Argos, in partnership with digital skills charity Go ON UK is offering free tablets and training on how to use them.
Earlier this year, a research by Ofcom revealed that more people over 65 are going online and that the most common device they use are tablets. Another research also found that one in five people in the UK do not have enough digital skills to use the internet and 52 per cent of them are over 65.
The workshop aims to educate at least 10,000 adults and will enroll people for a fee of £20 per person. Everyone joining will get a free Proscan 7–inch tablet and a coupon for free TalkTalk broadband for a year.
Store staff with special training will teach participants the basics of using a tablet, how to connect to the internet, surf the internet, use a search engine, set up mail, online security, and more.
Argos Chief Executive of Home Retail Group John Walden said in a statement that while the digital revolution is apace, millions are still in the side-lines and the Argos Internet Workshops are developed to help such people to overcome barriers of knowledge and affordability and give them access to digital technology.
Baroness Lane-Fox, Chair of Go ON UK said that the key barriers for developing digital skills are access, affordability and skills and that Argos’ initiative is “fantastic” and is the right type of program to help people “become more confident with technology”.
The program will begin on October 25 and last till January 2015.
