The city council has been working with representatives of the local community to revise concept designs for the area’s development as part of the Trams to Newhaven project.
The updated layout will see a ‘boulevard’ feel retained on Stevedore Place, with trees planted along the south side of the street and a row of hedges on the north.
We need to remove 30 trees to construct the tram, but as part of the landscaping we’ll be replanting between 75 and 80 trees in the area. Around 60 of these will be in the immediate vicinity of Stevedore Place.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “We have worked closely with local community representatives to develop new designs for Stevedore Place, which will maintain the ‘boulevard’ feel on the street, with trees and hedges lining both sides.
“As well as replanting between 55 and 60 trees in the immediate vicinity, we’ll also be able to plant even more trees in the wider area.
“We want residents to feel the maximum benefits of this project, and by locating a stop here we’re providing an attractive and accessible option for all users, especially those with mobility issues. These new designs fulfil this while also retaining trees and green space for the people that live here.”
In addition to the trees on Stevedore Place, more will be planted:
In front of the old casino building
On a strip of land next to the development site on Ocean Way
At the Fingal car park on Stevedore Place
On Ocean Way
Around the Ocean Terminal
A tram stop will be located on Stevedore Place to allow local people to easily access the service. The optimal distance between tram stops is approximately 500 to 750m, allowing maximum accessibility to the stop and taking into account the willingness or ability of people to walk.
The forecasted patronage of the new service includes a tram stop at Stevedore Place being in place.
Further discussion will take place on the best species and size of tree to plant in each location, and when the best time to plant them is.
In order to avoid the nesting season, the existing trees will be removed before the end of February 2021.
CREATIVE pupils at Cramond Primary school are being given the opportunity to see their dream bedroom become a reality, thanks to a project with a major housebuilder.
Eileen Kesson, interior designer at Envision, is partnering with Cramond Primary for a design competition which will see children in P7 create their ultimate bedroom, complete with a budget, their choice of materials, and a floorplan.
Eileen, a renowned designer with more than 20 years’ experience, will give the children a full overview and brief today, with a moodboard to be created and presented later in the month.
Coordinated by CALA Homes, Eileen and Principal Teacher at Cramond Primary School, Yasmeen Naeem, the winning project will form the design for a bedroom at the new showhome at CALA’s Cammo Meadows.
Yasmeen Naeem said: “This is a fantastic experience for our pupils to enhance their design and artistic skills – the children are all already very excited for their presentation from Eileen and can’t wait to get started.
“Not only is it an excellent project for bringing out some creative ideas, having a proper project with a timescale and budget is hugely beneficial and gives pupils a flavour of real-life work.
“We’re sure this will be one of our most popular projects – it’s something different and engaging, making it ideal for remote learning.”
The lucky winner will get to visit their real-life dream bedroom at the showhome, located minutes from Cramond Primary, later this year when the showhome has been designed and furnished.
Eileen Kesson said: “I’ll be setting out a real-life scenario and portrait of a family for the pupils to use to create their ideal bedroom.
“With many children learning from home, it’s important that their bedrooms are their own, separate space with areas to play, learn and sleep so I’m looking forward to seeing what the pupils come up with.”
This is the second bedroom design competition of its kind that CALA has organised, the first being with West Barns Primary School in Dunbar in 2018, where P6 and P7 students designed a bedroom in a showhome at its nearby Castle Bay development.
Cammo Meadows is the housebuilder’s latest development of detached family homes in Edinburgh. The first phase of the development includes a collection of five-bedroom detached homes, with terraced homes and apartments to be built in later phases.
Neighbouring the Cammo Estate, the development is located minutes from Cramond Primary School and is surrounded by 23 acres of green outdoor space, a wildflower meadow, and new woodland to be created as part of the build.
Built in 1975, Cramond Primary School is a non-denominational school which serves Cramond and the surrounding areas of northwest Edinburgh. The school has more than 400 pupils, and is part of the Royal High School cluster.
For more information on Cammo Meadows, please visit:
Teenagers are being encouraged to join a group advising the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.
Bruce Adamson, the Commissioner, works to promote and protect children’s human rights and relies on a Young Advisers Group as one of the key ways to hear directly about the issues that matter. They tell his office when to “raise your voice” and defend children’s rights. During the pandemic, young advisers have spoken out with the Commissioner on issues like mental health, school closures and poverty.
