The best way to connect with older people using an online platform

A Cocoriko platform can help you achieve your goals for community collaboration on your policy and/or action plan. Here are some things to consider.

Technological skills of seniors

Seniors under 70 are often comfortable enough to participate online, if you provide appropriate guidance. 

For example, offer a good step-by-step explanation of the account creation and participation process on your corporate website.

Promotion to seniors

It is important to reach people where they are. They rarely visit social media! Think carefully about how to reach them specifically so that they are well represented in your participatory process. For example:

• Explore collaboration with retirement homes in your community to identify the best ways to reach residents.
• Put up posters in places that seniors frequent during their community activities and outings (community center, municipal parks, sports clubs, etc.).
• Publish in the community newspaper or local newspaper.

Pairing your platform with in-person meetings

The consultation can be paired with a few in-person roundtables to collect ideas from people who are likely to be less connected and to populate the platform with proposals from the community. 

This is not about collecting participation from people on the online platform since each person must create their own account to express their opinion and post comments. Rather, it is about facilitating a discussion on the same themes as the online platform and collecting ideas for proposals. You then create new proposals based on your discussions with the participants.

You can consult the example of the Municipality of Saint-Adolphe d'Howard. The proposals with the character logo are the result of round table discussions with the community. Click here (in French). 

Tip

While people are on site for a roundtable discussion, you can take the time to introduce them to the Cocoriko platform and help them create an account. They might be curious to express their opinion after the meeting! And they will tell their friends about it.

If you have any question

The Government of Quebec also provides a guide (in French) to municipalities undertaking an Age-Friendly Municipality initiative.