"It has made such a difference to my life," Ms Hesse said. "It is the best."

"Absolutely everything I know [about the internet] I learnt here," she said.

This week she was adding more skills to her repertoire with an introductory course on iPads as part of Get Online Week, run by the Good Things Foundation.

The week aims to help older people make the most of the internet. Ms Hesse said the best thing about getting online was being able to connect with family living interstate.

"The things that really interest me are the photos, and seeing my family. I can now see them on my smartphone or iPad," she said.

Canberra Seniors Centre chief executive Pat Gration also joined the class to learn more about using the internet and her iPad. The centre runs computer lessons every week, but it was the first time they had delved into the iPad.

"There are things that I don't understand what to do with, so I'm glad to learn something today," Ms Gration said.

"I can look up stuff and do all that, but the storing of any information I find difficult."

Good Things Foundation national director Jess Wilson said the week-long inclusion campaign had been running in the UK for about 12 years.

"Here in Australia this is our second year," Ms Wilson said.

"We've got over 1000 events happening all across Australia all about supporting people to learn those digital skills they need to engage in the digital world."

She said the aim of the week was not just to teach people how to get online, but how to be online safely.

"It's really important that people know how to be safe online, so it's not just having the skills but actually to be safe, and how to use those skills safely and be critically aware of the importance of how to pick a scam, and where to go to ask for support if they don't know."

She said people aged over 65 are the most likely to be excluded from the digital world because unlike the younger generations, they hadn't grown up with the technology.

"It's really important that we're supporting them to see not only that there are things to be wary of, but also the benefits to being online, and all the things they can do."

"Staying in contact with family, managing their money, being able to better manage their health; all of those things we do everyday using smart devices and computers and the internet, and it's really important we don't let them be left behind."