Anyone living in Scotland aged between 14 and 17 can apply to be a Young Adviser in the group. Meetings are currently online, and the Commissioner is keen for people who haven’t previously been part of organised groups to apply.
Young Advisers work with the Commissioner and his team on lots of different projects, share their opinions, and influence decision-making. They’ll be able to take part in creative tasks, organise events, and have lots of fun along the way. They’ll be supported by the Commissioner’s team and previous Young Advisers.
Coll, whose time as a Young Adviser is just ending, said: “If you think applying to be a Young Adviser means applying for yet another tick-box position for an organisation paying lip service to issues facing young people, you could not be more wrong.
“You’re applying to a role which will place you at the heart of the strategic decision-making of one of Scotland’s foremost young people’s organisations.”
Bruce Adamson said: “I have the best job in the world, and the best part of that is working with children and young people. The Young Advisers Group helps my office to effectively stand up for children’s rights.
“They’ve shaped a huge range of our work, from policing in the pandemic, to climate justice, to exam cancellations and they’ve helped us recruit new staff and recently influenced the design of our new website.
“I want our new Young Advisers Group to reflect Scotland’s diversity and we’d especially love to support young people who might not have done anything like this before, so whatever your background or experience, please apply.”
Crumbling bricks, broken windows and overgrown gardens of empty homes across Scotland could be a visual legacy of the economic crisis caused by the Covid pandemic if action is not taken to bring more properties back in to use, says the leader of a project working with local authorities across the country.
Shaheena Din, National Project Manager for the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which is funded by the Scottish Government and hosted by Shelter Scotland, will tell the organisations 10th annual conference that local authorities must include working to bring Scotland’s almost 50,000 empty homes back into use as part of Covid-19 recovery plans or risk them becoming the symbol of economic crisis.
According to Scottish Government figures published in December, 47,333 properties in Scotland had been empty for 6 months or more, up 16% (6370) from the previous year.
More worryingly, the full impact of Covid-19 on the number of long-term empty homes is still emerging, and the figures may continue to rise for some time.
SEHP are also concerned the pandemic has placed Scotland’s ability to deliver 50,000 new affordable homes at risk and believe empty homes can provide a cost-effective way of providing much needed affordable homes after the pandemic. The average cost of returning an empty home to a habitable state is between £6,000 and £12,000, ten times less than the average cost of building a new home.
Furthermore, bringing empty homes back into use can provide a vital income stream to businesses and the local economy.
Scottish Government figures show that every £1 spent on renovating property in Scotland generates £1.60 for the economy. This is because someone repairing or renovating an empty home are likely to be hiring local builders and purchasing materials from local suppliers. This money is then further invested in the local economy.
Shaheena Din, National Project Manager for Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, said: “Images of empty homes came to symbolise economic decline and the loss of vibrant communities across Scotland in the 1980s and recent figures show the Covid crisis is already causing more empty homes in Scotland.
“We must act now to ensure empty homes do not become a legacy of the pandemic. By investing in dedicated empty home services, councils can help make homes available for those who need them, improve local communities and deliver a much-needed boost to local economies.”
“No area is immune so we need the 11 councils without a dedicated service to create one urgently, and for all local authorities to prioritise support for bringing empty homes back in to use as part of their recovery and rebuilding plans.”
Deal means the UK has now secured early access to over 400 million total doses of vaccines for 2021 and 2022
100 million doses of Valneva vaccine have now been secured
UK Government boosts Scotland vaccine production powerhouse at Valneva’s site in West Lothian, supporting 100 highly-skilled jobs
The UK Government has today signed a deal for a further 40 million doses of Valneva’s promising vaccine candidate.The latest deal will bolster long-term vaccine production in Scotland and brings the total UK vaccine portfolio to 407 million doses over the next two years.
The decision to purchase 40 million extra doses is based on the UK’s strategy to take a wide approach, using different technologies and viral targets to ensure the UK has the best chance of securing access to successful vaccines as quickly as possible. It will also give the UK future flexibility should we need to revaccinate any of the population.
