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ENChapter 5 · A handbook for practitioners
What's next?
From follow-up, through Safety Circles and training the next generation of facilitators, to evaluation and sustainability. This chapter looks at what happens once the workshop room empties out.
5.1. Follow-up, because one workshop is not enough
If this methodology could convey just one message, it would probably be this: one workshop is not enough.
Not because the workshop is bad. But because that's not how the human brain works. Information presented just once, even if understandable and engaging, fades within weeks if it isn't reinforced. Meta-analyses of cybersecurity training consistently show that knowledge increases after training, but behaviour changes more slowly and reverts to normal faster.
That's why ODYSSEY designs follow-up as an integral part of the methodology, not an optional add-on.
One week after the workshop
A brief call or text asking "how's the advice working out?" and a reminder of the Z-Z-Z rule. Not an evaluation — a way to maintain the relationship and signal that someone remembers.
One month after
A 30–45-minute booster session. A review of key principles with new examples, since the fraud landscape shifts month to month. A short survey: "anything suspicious since we met?", "did you use any of the tools?", "what should we cover next time?" Plus one new hands-on exercise.
Three months after
An evaluation follow-up. Contact a randomly selected group (~30%) with questions about applying knowledge in practice — the moment we check whether knowledge became behaviour.
Ongoing
Monthly Fraud Alerts distributed through existing channels: senior clubs, rural women's clubs, libraries, parishes. A single A6 card with one message about the latest threat.
This schedule is realistic for the budget of a small-scale Erasmus+ project. It requires no extra transport, room, or material costs. It requires only one thing: consistency.
5.2. Safety Circles
The most lasting results come when participants stop being participants and become members of a community.
This isn't just a fraud-prevention tool, it's a mental health tool too. Seniors who meet regularly in a small group feel less lonely. And loneliness is the strongest factor in vulnerability to fraud.
How it works in ODYSSEY
Small groups of 5–8 people, meeting once a month for 30–45 minutes — at a senior centre, community centre, library, or someone's home. No outside facilitator needed. They need a "circle facilitator" — someone from the group who sets the date and keeps the agenda on track.
A simple, repeatable agenda
"Has anyone received a strange call, text, or email this past month?"
Sharing experiences: who recognised a scam, who hesitated, who reported it.
Discussing the latest Fraud Alert and a reminder of the Z-Z-Z rule.
Complexity is the enemy of sustainability. A group that needs an outside facilitator and a conference room will fall apart within three months. A group that needs five chairs, a kettle and an A6 sheet of paper will last for years.
Prevention Champions
The most ambitious participants can take it a step further, after a short four-hour training, and independently lead brief (20–30 min) informational sessions in their own community — at a senior centre, a rural women's club, the parish hall after Mass.
Modelled on the UK's SCAMbassadors from Friends Against Scams. The strength of the model: the message comes not from an "outside expert" but from "Mrs. Krysia from our building" — and her credibility, built over twenty years as a neighbour, no expert can replicate.
5.3. Training new facilitators
The training system has three levels, each requiring a different commitment and giving different competencies.
Friend of Awareness
Anyone who completed a workshop and committed to talking about what they learned with one person close to them. No extra training. The ripple effect starts with a single sentence.
Workshop Facilitator
A full 8-hour training in 4 blocks: context, methodology, practice, logistics. First workshops mentored, independent work after 2–3 mentored sessions.
Master Trainer
An experienced Facilitator (min. 5 workshops) after an additional 4-hour training: how to train others, how to track new threats and update scenarios.
Four blocks of Facilitator training
- Block 1, context: the scale of fraud, the senior profile, the psychology of vulnerability, why it isn't the victim's fault
- Block 2, methodology: principles of andragogy, the Z-Z-Z rule, "empower before you warn", trauma-informed practice per SAMHSA
- Block 3, practice: running simulations, three-phase debriefing, managing emotions, pair work
- Block 4, logistics: preparing the room, choosing materials, evaluation, escalation protocol, reporting channels
Quality assurance
Scaling without quality mechanisms leads to drift — each new Facilitator changes the content slightly, until after a few generations the programme no longer resembles the original. ODYSSEY addresses this in four ways:
Observation
A new Facilitator's first session is observed by a Master Trainer. Supportive, non-judgemental feedback: "What went well? What would you change?"
