Connecting Scotland

Free digital support helpline provided by People Know How

The Connecting Scotland Helpline provides digital support to anyone in Scotland. It is free to call and is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Anyone can call this freephone number and receive support and advice on topics including:

Using devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop computers
Connecting to the internet
Navigating the web and social media
Completing everyday tasks online
Connecting with the community, family and friends
Managing finances, paying bills and saving money online
Reducing costs (energy, data plans, shopping, etc.)
Finding opportunities for education and employment
Feeling less isolated and having someone to talk to

The helpline is run by charity People Know How, in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). It forms part of the charity’s Reconnect service, which aims to improve digital inclusion across Scotland.

Part of the wider Connecting Scotland scheme set up during the pandemic, the helpline was set up to support those who received devices as part of that programme. It has since been expanded to help anyone in Scotland who needs digital support, regardless of whether they interacted with the original scheme.

“Thank goodness for Connecting Scotland…We felt we were living in the 19th century; now we’ve joined the 21st century, and we’re enjoying every moment of it!” – Greta & Heidi, helpline callers

The charity has supported thousands of people through the helpline.

Sisters Greta and Heidi received iPads that made their life in a rural part of Scotland much easier, with continual support from the helpline that allowed them do things like order food and essentials to their home instead of making the 60-mile round trip to the nearest shop.

David was able to solve connectivity issues after recently moving to Scotland, allowing him to apply for local college courses and build his skills as he supports his family.

Mary still calls in regularly for advice after the team supported her to regain access to her iPad, which is vital in her life to access medicine and food and to communicate with friends and family.

Rachel eased her worries online and improved her knowledge of online safety, learning about spotting spam emails and identifying trustworthy websites.

The helpline is available to anyone who needs it, whether you’re an individual in need of advice, or a support worker or community organisation looking for a helpful resource to refer those you support to.

Call the helpline today for free digital support and advice: 0800 0 590 690

Find out more at: https://peopleknowhow.org/reconnect/#connecting-scotland

Closing the digital divide

Around 23,000 people will be given new online skills and training to help improve their chances of securing a job or to reduce isolation.

The £26 million Connecting Scotland programme, which helps those on lower incomes and groups like the elderly, will offer online training skills as well as providing people with devices like iPads and Chromebooks, and unlimited data for two years.

This builds upon previous funding aimed at helping more people access the internet, include those who were at high risk from COVID-19, care home residents, disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. This latest funding also provides an existing group of 36,000 recipients with another year of unlimited data.

Organisations can apply for phase 3 funding until 5 July.

Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “We are committed to seizing Scotland’s economic potential, creating secure, sustainable and satisfying jobs and supporting businesses recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“With technology playing an increasingly important role in our society, ensuring people can get online and have the right skills and training is even more important to Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.

“The Scottish Government committed to helping more people get online within our first 100 days plan and that is why we are providing an additional £26 million to help a further 23,000 households experiencing difficulties with online access.

“This investment will help thousands of people get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected and get the skills they need to enter the workforce.”

One recipient of the Connecting Scotland Programme was Cath MacInnes from Inverness, a single mother of four children under 12, who received a Chromebook during an earlier round of funding.

Ms MacInnes said: “It has been a huge benefit to our online schooling and lockdown. The device enabled my children to independently work on their google classrooms, which in turn increased their confidence and helped improve their school work.

“There was also a positive effect on their wellbeing in general by being able to connect digitally with friends and family during lockdown.”

Since launching in May 2020 the programme has delivered to over 36,000 households including:

Families with children: 17,289

Isolating and high vulnerability group: 8,061

Young care leavers: 4,120

Older and disabled people: 4,899

Other vulnerabilities: 1,695

Connecting Scotland is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and local authorities in collaboration with a broad range of local, public and third sector organisations.

Individuals can be nominated to receive a device by local public or third sector organisations.

There will be two application routes, one aimed at boosting employability and a fast-track process targeting those isolated as a result of the pandemic, particularly single parents, older or disabled people.

Tackling social isolation and loneliness

Funding promotes inclusion and wellbeing

Almost £6 million in funding will provide friendship and human connection to people at risk of social isolation and loneliness over the winter months.

