy, obstacles to efficiently access and use public services - Delivery of training program for improving basic digital skills and developing specific skills for digital access to public services- Development of Virtual assistance tool for digital inclusion- Development of e-learning and e-assistance platform - Pilot testing and validation of the training prgram and platform- Delivery of policy recommendations for improving active ageing and digital literacy of elders- Organisation of Triggering Word of mouth events to present the results of the project and favour exploitation at local, national and European level. The main project results (both during the project lifetime and after its end) are the following:- Improved ability of people living in the 3rd age of effective digital access to public services;- Increased digital literacy of elders;- A step forward active ageing: by obtaining digital skills senior citizens can feel a better accomplishment and personal satisfaction into their lives leading to a more active and healthier 3rd age;- Mapped public services provided digitally in 5 European countries; - Developed and tested training program and e-learning and e-assistance tools tailored to provide the specific skills and support needed to digitally access the public services- Effective methodology for high-quality work with elder people in 5 European countries and beyond by applying confidence-building approach and using interactivity;- Knowledge and experience gained by partner organisations in the field of transnational cooperation, project management, innovative practices to inclusion of elder people; - Exchange of good practices and lessons learned on active ageing and social inclusion within and across nations.Digital Access outcomes will be designed and available as free on line resources so that, in practical terms, they are open for use at any level - local, regional, national, European and international, which is prerequisite for sustainability.