Supervision
After the first three sessions — a 30-minute call with a Master Trainer: "How's it going? What's hardest?"
Network meetings
Quarterly meetings (60 min): sharing experiences, new scam types, updating scenarios. The fraud landscape changes faster than any manual.
Updating materials
Every 6 months, a review of scenarios based on CERT Polska, CSIRT KNF, police bulletins. No need for a new manual edition — one new scenario and alert.
Competency requirements
Based on the comparative analysis and Erasmus+ project experience (DiSC, CYBERUP, DigitaliseMe), across four areas:
- Communication: speaking with respect and empathy, active listening, plain language, handling emotions without diagnosing
- Subject-matter: knowledge of the 12 scenarios, the Escalation Card, reporting channels, basic consumer law
- Facilitation: running simulations and debriefs, managing group dynamics, handling crises, working with limitations
- Organisational: preparing the room and materials, working with local institutions, running evaluation
These requirements aren't a formal certification. They're a framework that supports both training and self-assessment.
5.4. How to measure results
The problem of apparent effectiveness: measuring knowledge alone can give a misleading result.
A knowledge test will show a gain. Everyone's pleased. Then a senior gets a call from their "grandson" and reacts exactly as before the workshop, because in a moment of stress, knowledge isn't enough — a habit is needed.
Three measurement categories
Category A: knowledge and recognition
A scenario test: 12 short vignettes, multiple choice, large print, icons. Not an exam — a measurement tool used before and after the workshop.
Category B: proximal behaviour
Measured directly at the workshop: forwarding a text to 8080 (target 80%), identifying the bank's number on a card (target 80%), formulating an "if-then" intention (target 70%), taking a screenshot of a suspicious message (target 50%).
Category C: real-world behaviour (the most valuable)
Measured at follow-up, anonymously: "did you report a text to 8080?", "did you recognise and react to a scam attempt?", "did you talk with your family?", "did you set a family security password?" Aggregated answers are the strongest evidence of effectiveness.
Four measurement points
Pre-test
Before the first session: scenario test + a safety self-assessment (5 questions, 1–5 scale) + five screening questions.
Post-test
After the last session: the same test + observing the procedure in practice + a satisfaction survey (smiley-face scale, more intuitive for seniors).
Three-month follow-up
Phone or paper survey: three "what would you do" vignettes, questions about real events (Category C), a question about a subjective sense of safety.
Six-month follow-up (budget permitting)
Same as above, plus a mini-booster: 10–15 minutes reviewing key rules.
Control group
A "wait-list control" model: 3–6 groups from the same type of venue collect the same measurements at the same time points, but receive the programme only after six months. Ethical (no one is denied the programme) and methodologically sound.
These targets are ambitious but realistic. Evaluation isn't a verdict on the programme — it's a tool for improving it.
5.5. Institutional ecosystem
ODYSSEY does not create parallel structures. A principle we return to repeatedly, because it's crucial for sustainability and effectiveness.
Poland has a mature fraud-response infrastructure. ODYSSEY is an "educational layer" over this ecosystem — we teach seniors to use the channels that already exist.
We don't say "report this to ODYSSEY." We say "report it where it belongs, and we'll show you how."
CERT Polska and CSIRT NASK
Prioritising phishing campaigns, blocking domains, publishing warnings. Channel for seniors: text 8080, form at incydent.cert.pl.
CSIRT KNF
Detects fake investment domains — 2024 report: ~90% of detected fake domains related to fraudulent investments. Channel: csirtknf.pl.
Police
Handles crime reports. Channel: 112 and the local station. Worth partnering with local "Safe Senior"-type prevention programmes.
Banks
Block cards and accounts, send transaction alerts (SCA), implement recipient verification (VoP/CoP). Channel: the number on the card and the branch.
