FOR SENIORS’ ORGANIZATIONS

Digital Skills Grants

We believe every senior deserves digital empowerment. To make that happen we created Gluu Essentials—classroom-tested courses that help students get the most out of their device, understand how to stay safe online, and learn to use the apps that keep them connected.

Gluu Essentials is a free learning program that makes it easy for volunteers to share their digital skills knowledge and helps Canadian seniors learn the digital skills they need.

Details are below or use these Quick Links:

Printed Materials meet Online Courses. Now let's make these digital skills stick.

Seniors learn digital skills more effectively when they have our printed materials to guide them. We have mirrored this content in our online courses giving them two fantastic tools to repeat lessons as needed and learn at their own pace. Add volunteer-supported learning experiences into the mix, and you have a winning formula for helping seniors master the essentials.

Complete Digital Skills Courses

People learn digital skills in different ways. But consistency is key to creating compelling learning moments whenever they happen. Gluu Essentials supports different approaches for seniors to learn essential digital skills—printed materials, online classes, and volunteer-led sessions. All lessons are mirrored across all of our learning resources. This means Online Classes and volunteer-led sessions discuss the same lessons students see in their Student Workbooks. Easy peasy.

This cohesive experience makes it more manageable for volunteers to teach essential digital skills and simpler for seniors to repeat lessons where needed or learn at their own pace.

All Gluu Essentials Online Courses are free. Student Workbooks are free for registered Seniors’ Organizations while supplies last.

Starting in early 2022, we will be offering the following Gluu Essentials Courses and accompanying Student Workbooks:

50+ lessons to learn the essentials

Here is the overview of topics covered in Gluu Essentials:

Device use and care
Search and browse securely
Setting up and managing online accounts
Digital security tips to stay safe online
Manage passwords easily
Email basics and how to control Junk mail
Get started with apps
How to use Zoom
Facebook basics

Gluu Essentials in Print

Our Student Workbooks mirror the content in our Online Courses and in the Lesson Plans used for volunteer-led sessions.

Seniors can only get a copy of a Student Workbook through a registered Seniors’ Organization. We are not able to ship directly to seniors.

Over 100 pages
Coil bound so they lay flat
Written in plain English
Helpful articles
Full-colour screenshots, and detailed step-by-step instructions
Designed with big fonts for easy reading
Lots of space to take notes
Gluu Glossary makes sense of any jargon that creeps in

Gluu Essentials Online

Gluu founder Linda Fawcus hosts Gluu Essentials Online courses. Students are expertly guided through easily digestible video lessons with step-by-step instructions that cover the essential digital skills.

Using Gluu Essentials Online, seniors learn independently, at their own pace. There are no classes to attend and no schedule to follow. Courses are accessed on-demand anytime from any device with an internet connection. This makes it easy to repeat lessons when needed. As questions arise, seniors can submit them to our Ask Gluu help desk. We answer those questions that benefit our whole community. Sadly, we are not funded to offer personal tech support help.

All students are invited to Technology Tuesday Live Events. During these interactive, live classes, students can ask questions and dive into new topics. Our Live Events are a great way to climb the learning curve and get to know the Gluu community.

Easily digestible video lessons with step-by-step instructions
No classes to attend and no schedule to follow
On-demand from any device with an internet connection
Easy to repeat lessons when needed
Ask Gluu help desk answers popular questions
Invitations to Technology Tuesday Live Events
Become part of the Gluu online community

Our resources make it easy for volunteers to create engaging in-person & remote learning experiences

We know it’s challenging to find volunteers willing to teach digital skills. We can help by providing your volunteers with detailed lesson plans, training, and support. They don’t need to be an expert. If they can use a smartphone, the skills they have are enough. In as little as four hours per month, they can make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors trying to gain confidence online.

Volunteers across the country use our teaching resources to inspire seniors embarking on their digital skills learning journey. Support from the Gluu Crew makes it easier than ever for volunteers to share their digital skills knowledge—and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

Get in touch to learn more about how we can help you recruit and support volunteers in your community.

Teach & Learn in Different Ways

There are many ways to help your seniors learn digital skills. From In-Person Large Group Classes to Self-Paced Online Learning, we have the resources to help you, your volunteers, and seniors. Check out this table for more details about each learning style.

FAQs

Below are explanations for each row of the table above. If you need additional information or guidance, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Join our growing network of Seniors' Organizations

Thanks in part to funding from the Government of Canada, we are able to support Canadian seniors’ organizations and the volunteers who want to help seniors in their community gain basic digital skills.

Get started by registering your organization today.

What seniors' organziations are saying about Gluu

I most truly appreciate all that Gluu Society has been doing towards the digital empowerment of our seniors here in Canada.

I have registered our organization, and am looking forward to using your incredible resources to enhance our programs for seniors!!

We're going to plaster the Free Gluu Membership all over our social media, because we think you do awesome work!

We are huge fans of this incredible organization that offers classes and training to Canadian seniors for FREE!

Share Gluu

Gluu is on a mission to help Canadian seniors become the most digitally literate in the world—one tap at a time.

Linda Fawcus

FOUNDER / CEO