The UK Government has invested a multi-million sum in Valneva’s manufacturing facility in West Lothian, which began manufacturing vaccine doses last week and is already raising Scotland’s profile in the international fight against Covid-19.
The site is already supporting 100 new highly-skilled local jobs for scientists and technicians.
Valneva’s coronavirus vaccine candidate is currently in phase I/II trials and will still need to meet the necessary safety and effectiveness standards and receive regulatory approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before it is rolled out at the end of the year.
However, if it is approved, manufacturing at risk now will mean that the UK can roll the vaccine out across the country quicker.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: This latest deal is yet another weapon in our national arsenal against this terrible disease, and will ensure we have sufficient supplies to protect the British public in 2021 and beyond.
“Backed with major investment from the UK Government, Valneva’s site in Scotland will be a vaccine production powerhouse, working flat out to ensure we can quickly deploy jabs across the UK if their candidate is approved, while supporting top quality, local jobs.
Thanks to our incredible UK Vaccine Taskforce, we have now secured a bumper portfolio of over 400 million vaccines, putting our country in an exceptionally strong position to defeat this virus once and for all.”
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “This deal provides a further boost to the UK’s already-strong vaccine portfolio, and I am enormously proud of all the work which has gone in to securing a vaccine for the UK as soon as possible.
“If approved, Valneva’s vaccine will not only help tackle Covid-19 here in the UK, but aid our mission to ensure there is a fair supply of vaccines across the globe.
“No one is safe till the whole world is safe.”
The Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said: “This deal is an endorsement of the UK Government’s strategy of investing in vaccine development and in the skills of the Scottish life sciences sector.
“I pay tribute to the team in Valneva’s new Livingston manufacturing plant. If the vaccine is authorised by the health regulator, their expertise will play an important role in making the world safer from this virus.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: The UK has developed and invested in some of the world’s most promising vaccines – supporting global efforts to fight this virus.
“The Valneva vaccine showcases the best of Scottish expertise right at the heart of our UK vaccine endeavour, demonstrating the strength of our union and what the UK can achieve when it works together. If the vaccine is authorised by the health regulator, it will be rolled out across the four nations as quickly as possible.”
Interim Chair of the UK government’s Vaccines Taskforce Clive Dix said: “Valneva’s manufacturing site in Scotland is already up and running, ready to supply their promising vaccine as soon as it has proven to be safe, and effective and is approved by the MHRA.
“To best ensure we have enough successful candidates to ensure maximum coverage of the UK population, the Vaccines Taskforce has invested in seven of the most promising vaccines. The further 40 million doses secured through today’s deal significantly bolsters our portfolio and gives us future flexibility should we need to revaccinate any of the UK population.
“I want to thank everyone involved in the development of this vaccine for the hard work that has helped us reach this point and also to pay tribute to those UK citizens who have volunteered to take part in the important clinical trials of this vaccine.”
If it is approved, 60 million doses could start to be delivered to the UK by the second half of 2021, with the remaining 40 million being delivered in 2022.
Valneva’s Livingston site will have the capacity to produce up to 250 million doses annually for shipment across the UK and around the world.
The UK Government is committed to supporting equitable access to vaccines worldwide. The UK is the largest donor to the COVAX facility, the global mechanism to help developing countries access a coronavirus vaccine, and has committed £548 million in UK aid to help distribute 1.3 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to 92 developing countries this year.
To date, the UK government has invested over £300 million into manufacturing a successful vaccine.
As a dark and dreary January draws to a close, I’m pleased to share at least one wee nugget of positive news.
The NEN blog passed a memorable milestone this week. Your community news website reached and passed the one million hits mark on Thursday.
It’s taken a while – the NEN blog was set up ten years ago this month (the first post was made on 19 January 2011) – but we got there in the end!
Since that first blog post there have been more than 18,300 more. The blog has over 5,000 subscribers and thousands more followers on Facebook and Twitter
When that first post was written, I’m pretty sure the word ‘coronavirus’ didn’t exist. And I know I would have been using ‘lock in’ a lot more than ‘lockdown’ back then. Social distancing. Face Coverings. Blended learning. PPE. Nightingale hospitals. These words and phrases are part of our everyday language now.