UOKiK and consumer advocates
Protect against unfair practices, demonstration scams, fraudulent offers. Channel: hotline 801 440 220 and the local consumer advocate.
mObywatel
Since 2025, allows reporting cyber incidents and receiving threat notifications directly within the app.
Potential partnerships
Local police departments
Co-leading sessions on the grandchild and police-officer scams. A police officer's presence boosts credibility. They discuss reporting procedures, not "how not to be scammed" — that's what we do.
Bank branches
A session with a real employee who demonstrates security measures. Builds trust and gives seniors a human face for the institution — "Ms. Kasia at the counter" is more credible than an abstract hotline.
Libraries
An access point to the ODYSSEY platform. Librarians can serve as Safety Circle facilitators — they have the expertise, the space, and relationships with seniors.
5.6. Reference to Erasmus+ projects
ODYSSEY wasn't created in a vacuum. Our comparative analysis showed what works in existing projects and what's missing — ODYSSEY tries to fill those gaps.
DiSC
Competency framework, benchmarking, a serious game for 55+. We adapt the framework to the PL/HU context, focusing on the region's most common scams.
CYBERUP
A KA210 project for low-digital-literacy seniors 60+, a trainer's guide and LMS platform. We add the missing long-term evaluation (3–6 months).
UpSenior
A financial competency framework for 55+. We add the missing emotional-manipulation component and stress-response training.
SAFER 55+
A safety guide (home, finances, health, internet) with a strong offline component. ODYSSEY supplies the missing simulation and behavioural checklist components.
DigitaliseMe
Modules and a guide based on adult-education principles: learning climate, autonomy, task orientation. We use these as the foundation for ODYSSEY facilitation.
"Ageing in the Digital Age"
A catalogue of good practice, the peer-to-peer model. Exactly what we do with Safety Circles and Prevention Champions.
5.7. Privacy and data
ODYSSEY collects the minimum data necessary for evaluation. This isn't a formality imposed by GDPR — it's an expression of respect for participants.
- We don't collect participants' financial data (loss amounts, account numbers, transaction histories)
- Stories shared at a workshop are never recorded with personal data
- Evaluation surveys are anonymous: no names, ID numbers, addresses
- Data is stored only in aggregate form (averages, percentages, counts)
- Photos and recordings only with written consent, withdrawable at any time
- Incident descriptions used in educational materials have all identifying details changed: location, amount, circumstances
5.8. Sustainability: what will remain after the project
Erasmus+ projects have a natural expiry date. KA210 lasts one year, sixty thousand euros. What remains when the money runs out?
Too many European projects create beautiful materials that, once funding ends, sit on a server and never reach anyone. Our answer has two parts: products that stand on their own, and partnerships that anchor the work in institutions.
Sustainable products
Platform and videos
odyssey-project.eu on WordPress, minimal upkeep (a few dozen euros a year). Videos on YouTube remain available indefinitely.
OER materials
Published on EPALE, the Erasmus+ Results Platform and OER Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0 licence — anyone can copy, adapt, translate. They don't need to be "maintained." They simply exist.
Trained people
Facilitators and Master Trainers with skills, materials and experience. They don't need ODYSSEY funding to continue — they need the will. Many have it, because they've seen that it works.
Safety Circles
Self-sustaining groups needing no outside facilitator or budget. They need five chairs, a kettle, an A6 card and someone to ask: "Shall we meet next month?"
Partnerships for the long term
- Formal agreements with social welfare centres to build workshops into standard senior services — needs one document and the goodwill of the director, not Erasmus funding
- Cooperation with the police: police gain a channel to reach seniors, ODYSSEY gains credibility and up-to-date threat data
- Integration with banking programmes — in Poland, Bank Pocztowy's "Cyberdojrzali"; in Hungary, KiberPajzs. ODYSSEY offers what banks lack: direct, trusted contact with seniors in their natural environment
- Collaboration with Universities of the Third Age — UTAs have infrastructure, ODYSSEY has content and methodology. A natural partnership
Full methodology
This was Chapter 5. The full methodology covers 19 chapters, going deeper into understanding the older learner, building trust, running workshops, tools and materials, and sustaining long-term effects. Released under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.