Telenor and the Norwegian Red Cross join forces on the issue of digital inclusion

(Oslo, 18 June 2015) When the Norwegian Red Cross and Telenor Norway recently launched their partnership offering tablet and mobile training courses, State Secretary Astrid Nøkleby Heiberg (76 years old) got the ball rolling by using a selfie-stick for the first time ever. 'Courses like this give us older people the opportunity to master these gadgets,' she says.

During the course of 2015, Telenor Norway and the Norwegian Red Cross will offer 50 mini-courses about mobiles and tablets free of charge in Oslo and Akershus. Telenor will provide presentations and course instructors, while the Norwegian Red Cross will provide a group of talented and patient helpers. The goal is to increase digital expertise amongst the population and contribute to increased social inclusion.

Sent her first photo
When the first course was run at the home of the Red Cross, 76 year old former State Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Care Services, and former president of both the Norwegian and International Red Cross, Astrid Nøkleby Heiberg participated.

'I actually just managed to send my first photo by email. It's pretty stupid that us old folks don't try things at least once. We should make the most of the opportunities we are given to get online and learn to master these gadgets. From 2017 all public services will be online, by which time we have to be ready to start using it,' she says.

Not just for the elderly
It's not just the elderly who are the target audience for the courses. They are open to people of all ages, they are always free and all participants may borrow a tablet. Volunteers from Telenor the Norwegian Red Cross provide both knowledge and plenty of patience.

'It's important for us to let everyone have a taste of what a more digital day-to-day life might involve in terms of joy and opportunity. That's why we invite participants to try out Instagram using the hashtag #erloggapå [#amloggedon]. It may be that many need to log on, even in the broader sense, to grasp the social opportunities that life online provides,' says Ana Brodtkorb, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Telenor Norway.

The Norwegian Red Cross and Telenor are also examining the opportunities to tailor courses for groups who may need extra help to get online, such as immigrants.

'Inclusion is important if we're to have a more welcoming society, especially for those who risk ending up out in the cold. When everyone is talking about Facebook, Instagram and smart apps, you can very quickly fall out of sync when you don't know how to use a smartphone or tablet. That's why we're presenting this low threshold offer to those who want to get online,' says Ulf Rikter Svendsen, Department Head for Social Inclusion and Diversity at the Norwegian Red Cross.

Want to get 500,000 new users online
The 50 courses are part of Telenor's three-year investment in getting more people online. Figures from Difi show that as many as one million Norwegians have low digital skills. Telenor finds that many customers do not take advantage of the opportunities provided by the technology found in devices such as smartphones and tablets. This is why the company has set itself the goal of organising 500 free mini-courses during 2015 and boosting the number of digital citizens by 500,000 during 2017.

'Norway is one of the world's most digitised societies, and the Internet provides many opportunities. At the same time, there are an increasing number of services that require us to be online and to have the knowledge and skills to use them. We see it as an important part of our social responsibility to facilitate a digital future for as many people as possible. Together with the Norwegian Red Cross, we can improve digital skills for those people who possibly need it the most,' says Ana Brodtkorb.

Facts
• One million Norwegians have low levels of digital competency (Difi, 2014).
• In encounters with the public sector, 60 per cent of Norwegians over 55 years old prefer contact in person or by phone, while 35 per cent prefer digital solutions (Norstat on behalf of Telenor, May 2015).
• 75 per cent of Telenor Norway's customers have a smartphone, but many do not use the opportunities provided by their phones.
• Telenor will hold 500 mini-courses on mobiles and tablets during the course of 2015.
• 50 of these will be held in partnership with the Norwegian Red Cross. Telenor's ambition is that the courses will bring 500,000 more Norwegians online during the course of 2017. Find a course near you by visiting telenor.no/minikurs

For further information, please contact:
Ana Brodtkorb, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Telenor Norway
Mobile: 902 09 832, email: ana.brodtkorb@telenor.com