It’s twelve months to the day since the first cases of the new virus were confirmed in the UK, on 31 January. Life has changed so much since then, perhaps forever. It’s a darker, more uncertain world.
The NEN first mentioned coronvirus in a post on 25th January 2020. Since then, coronavirus has been tagged 1300 times, COVID-19 1700 times and vaccine close to 300 times in NEN posts.
It’s been a relentless litany of grim statistics and horror stories, lightened only sometimes by tales of heroic workers and volunteers working flat out to support the most vulnerable people in our poorest communities.
But despite the daily awfulness of it all, I do think it’s important to record it. One day, we’ll look back on these unprecedented times to establish what we could have done better – and sooner – and where our leaders got it horribly wrong.
But for now, it’s encouraging that the word ‘vaccine’ is being used more and more in NEN posts; goodness knows we’ve needed a glimmer of light at the end of a terribly dark tunnel.
Last week, the UK death toll surpassed 100,000. One hundred thousand people; each and every one of those deaths will have affected so many friends and families. Coronavirus will leave it’s mark on us all for years to come – perhaps forever – but there will be life after the virus.
As more and more vaccines come on stream, the future is looking an awful lot brighter than it did a few short months ago. IF enough of us remain sensible – and there are still a surprising number of foolish people out there – we will get there.
So while passing the one million mark is a reason to celebrate in these cheerless times, I will put the celebration on hold until life gets back to something like normal again when I will enjoy a real pint in an open pub!
Until then, if you keep reading I’ll keep writing. Deal?
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK
Make a plan to stop smoking
Although rates of smoking have decreased in the UK in recent years, approximately 6.9 million people over the age of 18 are smokers. Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is a leading cause of preventable death.
Smoking can damage your heart and blood vessels, which increases your risk of having a heart attack. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips to help you stop smoking.
List the reasons to stop smoking
If you want to stop smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.
Decide when to stop
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.
Make a plan
Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify triggers that make you want to smoke and work out how you will overcome them in advance. For example, if you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead.
Manage your cravings
Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke and they can last for 5 minutes. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. When you get a craving, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes until it passes. You could try planning a healthy dinner or plan a route for a cycle ride or a walk. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.
Get support
Getting support to stop smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking or someone who is also trying to quit. You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nazal sprays to help stop the cravings.
You can get further support with stopping smoking from the NHS:
A group bookings provider is urging the public to support their local bars and restaurants once lockdown restrictions are lifted.
The county is once again in lockdown, and pubs, restaurants and hotels are forced to shut their doors. Many see this as the third major blow to the hospitality sector across the UK.
This hardship to hospitality is tough to take for many, and Bradley Gough, CEO and Founder of Groubook, calls for more support for independent businesses working in the hospitality sector.
Mr Gough welcomes the new government grants to help keep businesses afloat until spring whilst we are all in lockdown, but warns it is not enough.
He says businesses are continuing to incur mounting debt and the £9,000 of support offered will quickly run out. It is not enough to cover the costs of many businesses and certainly will not underpin longer-term business viability for the sector.
Bradley is now calling for a clear plan on what happens next, especially for those sectors which have incurred massive losses throughout – but he is also calling for the British public to play their part and support the local businesses that need it so much.
Bradley Gough, CEO of Groubook said: “With the uncertainty of Brexit and COVID-19, it’s been a tough year for the hospitality sector, and the future of the industry is less known. Nobody has had any guidance on when we can re-open.
“Unfortunately, many bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants will not survive the strict new regulations across the UK.
“We don’t want to see the industry disappear and that’s what’s slowly happening.
So, we call on the British public to spearhead the rescue mission and support their local bars, cafes and restaurants when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
“We get it – some people will be excited to be back out eating, drinking, and socialising, and some will think it’s all too soon and want to stay home. Both are OK and we need to be more aware and tolerant of each other. But whether you choose to stay at home, or go out, we can all do our bit to help rescue the hospitality sector.”
Here are eight ways customers can support local businesses in the current climate:
Book a table
When safe to do and lockdown restrictions are lifted, you will be able to visit SOME of your favourite places again. Others will open days, weeks or months later when they are ready. And when you are ready and comfortable, book a table. When the restaurants see the bookings come in, it will give them the confidence to get back going again!
