Tag: ACE IT

Edinburgh charity celebrates after receiving grant funding

ACE IT Scotland receives £42,700 from Queensberry House Trust

ACE IT Scotland, an Edinburgh-based charity that helps older people to access the digital world, is celebrating after being awarded £42,700 in funding from Queensberry House Trust, which supports charities working with older people in the Lothians.

More older people than ever before will benefit from financial assistance from Queensberry House Trust which is celebrating 25 years of giving with an anniversary grants fund of £500,000.

This new funding will enable ACE IT to expand their services across Edinburgh and into Midlothian, engage meaningfully with more older people through focus groups, and target minority groups and non-English speakers. The funding starts this week and aims to support increased staff hours, a new Outreach Worker and to attract and retain more volunteers.

The Anniversary Awards attracted close to 70 applications. Focusing on making a lasting impact, Queensberry House Trust distributed £489,599 in charitable grants, to 16 charities and charitable partnerships working with aligned client groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Iain Couper, manager at ACE IT Scotland said: “This funding gives us the stability and resource to grow our services. Having experienced a surge in demand for our digital skills coaching services, we have clear evidence that older people need the skills to get online and to do so safely, more than ever.

“We welcome this opportunity to build upon our 20 years of experience in this area and expand our services across the community to reach more people than ever before, empowering them to live with more independence using digital devices and online services.”

Rev Neil Gardner, Chairman and Trustee at Queensberry House Trust said: “As we look to a future with rising living and care costs, there is a critical need to support older people in our communities.

“The Queensberry House Trust 25th Anniversary Awards are an accessible opportunity for new funding to assist older people in the Lothians.

“We are delighted to be able to work with charities supporting those most in need at this challenging time.”

Arlene Raeburn, ACE IT learner, said about the help she received: “I would say to anyone, no matter what their skill level, that using ACE IT to become more IT proficient is an excellent way forward.

“I am grateful for the help and friendly advice I received from my volunteer tutor.”

To find out more visit www.queensberryhousetrust.org

To learn more about ACE IT and get involved, visit www.aceit.org.uk

New charity partnership aims to end digital poverty for over 50s in Edinburgh

Edinburgh-based charities, ACE IT Scotland and the Edinburgh Remakery, are collaborating to end digital poverty and prevent chronic loneliness amongst older generations across Edinburgh through a partnership that benefits both people and planet.

ACE IT Scotland provides IT coaching for over 50s throughout Edinburgh, many of whom have struggled with increasing loneliness and isolation without easy access to digital devices throughout the pandemic and beyond.

The Edinburgh Remakery is an environmental social enterprise which tackles waste by providing ways for people and businesses to donate their second hand IT equipment for repair and refurbishment, and by teaching repair and reuse skills through workshops and training opportunities. 

By working together, ACE IT Scotland and the Edinburgh Remakery are able to deliver free laptops into the hands of Edinburgh’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, providing them with a means to stay connected whilst stopping reusable goods from going to waste.

Fifty second hand laptops are to be refurbished by technicians at the Edinburgh Remakery to be distributed to ACE IT learners.

“The Edinburgh Remakery is delighted to be partnering with ACE IT to enhance our laptop gifting service”, said Edinburgh Remakery CEO Elaine Brown.

“We know that with their help we are targeting people who will really benefit from receiving our free refurbished laptops, delivering the gift of connectivity. Through this partnership we can help people in our communities facing digital isolation and also help the planet by diverting laptops from landfill.”

The first gifted laptop of this new partnership was given to 78 year-old Michael Egan from Restalrig earlier this month. 

He said: “Technology has been a lifesaver for me during the pandemic – it’s saved me from going crazy. I’m going to use the laptop to make more music and write some good songs.”

Michael is now working on a CD to raise funds for the NHS, a project partially funded by the Port of Leith Housing Association where he lives.

The Edinburgh Remakery was this month named one of the top 100 UK Social Enterprises in the NatWest Business #SE100 Index for the second year running.

The Remakery set up its IT Gifting Service in response to the increased need for digital access amongst low income families and individuals when lockdown began. In the past 12 months they have gifted 241 free IT kits to people in need through this project.

ACE IT Scotland also saw a drastic increase in the need for their digital support services at this time as significant and essential services were moved online. As a result, ACE IT opened a helpline to replace their in-person one-to-one sessions and successfully updated a number of workshops to be delivered online, including Scams Awareness and Work Wise Women, an IT course for women over 50 wanting to get back into the workplace.

“At ACE IT Scotland we are determined to tackle digital exclusion amongst older people in Edinburgh”, said Iain Couper, ACE IT Scotland Manager. “We have seen a rise in demand for our coaching services over the past 18 months where the inability to get online has disadvantaged many older people around the city like never before.

“Now we are thrilled to be partnering with the Edinburgh Remakery to provide support and guidance to use free laptop PCs to our learners to help more people get connected. These refurbished devices will have a real practical impact and will help us to further reduce the digital divide and alleviate social isolation.” –

Although restrictions are easing, digital exclusion remains a major barrier for so many older people as healthcare services and information remain primarily online.

ACE IT will provide every learner who receives a refurbished device with tailored one-to-one coaching with their trained volunteers. 

If you are over 50 and wish to receive IT coaching and devices from ACE IT Scotland, contact Katie Innes at katie@aceit.org.uk or call the ACE IT helpline on 07737 738551.

If you are a business or individual with electronic devices you would like to donate to the Edinburgh Remakery, you can visit their website for more details:

https://www.edinburghremakery.org.uk/