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ENChapter 3 · A handbook for practitioners
Workshop step by step
From the first conversation with a group, through arranging chairs in a room, to a fraud simulation and the moment someone gets emotional. Everything you need to run a session that actually changes behaviour.
3.1. Preparation: the key to success
No workshop should begin without prior knowledge of the group you'll be working with.
You don't need formal surveys or research. You need one conversation with someone who knows the group: a senior centre director, a librarian, a caregiver at a nursing home. The answers to a few simple questions will change how you run the session.
How many people will be there?
A group of eight needs a different dynamic than a group of twenty. In a smaller group you can run simulations involving everyone; in a larger one, you split into subgroups.
What are their ages?
The difference between a group of 60-year-olds and 80-year-olds is enormous in pace, format and content. Don't assume "seniors" are all the same.
Do they use the internet and smartphones?
Determines your choice of module — mobile banking and SMS phishing, or phone scams and in-person scams.
Does anyone have limitations?
Hearing, vision, mobility — determines logistics: font size, room layout, voice volume, an induction loop.
Has anyone experienced fraud?
The most important, though hardest, question to answer. If you know a victim is in the group, you'll be prepared for their emotions and avoid saying the wrong thing.
Five screening questions
At the start of the first session, casually, over coffee — not as a survey, not on paper:
Has anyone here received a suspicious message or phone call in recent months?
Do you use online banking or a banking app on your phone?
Do you have someone to "check with" when something seems suspicious?
Have you ever clicked a link in a text or email from a "bank"?
Do you feel confident or uncertain using the internet and your phone?
You don't record answers with personal data. Treat them as a compass for running the session, not a survey.
3.2. A room that says "you're safe here"
The way a room looks and is arranged communicates more than your opening words.
Seating arrangement
A U-shape or semicircle — the only acceptable arrangement. Nearly 70% of seniors prefer it. Allows eye contact, helps lip-readers, avoids a "stage vs. audience" split.
Never: theatre rows, "at a desk" arrangements. Chairs stable, with armrests, minimum 90cm apart.
Acoustics
About 1/3 of people aged 65–74 have hearing loss; among 75+, nearly half. Close the door, turn off background music. Face participants. Speak clearly, don't shout. Repeat questions before answering.
Lighting
Ageing eyes need 2–3 times more light. Minimum 500 lux. Turn on all lights, open the windows. Avoid dark rooms even during a projector presentation.
Temperature and comfort
21–23°C. Barrier-free toilet access. Water on the table. And coffee, tea, biscuits — refreshments aren't a luxury, they're part of the atmosphere. The coffee break is when the most important conversations happen.
3.3. The facilitator: what it takes
A 2025 Polish qualitative study asked seniors directly what makes a good facilitator. Four traits came up again and again, regardless of region, education, or experience.
You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert. You need to like people, be a good listener, be able to laugh at yourself, and be willing to say "I don't know, but I'll find out."
Facilitator, not lecturer
A lecturer stands at the front and talks; participants sit and listen. A facilitator guides a process in which participants discover knowledge together. The facilitator speaks no more than 40% of the time — the rest is pair discussions, simulations, hands-on exercises, sharing experiences.
Co-facilitators — a standard, not a luxury
Helps with exercises
One facilitator can't manage ten pairs at once. The co-facilitator moves between pairs, supports those struggling.
Observes the group
Sees what the facilitator doesn't: someone who's withdrawn, upset, or wants to speak but lacks the courage.
An emotional safety net
When someone cries or leaves, the co-facilitator handles it while the facilitator continues the session.
In residential care settings, a second person is absolutely essential.
3.4. Session structure: from welcome to farewell
The outline below is a framework, not a script. Seniors learn most effectively in clearly structured programmes.
Minutes 0–10: greeting and warm-up
Greet, introduce yourself, review the rules ("this isn't a test"). Warm-up: "Detective of the Year" — real bank site vs. a fake copy, pairs get a minute to decide. Or "Two Truths and a Lie", or "Do you remember a call like this?"
Minutes 10–20: the tool
The Z-Z-Z rule: Stop. Think. Call. Write it on the flip chart, repeat three times, ask participants to repeat it. Formulate the first "if-then" intention together and write it down.
Minutes 20–45: substantive content
One topic, not five. Illustrate it with a real, anonymised story. Explain the mechanism step by step, without assigning blame. Show 3–5 key warning signs, not twenty-five.
Minutes 45–55: break
With coffee, tea, biscuits. Don't cut it short. This is when the most important conversations happen. Be approachable, stand among the people.
Minutes 55–75: practical exercise
A fraud simulation, or hands-on training (checking a web address, reporting a text to 8080, creating a password). The participant does it themselves, may refuse, is rewarded for trying, not the result.
Minutes 75–85: summary
Repeat three key messages, not ten. Hand out materials: the Z-Z-Z card, the Escalation Card, a contacts list. Ask: "What will you remember from today?"
