Digital Skills Training and Older Adults: A Townhall (Knowledge Sharing) Event

Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/11/2025
9:00 am - 1:00 pm

About the Event

The Digital Skills Training and Older Adults Townhall is a free, half-day gathering designed to bring together researchers, community organizations, industry leaders, and policy makers who share an interest in digital literacy for older adults.

Through short talks, breakout discussions, and open conversation, we’ll:

• Explore findings from a new working paper on digital skills and aging.

• Hear insights from leaders across research, technology, and community services.

• Share ideas for future training programs, collaborations, and funding opportunities.

It’s a chance to connect, exchange knowledge, and help shape the future of digital skills training for older adults. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided!

“Digital Skills Training”

“Digital Skills Training” means helping people build the confidence and know-how to use today’s technologies, whether that’s connecting with loved ones online, accessing health and government services, or navigating digital tools for everyday life.

For older adults, these skills are more than just “tech tips.” They’re tied to independence, social connection, and overall well-being. Yet many older adults continue to face barriers to digital inclusion, from affordability and access to training that doesn’t reflect their needs.

That’s why it’s crucial to include older adults in the conversation and share knowledge across the community, research, and industry. By working together, we can design training that is accessible, sustainable, and empowering for all!

Tickets

Tickets to the event are free, but registration is required! The ticket includes full access to all sessions, breakout discussions, and a complimentary light breakfast and lunch. Space is limited, so please reserve early!

Click here to register for the event and get your tickets!

Location

McMaster University – Downtown Toronto Campus
180 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON

The campus is right at the intersection of Bloor Street & Avenue Road, in the heart of downtown Toronto, directly across from the Royal Ontario Museum.

Getting here:

• From Union Station (GO Transit), take the TTC’s Line 1 (Yonge-University) northbound to Museum Station. The campus is just a short walk away.

Hosts

This Townhall is made possible through a collaboration between partners who share a vision of digital inclusion for older adults:

• MIRA | Dixon Hall Centre: Bringing together the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging and Dixon Hall, this centre focuses on reducing loneliness and fostering meaningful community connections for older adults.

• EMPOWrD (Enhancing Mobility and Participation for Older Adult Wellness through Digital Inclusion): A major McMaster research program that aims to improve the mobility and wellness among older Canadians through effective design to bridge divides in access, use, and embracement of technology.

Together, these hosts are committed to sparking conversations, building partnerships, and advancing real-world solutions for digital literacy!

Townhall Guest Speakers:

