The Greek government has launched a pilot initiative worth €6.8 million aimed at digitally empowering 3,600 individuals aged over 65 and 2,800 people with disabilities. The program is part of the national ‘Greece 2.0’ recovery plan, funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The initiative was formalized through a joint ministerial decision signed by key government officials including Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Domna Michailidou; Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou; Deputy Minister of Finance, Nikos Papathanasis; and Undersecretary of the Interior, Vasilis Spanakis.
The goal of the program is to familiarize and train older citizens and people with disabilities in new technologies, aiming to reduce digital exclusion and promote independent living. Supportive actions include digital literacy training, psychological support, and counseling designed to overcome technophobia and enhance social integration.
Implementation will take place through 120 Digital Empowerment Hubs across municipalities nationwide for seniors, and 80 hubs within organizations serving people with disabilities. In the coming days, an announcement will be published by the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family inviting interested municipalities and service providers to submit applications via the empower.gov.gr platform to establish these hubs.
Following this, eligible citizens will be invited to apply for participation in the program. Selected participants will attend in-person courses lasting 70 hours for seniors and 80 hours for people with disabilities. Upon completion, educational materials will be uploaded to the National Academy of Digital Skills, managed by GRNET SA, and made available online as asynchronous e-learning resources accessible to the broader public.
This initiative aligns with Greece’s broader Recovery and Resilience Plan under the ‘NextGenerationEU’ framework, implemented by GRNET SA and the Institute of the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases (IN-ESAmEA).