The Regional Secretariats for Social Solidarity and the Sea, Science and Technology signed today a protocol for the transfer of ITC Spaces (Information and Communication Technologies) to be used by three hundred elderly citizens on the west coast of Terceira.

Andreia Cardoso stressed that "learning to use a computer has advantages in terms of prevention, rehabilitation and empowerment," pointing out the numerous contributions provided by Information and Communication Technologies in improving the quality of life of this age group.

"The elderly feel more enriched, informed, and young. They also have the possibility to contact with other people as well as to know what is happening in their society," stressed the Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity at the signing ceremony.

With this protocol, the elderly the west coast of Terceira will have the opportunity to attend training and occupational modules to be developed in the area of ICT. It aims to promote active ageing, tackle info-exclusion and social isolation, as well as to the raise the awareness of institutions with social responses for people over 60 years for the benefits of the use of information technologies.

The Regional Secretariat for the Sea, Science and Technology will subsidise the programme in the amount of eight thousand Euros, as agreed in the protocol, and will provide a specialised teacher that taught the training contents of the programme.

In his speech at the ceremony, Fausto Brito e Abreu stressed that the Regional Government has awarded priority status to the universal access to new information technologies by all citizens.  Now, it will ensure the increase of support to "some groups of citizens with difficulties or specific needs in the access to these technologies or groups that would greatly benefit, in terms of their quality of life, with the use of these technologies."

The Regional Secretary for Science and Technology stressed that the protocol aims to overcome not only the difficulties in the access to equipment, but, above all, the obstacles the elderly often face when using these technologies.

The protocol signed today begins a pilot experiment, whose results will be followed over the next year. Both Regional Secretariats expect to extend ICT Spaces to more Social Centres in the Azores.