In 2023, more than 2,400 people over the age of 60 received training, at no cost to them, in nearly 200 ‘Conectando mayores’ workshops held in rural and urban areas across 14 Spanish provinces.

Thanks to these training sessions led by senior volunteers, students acquire the skills to use mobile devices to establish direct contact with their families and access useful applications for all types of daily tasks, such as online banking and online shopping.

The objective of these workshops is to reduce the isolation of the beneficiaries, increase their autonomy, and improve their quality of life. Learning how to use WhatsApp, make a Bizum payment, or shop online are some of the topics covered.

Alejandra Kindelán, president of the AEB and its foundation, states that “we want to bring new technologies closer to all groups because they are very powerful tools for facilitating our daily lives.”

“Being included in society, feeling useful and autonomous, are part of the enormous benefits that older people obtain in this unique program taught by volunteer former senior executives from SECOT throughout Spain,” explains its president, Fernando Sobrini.

La entrada More than 2,400 people receive training at ‘Conectando Mayores’, the digitalization school of SECOT and the AEB Foundation se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The Chair of the Spanish Banking Association and Fundación AEB, Alejandra Kindelán, and the President of the Somos Digital Association, Antonio Ibáñez, took part today in the online seminar “My Digital Banking: easy and secure – Some concepts on digital banking”, which marks the start of the project promoted by Fundación AEB and Somos Digital.

During the online seminar, aimed at citizens, the main content of the digital banking training programme was delivered in a very concise format. It covers security aspects and banking procedures via the web, mobile app and ATMs through the use of simulators, with the aim of encouraging attendees to sign up for the training.

“Today we are very excited to launch this innovative course on digital banking with ATM, website and app simulators, because we are convinced that digitalisation is an unstoppable process that can improve people’s day-to-day lives,” said Alejandra Kindelán.

The project “My Digital Banking: easy and secure” provides training through more than 260 in-person and online activities throughout Spain, and it is expected that more than 2,000 people will benefit from the workshops, with personalised advice and at no cost.

Nine Somos Digital Networks across the country have joined the project: Red Conecten (Cabildo of Tenerife), CyL Digital (Regional Government of Castile and León), Telecentros (Burgos Provincial Council), CeMIT (Xunta of Galicia), i-CAST (Principality of Asturias), Fundación Dédalo (Tudela) and Vuela Guadalinfo (Regional Government of Andalusia), as well as Madrid City Council, which will bring digital banking closer to citizens in their territories.

La entrada Fundación AEB and Somos Digital launch the digital banking training programme se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

In this program, students learn everything from the basics of mobile phone use—such as connecting to the internet or making video calls—to digital applications and tools for administrative management, such as digital certificates or electronic signatures.

In 2023 alone, 1,449 people were trained—60% of whom were women—across the 31 provinces where the 140 courses were held, with 82% taking place in rural areas. In this fifth edition of the initiative, which is supported by the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda, 95% of the sessions were held in person.

Through Expertclick, the banking sector demonstrates its firm commitment to bringing digital training to all groups, especially seniors. For the president of the AEB and its Foundation, Alejandra Kindelán, “digital training is a very powerful tool that can improve our personal well-being.”

The goal of the 120 volunteers who taught the 6-hour courses is to ensure that more and more seniors take advantage of technology to facilitate their daily lives and improve their autonomy, independence, and quality of life.

Expertclick courses offer training at no cost to the beneficiary on how to request medical appointments online, use health, communication, leisure, and shopping applications, and how to use online banking, all in a secure manner.

The program also features a free telephone and online help line staffed by a team of experts who answer technology-related questions in less than 24 hours. Additionally, informative video clips were screened during the workshops and distributed through digital channels to bring concepts on how to use new technologies to more than 55,000 seniors.

Any person over the age of 55 and entities working in the care of this group—such as senior associations, residences, day centers, senior homes, cultural centers, libraries, or town halls, among others—can request these free workshops at www.expertclick.org or by calling 91 542 29 00.

In addition to Expertclick, the AEB Foundation promotes other digital training programs for various groups, such as ‘Conectando Mayores’, together with SECOT; or ‘Mi Banca Digital Fácil y Segura’, together with the Asociación Somos Digital. Furthermore, the web platform Aula Financiera y Digital compiles training resources from the banking sector regarding digitalization and financial education, available to the entire population.

La entrada More than 6,100 seniors receive training at the Expertclick digital school se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The AEB’s Director General explained that, through the Association, we work to bring the benefits of digitalisation to all groups, and we particularly promote digital skills training for older people through multiple initiatives and partnerships with different stakeholders so that no one is left behind.

