Case study: Vodafone Foundation in Ireland - Hi Digital

Overview

Hi Digital is Vodafone Foundation in Ireland’s national digital skills programme designed to empower older people (65+) with the confidence, competence and support they need to participate fully in an increasingly digital society.

Launched in 2021 with an initial €2 million, five‑year philanthropic investment, the programme is delivered in partnership with ALONE, Irish Girl Guides, Vision Ireland, Friends of the Elderly, SVP, and numerous libraries and community organisations nationwide.

Hi Digital provides:

a free national e‑learning platform (HiDigital.ie) featuring bite‑sized lessons on smartphone basics, online safety, email setup, photo management, public transport apps, frauds, scams and more
in‑person digital skills classes and one‑to‑one supports, meeting older adults where they already feel safe and comfortable
a growing network of Digital Champions, including 800+ trained Irish Girl Guides, providing peer learning and intergenerational support
Hi Digital Drop‑in Fridays in Vodafone stores, offering free face‑to‑face support weekly

Hi Digital is now active across six Vodafone markets in Europe, reaching more than 830,000 older people since launch and positioning Ireland as a flagship partner within Vodafone’s European digital inclusion strategy.

The challenge

Ireland faces a persistent and widening digital divide among older adults, with 34% of those aged 75+ not using the internet at all, according to the latest figures from the CSO.

As essential services—banking, health, taxation, and transport—move online, older adults risk exclusion and reduced independence. Many report anxiety, embarrassment, or fear around using technology.

The challenge was clear: a national, community‑based, confidence‑building approach was required—one that combined accessible learning, trusted partners, personalised support, and a non‑judgemental environment.

The solution

Vodafone Foundation created Hi Digital to address these barriers through a scalable, partnership‑driven model combining technology, philanthropy, and community outreach.

Developed in partnership with ALONE, the mission of Hi Digital is to give everyone free access to the essential tools needed to become digitally independent. Increasing levels of digital literacy can have a positive impact on practical life and mental health. It leads to more opportunities to connect with essential services and engage socially with friends and family.

Content focuses on practical, everyday digital skills such as:

using your smartphone – learn about your smartphone from the basics of calling and texting to downloading and using apps
connecting with others – learn how to use email and social media to stay in touch with loved ones
entertainment and shopping – discover how the internet can help you with your daily life, from staying informed to shopping and paying bills online
hobbies and travel – learn how to research interests and book a holiday or trip
identifying scams and frauds – become more aware of how frauds and scams work, so you can get the most out of all the good things that the internet offers while staying safe online
online banking – get an introduction to online banking and learn how to use it safely and conveniently

Hi Digital is delivered through a blended training model designed to meet older people at different starting points and levels of confidence.

Online: training is available online through the free HiDigital.ie e‑learning platform, allowing participants to build skills at their own pace and revisit lessons as needed.
In-person: for those who prefer face‑to‑face support, in‑person training is delivered nationwide through trusted community partners such as ALONE and Irish Girl Guides, as well as in libraries and local community settings. In addition, Hi Digital is offered through weekly Drop‑in Fridays at participating Vodafone stores, providing informal, practical help in accessible retail locations.

Together, these complementary delivery channels ensure that older people can access digital skills training in a way that suits their needs, preferences and confidence levels, helping to maximise reach and impact.

Online learning through HiDigital.ie

The Hi Digital e‑learning platform, HiDigital.ie, is a central component of the programme’s delivery model, providing free, accessible digital skills training that older people can engage with at their own pace. Developed specifically with older adults in mind, the platform uses clear language, simple navigation and short, bite‑sized video lessons to reduce intimidation and support gradual confidence‑building.

To date, 40,000+ adults have completed training on the platform, with 10,000+ active users in 2025 alone.

Results from the Hi Digital on‑platform feedback tool found that 98% of respondents report improved confidence.

Local, in‑person learning

Local, in‑person learning is a core pillar of the Hi Digital programme, recognising that many older people benefit most from face‑to‑face support delivered in familiar, trusted environments.

Hi Digital works closely with established community partners such as ALONE and Vision Ireland, alongside local libraries and community venues, to deliver digital skills training tailored to the needs of older adults. These partners bring deep local knowledge and long‑standing relationships with participants, helping to reduce anxiety and build trust among those who may feel apprehensive about technology.

Training focuses on practical, everyday digital skills that support independence and wellbeing, and sessions are typically delivered on a small‑group or one‑to‑one basis, allowing tutors to adapt the pace and content to individual confidence levels.

