Be Connected Games: The Complete Guide to Australia's Digital Skills Program

Be Connected Games: The Complete Guide to Australia's Digital Skills Program and Its Interactive Learning Tools

When the Australian Government set out to bring older Australians into the digital world, it chose games as one of its most effective entry points. The be connected games section of the national Be Connected initiative gives people aged 50 and over a low-stakes, engaging way to practise real online skills — from typing and navigation to safe browsing habits. This guide explains exactly what those games are, how the broader program works, who can access it, and how to get the most from every session.

Table of Contents

1. What Is the Be Connected Program?
2. Be Connected Games Explained
3. Word Up: The eSafety Game Designed for Older Learners
4. How Games Build Real Digital Skills
5. Who Can Access Be Connected Games and How
6. Be Connected Network Partners and In-Person Support
7. Program Reach and Measured Impact
8. Practical Tips for Getting the Most from Be Connected Games
9. Frequently Asked Questions

Key facts

October 2017 launch; extended to 30 June 2028Australia's Be Connected program, an Australian Government initiative to build digital skills among people aged 50 and over, launched in October 2017 and has been extended until 30 June 2028. Source: Department of Social Services (Australia)580,000 people (2016-Feb 2020), rising to over 880,000Although the Be Connected program was originally intended to reach 300,000 older Australians, it had reached over 580,000 people between 2016 and February 2020, rising to over 880,000 people engaged shortly after. Source: eSafety Commissioner (Australia)more than 3 million peopleSince 2017, the Be Connected program has supported more than 3 million people in Australia to get connected and participate confidently in the digital world, according to Good Things Foundation Australia, which manages the program. Source: Good Things Foundation Australiaover 470,000 peopleThe Australian Government's Be Connected program has directly supported over 470,000 people through a Be Connected Network Partner, following on from the earlier Broadband for Seniors Program that ran from 2008. Source: Department of Social Services Ministers (Australia)In eSafety-commissioned research conducted from May to June 2017, Australians aged 50 to 69 were found to be significantly more engaged with technology and to understand its purpose and potential value, compared with those aged 70 and over, who were more digitally disengaged.Source: eSafety Commissioner (Australia) (2017)50%eSafety Commissioner research cited in a media release found that 50% of older Australians are willing to upgrade their online skills if given the right resources. Source: eSafety Commissioner (Australia)

What Is the Be Connected Program?

Be Connected is an Australian Government initiative designed to build digital skills and confidence among people aged 50 and over. It combines an online learning portal, face-to-face community support, and interactive tools — including games — to meet older Australians wherever they are on the digital literacy spectrum.

The program launched in October 2017 under the Department of Social Services and has since been extended until 30 June 2028, reflecting the government's long-term commitment to closing the digital divide for older Australians. The online learning portal — which hosts the games and skills practice area — is managed by the eSafety Commissioner, Australia's independent regulator for online safety.

What makes Be Connected structurally different from a standard government training program is its dual-channel delivery: learners can work through self-paced online modules and games from home, or attend sessions run by accredited Network Partners — libraries, community centres, and neighbourhood houses — where volunteers provide hands-on guidance. This hybrid model is why the program has scaled so effectively across both metropolitan and regional Australia.

Be Connected Games Explained

Be connected games are interactive, browser-based activities hosted on the Be Connected portal that teach digital skills through play rather than instruction. They are intentionally designed to feel approachable — not like a test — so that learners who feel anxious about technology can build confidence through repetition in a safe, consequence-free environment.

The games sit within a broader ecosystem of structured online courses covering topics such as using a smartphone, staying safe online, video calling, and managing email. What separates the games section from the courses is its emphasis on doing rather than reading. A learner who struggles to type on a keyboard, for example, can use a word game to build muscle memory for key placement without feeling embarrassed by their pace.

The eSafety Commissioner manages this portal, including the games and skills practice area, as part of the national Be Connected initiative. This means the games are developed and quality-checked by a federal regulator — not a third-party edtech vendor — which gives the content a degree of trustworthiness that learners and their families can rely on.

What Skills Do the Games Target?

Each game on the Be Connected portal is mapped to a specific foundational skill. The categories include:

• Keyboard and typing confidence — building familiarity with key placement and typing speed
• Mouse and touchscreen control — practising click accuracy, scrolling, and drag-and-drop gestures
• Word recognition and literacy — reinforcing reading skills that transfer to navigating websites and apps
• Online safety awareness — recognising scam patterns, phishing cues, and unsafe links through scenario-based play
• General digital navigation — understanding menus, buttons, and interface conventions through interactive simulations

If you enjoy word-based brain challenges more broadly, the comprehensive guide to Australia's favourite brain-boosting connect games covers a wide range of cognitive puzzle formats that complement digital skills practice.