Don’t forget to visit midweek, not just at the weekends too.
Order takeaway if preferred
This is also possible during lockdown for many local hospitality businesses, but rest assured most places will continue this even if they’re “open” again.
So if you don’t want to attend in person, order the products to take away. It’s still supporting the business.
It’s worth checking the best way to deliver or collect, as many delivery apps take a commission from the business.
Cook at home
Quite a few local restaurants are offering DIY packs, ready meals and “finish at home” style packs. You just need to be prepared to do the final bit of effort, in heating up and presenting it.
Invest in vouchers
A lot of establishments in the hospitality sector have vouchers available to buy and they can be used in the future.
Having the money come in from vouchers is great for business confidence, and it’s good for consumers to have something to look forward to.
Vouchers also make great gifts!
Don’t forget the high street
Even through lockdown, various local shops that sold food remained open, such as delicatessens. More will reopen and spring back to life when safe and allowed, so keep tabs on the local high street outlets as you can get great fresh produce from delis etc. saving you visiting the supermarket.
It’s also worth mentioning that some traders make a living off doing pop-ups in places like pub car parks. So when safe to do so, keep an eye on your favourite traders via social media so you don’t miss out.
Share on social media
Speaking of social media, something as simple as a quick post on social media reporting on a great visit or meal can lead to more bookings. As customers, we need to be cheerleaders for our favourite independents, as they need all the publicity they can get.
Sharing your positive experience means a lot to the independent businesses but also helps others find great sources to use in future.
Turn up to your bookings
If you book a table at a restaurant in the coming weeks and months, make sure you turn up. In previous lockdowns, many independent businesses were hit by a wave of no-shows since reopening, and these affect small restaurants more than you might think.
But we are human so if, for any reason, you’re no longer able to make a booking, simply contact the restaurant and let them know in advance.
Normalise deposits
Learning from previous lockdowns, independents have been forced to ask for deposits with their bookings, requiring customers to put down a small, refundable fee to reduce the risk of people not turning up.
If you’re looking to book a table at one of your favourite restaurants, don’t be put off if they ask for a deposit. It will come off your bill!
With children and young people’s mental health so badly effected by lockdown and prolonged absence from school, this year’sChildren’s Mental Health Weekhas a particular resonance.
Former primary school teacher Laura Steele of education expertsPlanBeehas gathered a week’s worth of fantastic FREE resources inone downloadable pack.
Parents can use them to help their children explore their mental health and give them the tools to express their thoughts and feelings.
These posters aim to help your child understand some of the physical sensations that accompany different feelings. Explore and discuss the vocabulary on each poster. You could ask children: Do you know what this word means? Have you ever felt like this? What made you feel this way? Could you add any more words to either of the posters?
Older children may find the Synonym Booklet of Emotions useful to expand their vocabulary and help them to better express themselves.
Use these 16 feelings and emotions cards to develop discussion around a range of different feelings, using the questions below each emoji. If your children cannot think of an example, you could describe and explain a time when you felt this way. They could also be asked whether each of the cards represent a ‘warm fuzzy’ or a ‘cold prickly’ feeling, picking up on yesterday’s discussions.
You could then challenge your child to use the Design your own Emotion Emojissheet to create their own versions. Encourage them to think about their personal experience of each emotion, and think carefully about the shape, colour, size and facial expression they choose.
Today’s resource focuses on a specific feeling: worry, or anxiety. Tell your child that everyone experiences this feeling sometimes, and more often than not, acknowledging and talking about the reasons why you are worried or anxious can help you to feel better. These Worry Monster Activity Sheets can help your children to voice, and then deal with, any anxieties they may have.
Anger and frustration can be difficult emotions for anyone to deal with, not least children. These posters offer a range of techniques that can be used almost anywhere, in any situation. The first four posters (The Calm Down Cake, The Slow Down Star, The Slow Down Square and the Helping Hand) direct children to focus on their breathing, using an image to help them do this. Discuss and practise the techniques together, first with and then without the posters in front of them, so children realise that these strategies can be successful using only their imagination if needed.