Hi Digital also works closely with local libraries, which play a vital role as accessible, neutral and community‑based learning spaces. A growing tablet loan scheme across 30 libraries further enhances this model, enabling participants to practice skills at home between sessions and reinforcing learning over time.

This locally rooted, in‑person approach provides the foundation for Hi Digital’s wider intergenerational learning model, including the Irish Girl Guides Digital Champions initiative, which builds on the same principles of trust, patience and community‑based support.

Over 800 Girl Guides have been trained as Digital Champions, equipping them with the skills and confidence to support older people in their own communities with everyday digital tasks.

These Digital Champions deliver patient, one‑to‑one or small‑group support in familiar, local settings, helping older adults build confidence in a non‑judgemental environment. The model not only improves digital skills among older people but also fosters meaningful intergenerational connections and challenges stereotypes around age and technology.

The impact and quality of this approach were recognised nationally when the Irish Girl Guides’ Hi Digital work won Best Media Literacy Initiative for Older People at the 2025 Media Literacy Ireland Awards.

Over 10,000 people received in‑person support in 2025.

Drop‑in Fridays in Vodafone stores

To further lower barriers to participation, Hi Digital is also delivered through weekly 'Drop‑in Fridays' in participating Vodafone stores nationwide. Every Friday between 10am and 1pm, older people are invited to drop into their local participating store for free, informal, face‑to‑face digital support, without the need for appointments or prior registration. These sessions focus on practical help such as using smartphones, troubleshooting common issues, and learning new digital skills in a welcoming, accessible retail environment.

More than 10,000 people have attended Hi Digital Drop‑in Fridays to date - helping older adults troubleshoot devices, learn new skills, and build confidence.

The Hi Digital Fund

To further scale community‑based digital inclusion, Vodafone Foundation Ireland recently launched the Hi Digital Fund, a €540,000 fund delivered in partnership with Rethink Ireland and supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Dormant Accounts Fund.

Following a competitive application process, five community organisations were selected to receive funding, each delivering locally‑rooted initiatives to improve digital skills among older people.

The funded projects include Roscommon Leader Partnership, Kerry Community Youth Service, University of Limerick Foundation, Rehab Group, and South Leinster Citizens Information Service, all of which are focused on reaching older adults who may be digitally excluded due to rural isolation, limited access to services, or low confidence with technology.

Collectively, these initiatives support innovative, face‑to‑face and intergenerational approaches to digital learning, complementing the core Hi Digital programme and strengthening the national ecosystem of supports available to older people across Ireland.

Conclusion

Hi Digital is delivering measurable impact at national scale and directly supports the ambitions and objectives of the Department’s Charter for Digital Inclusion and the broader digital transformation agenda.

The programme demonstrates that:

confidence is the primary barrier for many older adults
trusted, local partnerships dramatically increase uptake
intergenerational support is a powerful catalyst for long‑term digital engagement
a blended model—online learning + local supports + national coordination—delivers scalable, sustainable impact

By helping older people develop the digital skills and confidence they need, Hi Digital strengthens social inclusion, improves independence, reduces isolation, and ensures that no one is left behind in Ireland’s digital transition.

Participant stories

Two recent participant stories — Mary in Leopardstown and Eithne in rural Cork — highlight the programme’s powerful, personal impact.

Mary: Finding confidence in familiar surroundings

For Mary, past negative experiences with digital support left her anxious about using technology. Years earlier, an untrained volunteer accidentally wiped her husband’s hard drive, shaking her confidence and leaving her reluctant to seek help again.

Hi Digital changed that. By offering one‑to‑one guidance in her local Leopardstown Golf Club — a place she already felt comfortable — Mary received expert, personalised support from trained Vodafone Digital Champions. She described the experience as professional, reassuring, and tailored to her specific needs.

Today, Mary has rebuilt her confidence, proving that when learning is delivered in a trusted place by trained volunteers, older adults are far more willing to re‑engage with technology.

Eithne: Staying connected In rural Ireland

Living in rural Cork, Eithne regularly travels long distances by bus to attend Hi Digital sessions at Cork City Library. For her, these visits are more than digital training — they are a vital source of connection after a period of injury and isolation.

Through Hi Digital, she has learned practical digital skills that make everyday life easier: from booking theatre and cinema tickets, to checking public transport options, to streaming opera and theatre at home. She says the library sessions have helped her “feel better and more connected”, giving her both independence and community.

A model that meets older adults where they are

Mary and Eithne’s experiences show how Hi Digital’s approach — friendly, local, personalised and grounded in partnerships - creates meaningful, lasting change.