Word Up: The eSafety Game Designed for Older Learners

Word Up is the flagship be connected game — a free, web-based word game created specifically by the eSafety Commissioner to give older Australians a chance to practise word skills and build confidence with online activities.

The eSafety Commissioner launched Word Up with a clear purpose: to give older Australians a game that feels genuinely fun while simultaneously teaching them how to interact with a browser window, use a keyboard, and navigate an online interface. The name itself signals the dual purpose — it's about words, and it's about levelling up.

What makes Word Up notable from a design perspective is that it was built to compete in a space dominated by games aimed at children and younger adults. The eSafety team recognised that most word games online use small fonts, fast timers, and complex interfaces that inadvertently exclude older players. Word Up was engineered to remove those barriers: larger text, generous time allowances, and clear visual feedback that tells players exactly what to do next.

How Games Build Real Digital Skills

Games accelerate digital skill acquisition because they create immediate feedback loops — you act, you see a result, you adjust. This is precisely how experienced computer users learn new software, but it happens organically through play rather than through deliberate instruction.

eSafety Commissioner research conducted from May to June 2017 found that Australians aged 50 to 69 were significantly more engaged with technology than those aged 70 and over, who were more digitally disengaged. This gap is not primarily about cognitive ability — it reflects exposure and confidence. Games address both by providing repeated, low-pressure exposure to digital interfaces.

The transfer effect is well-documented in educational research: skills practised in a game context — clicking, scrolling, reading on-screen text, interpreting icons — transfer directly to real-world tasks like online banking, video calling, and reading health information online. For older Australians, these are not trivial conveniences; they are access points to essential services.

The Role of Repetition and Progression

Effective digital skill games use progressive difficulty — starting with tasks that require a single click and gradually introducing more complex interactions. This mirrors how professional UX designers think about onboarding: never ask a new user to do something they haven't been prepared for. The Be Connected games apply this principle to adult learning, ensuring that no learner hits a wall that sends them back to the couch.

For those who enjoy the challenge of pattern recognition and word connections in a puzzle context, exploring how to master the NYT Connections puzzle offers a useful parallel — both formats reward careful observation and categorisation thinking.

Who Can Access Be Connected Games and How

Be Connected games are free and open to any Australian aged 50 or over. No prior digital experience is required, and there is no cost to register or use the platform.

Access works in two ways. First, anyone can visit the Be Connected portal directly and create a free account. Registration allows the platform to track progress and suggest next steps based on what a learner has already completed. Second, older Australians can access the games and courses through a Be Connected Network Partner — a local organisation that hosts sessions where volunteers sit alongside learners and guide them through the platform in person.

Device and Connectivity Requirements

• Device: Any internet-connected device — desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone
• Browser: Any modern browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) — no software download required
• Internet connection: Standard broadband or mobile data — the games are designed to load on slower connections
• Account: Free registration on the Be Connected portal; some content is accessible without logging in
• Cost: Completely free — no subscription, no in-app purchases

During the COVID-19 period, the eSafety Commissioner made free online courses available to around four million older Australians aged 65 and over, demonstrating the platform's capacity to scale rapidly when community need increases. That infrastructure remains in place today.

Be Connected Network Partners and In-Person Support

Network Partners are community organisations — libraries, neighbourhood houses, aged care facilities, and community centres — that have been accredited to deliver Be Connected training locally. They are the human layer of the program, providing the face-to-face support that makes the difference for learners who are not yet comfortable navigating a website on their own.

The program has directly supported over 470,000 people through a Be Connected Network Partner, building on the earlier Broadband for Seniors Program that ran from 2008. Network Partners receive government funding to run sessions, train volunteers, and maintain equipment — meaning participants pay nothing.

For families of older Australians, Network Partners are also a practical referral point. If a parent or grandparent is reluctant to engage with technology at home, a local library session — where they can meet peers in the same situation — often provides the social motivation that a solo home session cannot.