The final poster in the pack (5…4…3…2…1), may be more suitable for older children. They are directed to use all of their senses to focus and calm the mind. They can do this for the actual environment they are in, or an imagined one, such as a park, a beach or a forest.
The mental benefits of meditation are now widely recognised – for children as well as adults. Research has shown that short, regular meditation sessions can have a positive effect on children’s attention, focus, self-awareness, and their management of thoughts and feelings. This Guide Sheet is a simple, easy introduction to meditation, with step-by-step instructions to follow. Try a short session with your child. Ask them how they feel afterwards. You could try to add a session like this into your daily routine, and see what effect it has over time on your child’s emotional well-being.
A person with a fixed mindset feels that they have no control over their abilities, or problems they may face. But someone with a growth mindset knows that they can improve their abilities and overcome difficulties if they persevere and are patient with themselves. Discuss these differences with your child, and look at the poster for examples of each type of mindset. What type of mindset does your child think they have, and why? Why might it be better to have a growth mindset?
Children could use the blank poster provided to write their own personal examples of statements they made when they felt they had a fixed mindset, and how they could turn this around into a growth mindset statement.
End the week on a positive note with this activity, where children are encouraged to think about all the different aspects of their life that they are thankful for. A blank template is included for children to record these thoughts.
The I am Lucky Because…activity sheet may be more suitable for younger children, where they are encouraged to think about and complete the sentences, ‘I am lucky because I can…’, ‘I am lucky because I am’… and ‘I am lucky because I have…’.
All round support is key to digital skills-powered recovery, says new report
Equipping people with soft skills and tackling motivational barriers can switch them onto learning new digital skills, according to a new report.
The findings come in ‘Shocks, knocks and skill building blocks’, from leading digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation, following a one-year programme of work in partnership with Accenture and Nesta.
It highlights the need for help for people to learn soft skills, such as increased confidence, better decision-making and resilience to setbacks, to lay the foundations for workers to embrace digital skills and thrive.
The impact of COVID-19 on the jobs market is visible – and with unemployment forecast to hit 2.6 million by the middle of 2021 and digital skills more important and in-demand than ever, the findings offer a proven route to employability success.
The Future Proof: Skills for Work programme was designed to build work-related digital skills for unemployed or underemployed people, helping them achieve sustained employability outcomes.
With the global pandemic shaking the employment landscape to its core, the jobs market is a very competitive space where workers are required to be both digitally skilled and adaptable. Yet whilst 82% of roles require digital skills, 52% of working age adults do not yet have them.
Working with 13 community partners and helping over 900 people, the programme focused on understanding the barriers faced by learners – and how these can be overcome to help close the digital skills gap.
As a result of the programme, which was delivered remotely in communities after lockdown hit the UK last March, 70% of participants believe their digital skills have improved while 68% believe they are better prepared for employment.
The greatest change in attitude was around resilience in the face of challenges, with 27% of learners experiencing a positive change.
The project also saw a larger number of employed and higher-educated workers engaging with Good Things Foundation’s community partners and the Future Proof programme.
The new report also:
Highlights the crucial role of hyperlocal community organisations, arguing they are best placed to help people build confidence and learn digital skills simultaneously.
Calls for a move away from a tick-list approach to skills – including digital – to one that instead accommodates natural changes and fluctuations.
Helen Milner, Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation, said: “Working with Accenture, Nesta and our community partners, Future Proof has been ahead of the curve in terms of predicting new audience demand, skills and motivations and helping people gain digital skills alongside greater confidence and broader skills.
“Remote working due to COVID-19 has changed working patterns permanently. This makes upskilling the workforce even more vital. With the UK in the grips of another national lockdown and nine million adults unable to use the internet without help, the Government needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to fix the digital divide, to support economic recovery.”
Camilla Drejer, Director of UK & Ireland Corporate Citizenship at Accenture said: “At Accenture, we recognise how critical it is to support people in building new skills. This programme is not just helping people learn the digital skills needed today but also motivating participants to commit to life-long learning and develop a confidence about the opportunities that the digital economy brings.
“Through the Future Proof programme, we are pleased to have been able to help participants understand this shift, plan for the future and take charge of their careers. We believe that it is our duty as a responsible business to focus on the value we can create and this programme is an important aspect of that.”
