Bonn: ‘Vital in Deutschland’: Deutsche Post launches initiative for senior citizens

(Bonner Presseblog) Bonn:
- 15 “lighthouse municipalities” support trial run
- The Internet platform www.vitalindeutschland.de offers local products and services for the 50-plus generation

Bonn, June 29, 2010. Deutsche Post is today launching the “Vital in Deutschland” (vid, ‘Vital in Germany’) initiative. The new Internet platform www.vitalindeutschland.de targets at all senior citizens. The online platform enables users, with a few clicks, to find products and services in their municipality that are geared specifically for senior citizens in the areas of education, public information service, voluntary work, leisure, culture, travel and sport.

The trial period starts in North Rhine-Westphalia today. Around 100 cities are already represented on the website at the moment and other 15 cities support the initiative as so-called “lighthouse municipalities”. Following a successful trial period, the plan is to enable products and services to be entered into the database for municipalities throughout Germany. This special initiative launched by Deutsche Post is also supported by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. With “vid”, Deutsche Post is creating a platform that provides products and services locally, thereby tapping new possibilities for senior citizens.

Products and services for senior citizens

The aim of the initiative is to develop and operate the Internet portal, where senior citizens can search for specific products and services in their municipality, from a taxi voucher for a theater visit and the program for the local senior citizens’ computer club right through to local clubs’ offerings for senior citizens. “The Internet needs to be exciting in people’s personal, day-to-day lives. Whether it is used or not depends on what you can find there. The Digital Opportunities Foundation (Stiftung Digitale Chancen) is making its database of Internet access points available to the “Vital in Deutschland” initiative so that more people can take advantage of opportunities to use the Internet,” says Jutta Croll, Managing Director of the Digital Opportunities Foundation.

“Vital in Deutschland” is a non-profit-making project, any profits generated are used solely to further the aims of the initiative. Use of the platform is free of charge both for senior citizens and for the municipalities as well as municipal enterprises and clubs. “With “vid”, Deutsche Post is acknowledging the life-time achievements of senior citizens and is making a contribution to society by developing and financing the platform. This provides senior citizens with better access to municipal services,” Daniel Schwartz, vid project manager at Deutsche Post, explains. By setting up this nationwide platform, the initiative intends to motivate senior citizens to make greater use of the Internet as a communication medium, thereby countering the digital divide in society between young and old.

15 “Lighthouses”

The following 15 cities and rural counties are already represented on the Internet platform www.vitalindeutschland.de and are particularly strong supporters of the initiative:

Ahlen
Bad Nenndorf
Bocholt
Düsseldorf
Heidelberg
Düren County
Ahrweiler Rural County
Lengerich
Lohmar
Mülheim an der Ruhr
Münster
Rheda-Wiedenbrück
Rhine County Neuss
Oelde
Olpe.

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Media Contact:
Deutsche Post
Media Relations
Stefan Heß
Phone: +49 (0)69 97 51-10 11
E-mail: pressestelle@deutschepost.de

Deutsche Post – Deutsche Post – Die Post für Deutschland
Deutsche Post is Europe’s largest mail services operator, market leader in the German mail and parcel market, and a global player in international mail delivery. With its powerful Deutsche Post brand, the company continues to enhance its status as “Die Post für Deutschland”. The portfolio ranges from standardized products to tailored solutions for private and business customers in the areas of mail communication, dialogue marketing and parcel transport. Deutsche Post will continue to forge ever closer links between physical and electronic communications and in so doing strengthen its position as a one-stop provider of secure, simple and reliable communications.

Deutsche Post is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of more than 46 billion euros in 2009.

29.06.2010 | 14:45 | Autor: bonner-presseblog.de |