CARP FORMS TECH CONSORTIUM VIRTUAL NETWORK TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING TO BENEFIT SENIORS AND CANADA

TORONTO, Aug. 5, 2022 /CNW/ - CARP, Canada's largest and most influential association fighting for the needs and rights of Canadians as we age, is excited to announce an innovative new program of virtual collaboration, virtual communities, and virtual learning, designed to leverage technology to empower seniors.

The CARP SENIOR-TECH VIRTUAL NETWORK will consist of three major programming streams:

• Tech Literacy ? to increase seniors' digital skills and knowledge, with additional focused programming for indigenous populations and isolated communities
• Tech for Health and Daily Living ? to provide access to secure self-help, professional help, telehealth, clinical trials and other health-related and age-in-place digital knowledge and services
• Tech Talent ? to build on the qualifications, experience, and work ethic of Canadian seniors to up-skill and adjacent-skill them for post-retirement careers in technology, healthcare, and finance.

"This can truly be a breakthrough program for older Canadians," said Bill VanGorder, CARP's Chief Operating Officer. "It's a myth that seniors can't deal with technology. We're already heavy users and eager to improve our skills. But CARP is now going beyond that ? we know seniors are an untapped resource for the technology industry and the job market, and with our Virtual Network Collaboration Partners, we're building a package of life-long learning and age-in-place innovations and breaking down barriers for a more diverse and qualified multi-generational remote workforce."

As partners in the development of this program, CARP has secured a coalition of leaders in the spheres of technology, online learning, and community infrastructure and support. Our three-person program steering committee consists of:

• Teri Marlene Prince, President and CEO of Terida, the innovative, award-winning international IT solutions organization whose CLASsofttm RegTech Platform serves as the secure front-end credentialling, communications and workflow engine for the project's Virtual Networks.
• Anna Forgione, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at D2L, a global learning technology company, which will deliver the CARP training through its learning innovation platform, Brightspace.  
• Stephen J. Augustine, Hereditary Chief of the Mi'Kmaq Grand Council, and (Retired) Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Affairs at Unama'ki College, Cape Breton University, who will lead the project's Indigenous communities' collaboration network.

"At D2L, we are committed to accessibility in learning ? and to deliver a learning experience that meets the needs of all people, regardless of age or ability," said Anna Forgione. "We are thrilled to join the Tech Consortium Virtual Networks to help drive technology literacy and empower seniors through our learning innovation platform, Brightspace."

With the Terida robust CLASsofttm RegTech Platform, and its interconnections to D2L's secure learning innovation platform and to Terida's partner Syngrafii for iinked Signtm eSigning, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Canada as the infrastructure-as-a-service provider for the Tech Consortium Virtual Networks, CARP has the technologies, and technology leadership and support, as well as advisors, trainers, mentors, and potential employers from day one.

"CARP is the ideal catalyst for this initiative," said Teri Prince. "They have credibility with Canada's senior population, and the vision and reach to recruit participants. We are honoured to lead the CARP Tech Consortium Virtual Network and look forward to making this happen."

Join us in August for the CARP Tech Consortium Virtual Network inaugural program "From Cards to Cloud, CARP Conversations with Canadian Seniors in IT and Cyber".

Virtual Network registration rollout to Canadian seniors and participating organizations and corporations is scheduled to begin in the Fall of 2022.

CARP has submitted an application for project funding to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Jobs and Growth Fund.

SOURCE CARP