About Spring Online
The internet is now an integral part of everyday life. However, over eight million people, many of whom are aged over 50, continue to be excluded from large parts of daily life because they have no access to a computer and are not online.
Silver Surfers’ Day was started in 2002 by Digital Unite, one of the UK’s main providers of digital skills learning.  The aim was to introduce older people to the world of technology at a local level by encouraging and supporting outlets such as libraries, community centres, schools and sheltered housing schemes to open their doors and hold taster sessions.
Since it was launched 10 years ago Silver Surfers’ Day has helped more than 150,000 older people to engage with computers and the internet. To enable even more people to get involved, last year we extended the campaign to a week – and called it Spring Online. In its first year, Spring Online helped 50,000 older people get online at 2,500 events around the country. The Spring Online Best Event Awards were hosted by the Right Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP and the campaign was honoured with the prestigious Nominet Internet Award 2011, for Building a Networked Nation.
Spring Online 2012 will take place from 23-27 April.
Digital Unite is an independent organisation that works with everyone from learners and trainers to public businesses and private enterprises to promote digital skills to learners of all ages. We are passionate about the way digital technology and learning has the potential to transform lives, organisations and wider society.
We offer:
- A network of quality assured tutors
- Learning resources for teachers, students and beginners at the Learning Zone
- Community learning programmes for residents and staff in sheltered housing schemes
- The annual Spring Online campaign
- And this year we’ll be launching our new Academy which will offer accredited training to people who wish to develop in-depth, formal digital championing skills.