Alison Howard	Alison Howard, Executive Director of ABC Life Literacy Canada, is a collaborative and strategic not-for-profit leader with deep expertise in the areas of literacy, skills development, and employability at a national level. She fosters partnership building and champions impact measurement to advocate for investment in adult literacy. Ms. Howard has over two decades of experience in the non-profit sector. Formerly, she directed the research and convening agendas for the Education and Skills area of The Conference Board of Canada. Her work has addressed challenges relating to employability, literacy, competencies, credentialing, and school-to-work transitions, as well as business education partnerships, work-integrated learning, and career development. Ms. Howard holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master’s Degree in Management Studies from the University of Guelph.	ABC Life Literacy
Janice Greenberg	Janice supports workshop development at Connected Canadians, delivering both in-person and online sessions that promote digital literacy. In addition to designing educational content, she leads the onboarding and training of new mentors, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver effective technology mentorship. Janice also works with external organizations to train their teams using the Connected Canadians mentorship curriculum, expanding the reach and impact of CC’s model. Previously, she served as Program Director of Early Childhood Education Services at The Hanen Centre, where she developed programs, resources, and workshops to train speech-language pathologists and educators in fostering young children’s language and literacy development.	Connected Canadians
Katina Papulkas	Katina Papulkas is a Senior Education Strategist at Dell Technologies and is committed to serving students across Canada. She works closely with K-12 and Post-Secondary institutions to define the role technology plays in empowering and amplifying learning, and assists in creating student engagement technology strategies. Katina is an experienced educator (20+ years at Toronto DSB) with a background in teaching, online learning, leadership, assessment, and educational technology. During her time at Dell, Katina has started up programs such as Girls Who Game, Soar with MENTOR and Data Dunkers to support underserved learners in an empowering and engaging way. Katina has been at Dell for seven years and enjoys every new challenge and opportunity presented. She continues to be a Women in AI Fellow as part of the EDSAFE AI Alliance. Katina is interested in imagining education as a learning system enabled by AI.	Dell Technologies
Nadia Jamil	Nadia Jamil is the Research and Community Lead with the MIRA | Dixon Hall Centre. Committed to values of community engagement and community-based research, Nadia engages with Dixon Hall’s community in Toronto’s downtown east to promote research, knowledge mobilization, and ensuring the Centre’s work remains community-centred. She has over fifteen years of experience engaging in community-based research with focus on newcomers and refugee resettlement, homelessness, youth, and currently older adults. Nadia has a Masters in Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems from the London School of Economics (UK).	MIRA | Dixon Hall
Lia Tsotsos	Lia Tsotsos is Director, Research and Innovation at Sheridan College. She is responsible for strategic leadership and growth of the Centre for Elder Research (CER), the Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT), and a diverse portfolio of faculty-led research projects across the life and social sciences. She holds a PhD in neuroscience from McMaster University and an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University.	Sheridan Centre for Elder Research
Christopher Bint	Chris Bint, Founder and Chief Education Officer at Tech Coaches, radiates with passion for digital literacy, AI awareness, and technology education. With nearly two decades of experience, Chris has dedicated himself to helping adults master technology-focused skills across various sectors, including non-profit, healthcare, social services, and corporate environments. Throughout his career, from mentoring older adults to guiding professionals, Chris has witnessed the inevitable rise of technology and champions the idea that resistance is futile. He strongly advocates for lifelong learning and continuous upskilling to ensure individuals remain relevant, connected, and comfortable in our ever-evolving tech landscape.	Tech Coaches
André Côté	André (he/him) has worked in a variety of roles at the intersection of policy, higher education and tech. As mission-driven consultant, offering strategic advice, research and other services to a range of clients. As senior advisor to Ontario’s deputy premier and minister of advanced education and skills development, and for digital government services. As chief operating & strategy officer with NEXT Canada, a national non-profit incubator for entrepreneurs and start-ups. As ed tech innovator, developing the Dive: Student Aid digital case learning model with TMU’s Leadership Lab and other partners. And as a director on the Board of eCampus Ontario. He’s published many papers, reports and articles, including in other past roles with IMFG, a cities-focused research institute at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy; and with the Public Policy Forum. André is a graduate of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) program and Queen’s University, and grew up in Ottawa.	The Dais @ TMU
Linda Fawcus	Linda Fawcus is the founder of Gluu Society, a nonprofit dedicated to helping older adults thrive in a digital world. With more than 30 years of experience in the technology sector, Linda has spent the past decade building one of Canada’s most trusted digital literacy programs for older adults—making technology easier to understand, safer to use, and more empowering in everyday life. A BC Business Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneur and former Royal Bank of Canada Young Entrepreneur Board Member, Linda has combined her background in innovation and education to create practical, plain-language resources now used by libraries, nonprofits, and community groups across the country. Her work has been featured in national media, a TEDx Talk, and the TELUS STORYHIVE television series How to Be Unscammable, which she later adapted into an online course and growing library of digital safety resources. Gluu Society also collaborates with researchers at the University of British Columbia to explore how technology can support healthy aging and independent living. Today, Linda’s focus is on helping the first generation grow older with technology at their side—staying curious, adapting to change, and using digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to live safer, connected, and more independent lives.	The Gluu Society
Arushan Arulnamby	Arushan Arulnamby is a Policy Analyst at the National Institute on Ageing. He has co-authored numerous reports on the health, financial and social policies of ageing in Canada. Arushan is recognized for his insights on policy research, having delivered presentations, participated in advocacy work and given interviews to media outlets across the country. He holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Toronto, with a double specialization in ageing and global health.	TMU National Institute on Ageing
Nan Davies	Nan Davies (they/them) is the Manager of Learning and Community Engagement at Toronto Public Library. Since beginning their library career in 2000, they have worked at all levels of TPL and various areas of expertise. Prior to their current role, they coordinated 2SLGBTQ+ services for TPL, as well as working in collection development and performance management and evaluation. Their current portfolio focuses on user education, eLearning, and community partnerships and outreach. Together with their talented team they lead innovative projects around digital literacy, workforce development, democratic engagement, and social connection, including TPL’s Community Librarian service and citywide initiatives like Know Your Vote.	Toronto Public Library

Contact

Have questions about the event? We’d love to hear from you.

• Event Logistics & Registration: Dr. Irina Ghilic – ghilicai@mcmaster.ca 

• Event Content & Collaboration: Dr. Brian Detlor – detlorb@mcmaster.ca

Land Acknowledgement

As settlers on this land, the organizing team has an essential responsibility to acknowledge the grounds on which we are privileged to work in the pursuit of education. We are joining you from the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Mississauga, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek, and Adiwonderonk peoples.

As we learn about the traditional territories upon which we reside, let’s ask ourselves: how might we support indigenous communities? We can start by reviewing the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada for ways in which we all are called to reconciliation.

Please visit the Native Land Digital Map to learn about the traditional territories upon which you reside.