QUT researchers are helping to reimagine how older Australians connect online, with new research highlighting the importance of emotional safety, trust, and trauma-informed facilitation in digital communities.
- QUT research highlights the importance of emotional safety and trauma-informed facilitation in online communities for older adults.
- Study finds human connection, trust, and sensitive content design are key to sustaining digital engagement.
- Older adults reported rediscovering purpose and connection through facilitated online clubs.
- Facilitators play a vital role in creating inclusive, emotionally supportive digital environments.
QUT researchers are helping to reimagine how older Australians connect online, with new research highlighting the importance of emotional safety, trust, and trauma-informed facilitation in digital communities.
Presented at the 2025 Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (OZCHI), the study by QUT PhD researcher Yasamin Asadi, from QUT's School of Computer Science, and colleagues explore how older adults experience online social clubs facilitated by the not-for-profit organisation Inclusee.
The research found that while digital platforms could offer vital social connection for older adults, especially those facing isolation or mobility challenges, emotional safety and skilled human facilitation were essential to sustaining engagement.
"Older adults bring with them a lifetime of experiences, including grief, trauma, and exclusion, which shape how they engage with digital spaces," Ms Asadi said.
"Our study shows that it's not just about giving people access to technology. It's about creating emotionally safe environments where they feel seen, supported, and able to participate on their own terms."
The study involved in-depth interviews and observations with older adult participants and facilitators over a three-month period.
The researchers found that trauma-informed facilitation, including discreet emotional support, thoughtful content design, and sensitivity to group dynamics, played a critical role in fostering trust and connection.
"Facilitators were often the bridge between technology and trust," Ms Asadi said.
"They helped participants navigate not just the digital tools, but also the emotional terrain of reconnecting with others, sometimes after years of isolation."
The research also highlighted the emotional complexity of hobbies and group activities for older adults, which could evoke both joy and painful memories.
Participants described how online clubs helped them rediscover forgotten passions, build new friendships, and regain confidence in using technology.
"One participant told us that joining a theatre club reignited a dream they had given up decades ago," Ms Asadi said.
"These digital spaces became more than just social platforms — they became places of personal growth and healing."
The study calls for designers and service providers to move beyond simplified notions of "digital inclusion" and instead adopt human-centred, trauma-informed approaches that recognise the diverse needs and histories of older adults.
"We need to design with care, not just convenience," Ms Asadi said.
"That means supporting facilitators, building trust, and creating flexible, emotionally attuned digital environments."
The research was conducted in collaboration with Inclusee and supported by the QUT Digital Wellbeing Lab.
The research team comprised Ms Asadi, Professor Margot Brereton, Associate Professor Bernd Ploderer, Associate Professor Alessandro Soro, Dr Kellie Vella, all from QUT; Rachael Leigh Cook from Inclusee.
The study, Designing Inclusive Digital Spaces for Older Adults: The Role of Facilitation, Trust, and Emotional Safety, was presented at the 2025 Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction.
Main image: Yasamin Asadim, Margot Brereton, Alessandro Soro, Kellie Vella, Bernd Ploderer
