AI for All:Empowering Seniors
Learn AI. Build confidence. Stay in control.
Imagine being told the world has changed, but no one stops to show you how. For many older adults, AI is not a tool yet. It is a source of anxiety. And that is not their fault.
This July, ORAH is delivering AI for All: Empowering Seniors in Ottawa: a six-week community program helping adults build confidence with AI in a practical, supportive, and fully accessible environment.
No tech background required. Just curiosity and conversation.
Community-Led AI Literacy in Ottawa
Funded by the Government of Canada 🇨🇦
Background
About the Programme
AI for All: Empowering Seniors is a funded community initiative led by the Ottawa Responsible AI Hub (ORAH). The program delivers a six-session AI literacy workshop series for adults, using an intergenerational co-facilitation model in which trained Youth Partners support seniors through hands-on, personalized learning.
It operates as a pilot (Cohort 1) from July to August 2026, with documentation and evaluation designed to inform a potential Year 2 national scale-up.
Digital inclusion is no longer only about internet access. It is about helping people feel confident participating in a world that is changing fast. That is exactly what this program is built to do.
Why This Programme Matters
Seniors are among the fastest-growing demographic groups in Canada and among the most underserved when it comes to AI education.
AI-enabled scams, misinformation, and fraud disproportionately affect older adults who have not had access to practical digital literacy support.
Many seniors are being asked to engage with AI-assisted healthcare portals, government services, and communication tools without any preparation.
This program is designed to close that gap, one community and one conversation at a time.
Funded by the Government of Canada 🇨🇦, New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP)Curriculum
What to Expect
Across five sessions running July 16 to August 14, you will explore AI and its role in everyday life: from staying safe online to how AI is used in healthcare, communication, and daily routines. Every session is welcoming, practical, and paced for participants with no prior technology experience.
What is AI?
An accessible, plain-language introduction to artificial intelligence, covering what it is, how it works, and where participants already encounter it in their daily lives.
- Icebreaker: "AI in my day?" Share a technology you used this week
- Plain-language overview: what AI is and isn't, with everyday examples
- Paired activity with your Youth Volunteer: spot AI in your home
- Group discussion and pre-programme confidence survey
Staying Safe with AI
Practical guidance on protecting yourself online: recognising scams, understanding deepfakes, and knowing how your personal information is used by AI-powered tools.
- Real-world scenarios: AI phone scams and fake voice messages
- Hands-on privacy settings walk-through with your Youth Volunteer
- Safe habits: no personal data in AI chats, verify before you trust
- Take-home laminated "AI Safety Tips" card
AI for Everyday Life & Health
Explore AI in daily activities and learn how it is used in healthcare and wellness. Understand what to watch for and how to make informed decisions on your own terms.
- Try an everyday AI tool (maps, voice assistant, weather app) with support
- AI for health: medication reminders, symptom checkers, and telehealth
- Discussion: "Would you trust AI with your health?"
- Key message: AI supports your health. It does not replace your doctor
AI for Staying Connected
Discover how AI-powered tools can help you stay in touch with family, friends, and your community, safely and with confidence.
- Video calls, translation tools, and AI writing assistants
- Hands-on: draft a message to a friend or family member using AI
- Discussion: can AI help reduce loneliness? What does it miss?
- Preview of the closing celebration session
Inter-Generational AI Literacy Workshop
A hands-on practice session, an intergenerational panel discussion, and a closing celebration. You leave with tools, confidence, and a community to keep exploring.
- Open Lab: explore any AI tool you've discovered, at your own pace
- Community Showcase: pairs share their highlights from the programme
- Intergenerational Panel: "AI, Work, and Us", moderated by Ugo Okoye
- Youth Volunteer recognition and programme closing by Somto Mbelu
Sessions 1–4 run weekly on Thursdays · 2 hours each · Sessions 1–4 at RRCRC · Closing celebration on Friday, August 14
Facilitators
Meet the Team
Our sessions are led by experienced AI educators and supported by trained Youth Partners who bring both knowledge and energy to every workshop. Every facilitator is committed to making AI education accessible, welcoming, and grounded in responsible AI principles.
Lead Facilitator
To be confirmed
Our lead facilitator brings expertise in AI education and community engagement. Details will be shared once confirmed.
Programme Lead
To be confirmed
Details will be shared once confirmed.
Closing Panel Moderator · Session 5
To be confirmed
Details will be shared once confirmed.
Youth Partners
Each workshop session is co-facilitated by trained Youth Partners: young people who bring technical knowledge, patience, and a genuine enthusiasm for helping older adults feel at ease with new technology. Youth Partners provide one-on-one support throughout every session, creating an intergenerational learning environment built on mutual respect.
Become a Youth PartnerReady to join us?
Registration is open for adults in Ottawa. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot today.
Know a young person who wants to make a difference?
We are looking for enthusiastic high school and university students to join our team as Youth Partner volunteers. No prior tech experience needed. Just bring curiosity and a willingness to learn alongside our participants.
“Digital inclusion is no longer only about internet access. It is about helping people feel confident participating in a world that is changing fast. That is exactly what this program is built to do.”