How to Find a Network Partner Near You

1. Visit the Be Connected portal (beconnected.esafety.gov.au)
2. Use the Network Partner locator tool — search by postcode or suburb
3. Contact the partner directly to ask about session times and whether bookings are required
4. Bring any device you own, or use equipment provided at the venue
5. Ask the volunteer to start with the games section if you want a gentle introduction before the structured courses

Program Reach and Measured Impact

The scale of Be Connected's reach tells a clear story about both the demand for digital skills support and the program's execution. Since 2017, Be Connected has supported more than 3 million people in Australia to get connected and participate confidently in the digital world, according to Good Things Foundation Australia, which manages the program.

The program originally aimed to reach 300,000 older Australians — a target it surpassed with over 580,000 people engaged between 2016 and February 2020, rising to over 880,000 shortly after. The eSafety Commissioner later announced that the program had reached its two millionth registered learner — a milestone that confirmed Be Connected as one of Australia's most successful adult digital literacy programs.

eSafety Commissioner research has also found that 50% of older Australians are willing to upgrade their online skills if given the right resources. The games section of Be Connected directly addresses this finding — by making the entry point feel playful rather than academic, it lowers the perceived barrier for that willing half of the older population.

Practical Tips for Getting the Most from Be Connected Games

Engaging with be connected games effectively requires a small amount of intentional setup — but the payoff in skill transfer is significant. These tips are drawn from observed patterns in how adult digital learners progress most efficiently.

Before You Start

• Use a larger screen where possible. A tablet or laptop gives you more visual space than a smartphone, which reduces eye strain and makes clicking targets easier to hit.
• Set aside 20–30 minutes. Short, regular sessions build more durable skills than one long marathon — the same principle that applies to language learning applies here.
• Create your free account first. Logging in lets the platform save your progress so you don't repeat completed activities unnecessarily.
• Start with Word Up if you're unsure where to begin — it's designed as a confidence-builder and gives you immediate positive feedback.

During a Session

• Don't rush. The games are not timed in ways that penalise slow play — taking your time is part of the design philosophy.
• Notice what your hands are doing. The physical act of typing, clicking, and scrolling is the real skill being practised. Pay attention to those actions, not just the game outcome.
• If you make an error, don't close the browser. Errors are data — they tell the platform (and you) where more practice is needed.
• Try a different device once you're comfortable. Practising on both a tablet and a laptop helps you generalise the skills rather than becoming device-dependent.

After Each Session

• Apply one skill you practised to a real task — send an email, look something up, or video call a family member.
• Note which game felt hardest and return to it next session before moving on.
• Consider attending a Network Partner session if you want guided feedback from a volunteer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Be Connected Games

Are Be Connected games completely free to use?

Yes — all Be Connected games and courses are free. The program is funded by the Australian Government and there are no subscription fees, in-app purchases, or hidden costs at any level of the platform.

Do I need to be good at technology to start playing Be Connected games?

No prior digital experience is needed. The games are specifically designed for people who are new to or uncomfortable with technology. They start at the most basic level — single clicks, simple text entry — and build gradually from there.

What is Word Up and how does it differ from other online word games?

Word Up is a free web-based word game created by the eSafety Commissioner specifically for older Australians. Unlike most commercial word games that use small fonts, fast timers, and complex interfaces, Word Up is built with accessibility in mind — larger text, clear instructions, and generous time allowances that make it genuinely usable for people who are new to playing games online.

How many people have used the Be Connected program?

According to Good Things Foundation Australia, which manages the program, Be Connected has supported more than 3 million people since 2017. The eSafety Commissioner separately confirmed that the program reached its two millionth registered learner — a milestone that underscores the scale of demand for accessible digital skills support among older Australians.

Can family members help an older relative get started with Be Connected games?

Yes, and this is one of the most effective ways to get started. A family member can sit alongside an older relative, help create the free account, and introduce the Word Up game as a first activity. Once the learner is comfortable with the interface, they can continue independently or through a local Network Partner session. The platform saves progress, so sessions can be picked up at any time.

Until when will the Be Connected program run?

The Be Connected program has been extended until 30 June 2028, as confirmed by the Department of Social Services. This extension signals the Australian Government's ongoing commitment to digital inclusion for older Australians beyond the program's original timeline.

Are the Be Connected games suitable for someone with vision or mobility limitations?

The Be Connected portal is developed under the management of the eSafety Commissioner with accessibility in mind, and many games include features such as larger text and simplified controls. For learners with specific accessibility needs, attending a Network Partner session is recommended — volunteers can adjust device settings, use assistive technology, and pace the session to individual requirements.