Building Digital Skills Grant

Helps organisations deliver free Be Connected digital literacy programs to older Australians in their community.

The Good Things network is made up of community partners from around Australia helping to make a difference in the lives of digitally excluded people. There are 4,000 members of the network across Australia, including libraries, Men's Sheds, community centres, retirement villages, computer clubs tand cultural groups. It is free to join.

Be Connected is an initiative that aims to provide a family and community centred approach to supporting, coaching and teaching older Australians aged over 50 years to improve their skills and confidence in using digital technology.

Building Digital Skills Grants support people aged over 50 in Australia to gain basic digital skills and confidence through free face-to-face contact, either one-on-one or in small groups, utilising the learning courses available on the Be Connected Learning site.

Organisations who would like to apply for a Building Digital Skills grant must:
- Be a registered Network Partner within the Be Connected Network
- Have premises that are well frequented by people aged over 50 in Australia
- Premises are accessible to people aged over 50 (e.g. ramps, lifts, air conditioning, heating, sufficient space, lighting, etc.) and have appropriate facilities (e.g. toilets, seating)
- Provide an ABN number (if applying for a $5,200 grant or greater)
- Have public liability insurance
- Have acquitted previous grant/s awarded by Good Things Foundation.

The funding can be spent on activities that can be justified as supporting people aged over 50 in Australia to gain basic digital skills and confidence such as:
- New devices including computers, laptops, tablets
- Upgrading software for devices
- Internet fees
- Digital mentor expenses, including training to be a digital mentor
- Printing of learning materials for older Australian learners
- Police checks for all staff and mentors involved in delivering the Be Connected project
- Marketing/promotional costs.

There are 6 different contract sizes available to apply for, depending on the number of older Australians supported to gain digital literacy skills: $3,000, $5,200, $10,500 and $20,500.

Network Partners applying for their first Be Connected Building Digital Skills grant can only apply for a $3,000 grant in the first instance.

Specialist contracts are available to Network Partners who are specifically targeting very hard to reach Older Australians, such as:
- Those in remote and outer regional areas
- Supporting older people with significant barriers to learning, such as: Older people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians, or Older Australians from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community.

Helps organisations deliver free Be Connected digital literacy programs to older Australians in their community.