“The way forward is to keep making progress in digital skills training for older people. It is a highly cross-cutting process that requires public-private collaboration,” she said during her participation in the dialogue panel at the meeting ‘Digitalisation and older people: present and future’, organised by the Spanish Institute of Banking and Finance (IEBF).

At the same time, she explained, in the banking sector we work to offer alternatives to those who, for different reasons, do not wish to or are not in a position to access the digital society and need a longer period of adaptation or prefer more personalised service.

In this regard, the banking sector has made a very significant effort to improve personalised service for older people by implementing many measures, such as adapting websites and apps and making versions available to them with simplified language and display.

Awareness of cybersecurity and fraud prevention is essential for older people, but also for the rest of society, as we can all be victims of a cyber scam, she added.

For this reason, AEB deploys multiple initiatives to contribute to public education and collaborates with both private and public entities, including the State Security Forces and Corps, in awareness-raising campaigns.

For his part, the President of the Platform for Older People and Pensioners (PMP), Lázaro González, highlighted that “the banking sector has done a good job in the accessibility of ATMs and websites” and considered it “desirable” for the public sector to make further progress in the same direction.

Along the same lines, the President of the senior volunteering association SECOT, Inocente Gómez, noted that “banking apps are quite straightforward, but those of public administrations are complex for any age group with an average level of education”.

The Global Director of Social Action and Volunteering at Fundación Telefónica, Carlos Palacios, pointed out that the digital exclusion of older people “leads to ever greater social exclusion, since part of the population is not connected to the opportunities the world offers”.

“It is the responsibility of society as a whole to educate groups responsibly in the use of technology, and to that end it is key to promote skills training for trainers and for the groups themselves,” he added.

La entrada Abascal (AEB) calls for public-private collaboration to promote digital skills training for older people se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

“For the digital euro to succeed, it must be integrated into the customer’s financial activity and add value,” María Abascal stated at the digital euro conference organised yesterday by the Bank of Spain, in view of the preparation phase already launched by the European Central Bank (ECB).

Integrating digital euro payments into the payment systems customers already use—such as banking apps or Bizum—will make usage easier and also support citizens’ learning, as they already know and trust these solutions, she explained.

“In Spain we have a highly successful instant payments solution, with more than 24 million users today. In other words, more than half of the adult population in our country uses Bizum, making Spain the leading performer in this type of transaction in Europe.”

Making use of existing payment infrastructures would also help optimise the efforts required by intermediaries and the ECB for its distribution, María Abascal explained, convinced that this is the most effective way to meet the objectives of the digital euro without incurring the high costs of creating a completely new infrastructure.

Likewise, the possibility that Bizum could coexist and operate with other European solutions may arise in the future, and the digital euro could be the catalyst for this. This would help overcome the fragmentation of the market and user experiences that occurs at European level, despite the existence of strong local payment initiatives, she stressed.

“From the banking sector, we believe it is essential to guarantee the interoperability of the digital euro with existing private solutions to ensure the project’s success and secure its acceptance.”

María Abascal took part in a panel discussion on “the digital euro from the ecosystem perspective” alongside Santiago Carbó, Director of Financial Studies and Executive Director of Funcas’ Financial Digitalisation Observatory; and Patricia Suárez, President of Asufin. Sergio Gorjón, Head of the Bank of Spain’s Financial Innovation Division, moderated the session.

La entrada María Abascal: “Bizum can facilitate the adoption of the digital euro by citizens and businesses” se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

Telefónica Foundation and AEB Foundation join forces to promote digital knowledge and training for older adults. Carmen Morenés, General Director of Telefónica Foundation, and Alejandra Kindelán, President of the Spanish Banking Association and its foundation, have signed a collaboration agreement between both entities. This agreement will allow for the joint development of educational content and materials to increase digital knowledge on financial and banking matters that affect the daily lives of older adults. Joint initiatives such as events, volunteer actions, or symposiums will also be launched with the aim of improving their quality of life and security in the new digital society.

The alliance is part of the initiative Reconnected. Technology has no age, a comprehensive and free training program by Fundación Telefónica to unlock the full potential of older adults in this digital era. The project consists of three initiatives: the opening of a permanent cycle of in-person workshops at Espacio Fundación Telefónica; online training courses; and training resources for their immediate environment, whether family members or professionals.

www.fundaciontelefonica.com

www.aebanca.es

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La entrada Telefónica Foundation and AEB Foundation join forces to promote digital literacy among older adults se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

You can access the programme here

To attend, you must register via this link.

Progress in payment solutions is an innovative and convenient response to the growing demands of an ever-evolving society. These solutions go beyond simple financial transactions; they are the gateway to a more efficient and personalised shopping and payment experience, in which banks play a fundamental role.

These solutions are a key component of the modern economy, providing convenience and efficiency both locally and globally, and promoting financial inclusion by bringing more people closer to financial services.