Minutes 85–90: closing
Say thank you. Announce the next meeting. Leave your contact information. Stay for an informal chat as long as needed.
3.5. Fraud simulations: the heart of this methodology
Simulations are the most effective anti-fraud education method we know of — a conclusion based on evidence from several independent sources.
Inoculation theory explains the mechanism: just as a vaccine exposes the body to a weakened virus to build immunity, a simulation exposes participants to a weakened version of manipulation to build psychological resistance. A 2025 study (the ROLESafe model, 144 participants) compared three roles: experiencer, helper and observer. All three brought benefits, but the "helper" role most strongly built a sense of agency — which is why we always offer all three.
How to run a simulation
Before the simulation
Establish the safety context: "This is an exercise. Mistakes are normal and even welcome." Ask for consent, offer the three roles. No one is forced to be the "experiencer" — observing is also learning.
During
The scenario lasts 3–5 minutes. The facilitator plays the scammer realistically (time pressure, authority, emotion), but without excessive intensity — the goal is learning, not stress. Don't correct participants mid-simulation.
After — debriefing (the most important part)
Emotional phase: "How did you feel?" Analysis phase: "What warning signs did you notice?" Application phase: "What would we do in a real situation?" — and formulate an "if-then" plan together.
Content security policy
Scenarios describe mechanisms for recognising fraud, not "scripts" that facilitate crime. The facilitator never gives realistic bank details, never names real institutions when playing the scammer, and never uses real account numbers or ID numbers.
A bank of twelve simulations — three levels
Level 1: clear-cut signals, for beginner groups. Level 2: mixed signals with emotional pressure, after the first workshop. Level 3: number spoofing, deepfake audio, multi-stage manipulation — for advanced groups.
Twelve topics
A courier surcharge text, a call from a "bank employee", the grandchild scam, a fake investment, impersonating a government agency, a fake online shop, a romance scam, fake tech support, a medical demonstration, a fake charity, messaging account takeover, courier and police impersonation.
For each session, choose one or two scenarios, no more. Full detail in Chapter 4.
3.6. When someone gets emotional
Conversations about fraud stir up emotions. This is inevitable and desirable — it means you're touching on something real.
What to expect
People who recognise the scenario as something they've lived through — tension, averted eyes. People who feel angry at themselves. People who leave the room. And people who share a story they've never told anyone. Every reaction is normal and a sign your work matters.
When someone cries
Don't ignore it, but don't make it the group's centre of attention either. The co-facilitator quietly approaches, offers a tissue and water. The facilitator normalises: "I can see this topic is moving. That's completely natural." If they want to leave, the co-facilitator goes with them.
When someone wants to share their story
Let them — it matters. But manage the time: "Thank you for sharing that. Could we come back to it after the session, so I can talk with you properly?" Respect for the speaker and for the rest of the group at once.
When someone leaves the room
Don't stop them, don't follow immediately. The co-facilitator checks in after a moment. Sometimes people just need a moment alone with their emotions.
What to never do
Don't diagnose (you're not a therapist). Don't minimise the loss. Don't give therapeutic advice. Don't promise "it'll be fine." Offer referrals to professional services: a crisis line, a psychological support point.
After the workshop: a brief debrief with your co-facilitator, five minutes. "How are you feeling? What was hard?" This isn't a luxury — it's professional hygiene. It lets you set other people's emotions aside before going home.
3.7. Accommodating people with disabilities
The principle is simple: design for everyone, adapt for each individual.
Hearing loss
Face the participants. Speak clearly, don't shout. Repeat questions before answering. Visual aids: agenda, flip chart, large text. An induction loop, if available. Don't cover your mouth.
Vision impairment
Minimum 16pt font, high contrast (black on white or light yellow), sans-serif (Arial, Calibri, Verdana). Describe everything on screen verbally. Magnifying glasses in the room.
Mobility limitations
Ground floor or with a lift. Minimum 90cm between chairs. All exercises doable seated. Materials within arm's reach.
Mild cognitive impairment
One instruction at a time, slow pace, frequent repetition. Yes/no questions instead of open ones. A "buddy" system. No public testing. Sessions max. 45 minutes.
Accessibility audit
All ODYSSEY materials undergo an audit. The checklist covers:
- Text contrast minimum 4.5:1 (normal text) and 3:1 (large text)
- Sans-serif font minimum 16pt, line spacing minimum 1.5
- Plain language at B1 level
- Audio versions of key materials (videos with subtitles and audio description)
- Pictograms supporting the text
- Evaluation forms with large print and smiley-face icons instead of numeric scales
- An online site accessible by keyboard and screen readers
Accessibility is not an add-on to a good programme. It is a precondition, without which even the best content is useless to a significant part of the audience.
Full methodology
This was Chapter 3. The full methodology covers 19 chapters: from understanding the older learner, through building trust, running workshops, tools and materials, to sustaining long-term effects. Released under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.