The opening of the event will be led by the Director of the Spanish Institute of Banking and Finance, Manuel Balmaseda, who will introduce the round table made up of Ana Puente, Deputy Director General for Sustainable and Digital Finance at the Public Treasury, Ángel Nigorra, CEO of Bizum, and Anna Puigoriol, Head of Cards at Banco Sabadell. Pilar Clavería, AEB Payments Adviser, will moderate the discussion.

Promoted by CUNEF University and the Foundation of the Spanish Banking Association, the Spanish Institute of Banking and Finance aims to foster the exchange of knowledge and ideas about the present and future of the financial sector. It aspires to be an alliance between academia, researchers affiliated with financial institutions and professionals, helping to bridge the gap between academic thinking and practical applications.

Since its creation in 2018, the “Banking Lab” has become a forum for reflection on issues relevant to the banking sector.

La entrada Banking Lab. Payment solutions se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

Improving banking service is an ongoing commitment of the banking sector. For the senior population, this is also reflected in the ten-point set of measures to strengthen personalised service for older people and people with disabilities, agreed by the main banking associations AEB, CECA and UNACC in February 2022.

These measures focus on four pillars: extending branch opening hours, priority service, personalised telephone service, adapting apps and digital channels, and promoting financial and digital education for older people. In addition, there is a commitment that any customer over the age of 65 who has a passbook can keep it.

The sector is working intensively to implement these measures and reports on the results promptly and with full transparency every six months. The latest monitoring report confirms improvements in service for older people after the first year the agreement has been in force.

In just one year, the number of branches with extended opening hours has doubled, benefiting 6.3 million people over the age of 65. In addition, 2.4 million phone calls have been handled and 80% of digital platforms have been adapted. Training has also been expanded for 70,000 employees to serve this group, and training programmes aimed at older people have been delivered, with more than 245,000 participants.

Alongside these advances, new initiatives have been carried out, such as a study on how the banking sector serves older people. Based on extensive fieldwork and customer surveys, it concludes that more than 70% of people over the age of 65 are satisfied with the banking service they receive. The most highly valued aspect is the personal manager (81.1%), followed by mobile banking (75.6%), online banking (74.7%), the ATM (73.2%) and the branch (71.6%).

The banking sector’s commitments set out in the Protocol signed in 2021 are the ongoing improvement of service for all customers, especially the senior population, strengthening financial inclusion, and contributing to the wellbeing of society as a whole.

View the leaflet here.

La entrada The banking sector strengthens communication on measures to improve service for older people. se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The Correos Cash service—which exceeded 134,000 operations in 2022, a 30% increase—facilitates access to basic financial services in rural Spain, thanks to the commitment of the financial sector and the logistical infrastructure of Correos. With more than 6,000 rural mail carriers, ‘Correos Cash’ provides a home delivery service that allows access to cash from home, without the need for the customer to have technological means or knowledge. Furthermore, it is possible to withdraw and deposit cash at any of the 4,675 Correos citizen service points.

The promotion of Correos Cash is part of the banking sector’s commitment to improving financial inclusion in all municipalities. For those with fewer than 500 inhabitants, other services such as ‘cashback’ or the implementation of ‘cash in shop’ are also considered, ensuring simple access to cash in commercial establishments. Likewise, the sector has adopted measures such as reinforcing mobile branches and the assistance of financial agents who offer other channels and formulas for regular access to financial services.

The Roadmap to reinforce financial inclusion in rural areas reflects the banking associations’ will to contribute to accelerating progress toward full financial inclusion, guaranteeing access to cash in all Spanish municipalities and for all population groups; a commitment that was already reflected in the Strategic Protocol to reinforce the social and sustainable commitment of banking.

La entrada First anniversary of the agreement between the banking sector and Correos Cash se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

You can access the program here.

To attend the session, register at this link.

Throughout June, the proposed regulation for the digital euro will be published, which will serve as the basis for its future issuance by the European Central Bank (ECB), with the aim of strengthening the strategic autonomy of European payments and preserving the euro’s role as an anchor of the monetary system.

Banks can play a key role in the adoption of the digital euro, bringing it closer to citizens and businesses, and integrating it into their daily financial lives. For this, an adequate design is essential, allowing entities to create value and incorporating the ECB’s approach.

The Spanish Institute of Banking and Finance is a project promoted by the AEB Foundation in collaboration with CUNEF, whose objective is to become an institution that fosters the exchange of knowledge and ideas about the present and future of the financial sector.

Since its creation in 2018, the ‘Banking Lab’ has become a forum for reflection on various topics relevant to the banking sector.

La entrada Banking Lab. Digital Euro: From Concept to Reality se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.