Part of the Scottish Government’s £100 million winter package to support people, the funding will ensure services such as wellbeing calls, befriending support, advice and volunteering are maintained and extended over winter.

Through the Connecting Scotland programme, an extra £4.3 million will help 5,000 older people to get online, and around 200 families to maintain contact with a loved one in prison custody, through digital devices and internet access.

More than £1.6 million will go to organisations providing key helplines, for groups such as older people and victims of domestic abuse. Over £900,000 will go to various other projects across Scotland supporting people of all ages affected by social isolation and loneliness.

Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Living through an extended period of not spending time with our friends and loved ones has been painful for everyone, but extremely damaging for some and we know that many people will find the upcoming festive period particularly hard.

“The events of this year have reaffirmed our commitment to tackling social isolation and loneliness as a serious public health issue.

“That’s why part of our Winter Plan for Social Protection will have a specific focus on addressing this across society. In particular among older people, disabled people, the young LGBTI community, care-leavers, and women and girls at risk from violence and abuse.

The charity Generations Working Together will receive £76,200 to continue connecting care home residents with their families and younger people in the community.

Chief Executive Officer Alison Clyde said: “We provide support and training to care home staff to ensure residents are connected with loved ones, as well as young people from the local community.

“Participants share their skills and life experiences, learn together whilst making new friends and most importantly have fun. This also helps to break down intergenerational barriers – vital in tackling ageism and reducing loneliness and isolation.”

Shared Care Scotland will receive £80,000 for its Time to Live grant scheme for unpaid carers.

Chief Executive Don Williamson said: “Ongoing restrictions continue to have a significant impact on carers, many of whom are unable to access their usual forms of support.

“Accessing a short break through a Time to Live grant can make a huge difference to a carer’s health and wellbeing, helping them recharge their batteries and sustaining them through the winter months.”

YouthLink Scotland will receive £150,000 to allocate small grants to local grassroots youth work.

Chief Executive Officer Tim Frew said: “Some young adults face uncertainty around their future job prospects and struggle to cope with the restrictions. This funding will enable us to direct youth work support to where it is needed the most, boosting young people’s interaction with others and promoting positive mental wellbeing.”

In addition to the £5.91 million from the winter support package, the Scottish Government has also provided £1.16 million funding over the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to organisations who tackle isolation and loneliness through local projects, intergenerational learning and phone helplines.

Our National Assistance Helpline, connected to all Local Authorities, remains in place to support people and provide advice when they need it.

In addition to those mentioned above, organisations to receive funding include: Befriending Networks (£100,000), BEMIS/Ethnic Minority Resilience Network (£100,00), Scottish Mens’ Sheds Association (£100,000), Chest Heart Stroke Scotland (£75,000), Glasgow Disability Alliance and other national disability organisations (£120,000).

Connecting Scotland: More funding to help families get online

Thousands of disadvantaged young people are being helped to develop valuable digital skills through the Scottish Government’s Connecting Scotland programme.

More than 23,000 iPads and Chromebooks are being distributed among digitally excluded low-income families and care leavers, as part of the latest phase of the £43 million programme.

As well as a new device, recipients also receive mobile data and help to use the internet confidently and safely for up to two years.

Connecting Scotland works with local authorities, public bodies and third sector organisations to reach people across the country.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Access to the internet brings huge benefits, especially during these challenging times. It provides a way to keep in touch and keep us informed, and is also an important way for people of all ages to further their education, find work and training opportunities.

“That’s why in this year’s Programme for Government we further committed to our world-leading Connecting Scotland programme by pledging to reach a total of 50,000 digitally excluded or marginalized people by the end of 2021. The combination of a device plus ongoing support means that everyone can get the most out of their laptop or tablet, and develop their skills.

“So far more than 8,700 people have received this package, and the stories fed back to us from local organisations show the real difference it’s making to households across the country.”

The full-time carer of a child who received a laptop through the programme said: “Thank you so much, the laptop is amazing. We downloaded Google Classroom and Ruby* did all her schoolwork.

“It was so fantastic to see her enjoy looking at a decent sized screen – it’s been a struggle to have Ruby do homework on an old mobile phone which is past its best. To be able to help her home school on a proper laptop is wonderful.”

Connecting Scotland is a Scottish Government programme set up in response to COVID-19. It provides iPads, Chromebooks and support to develop skills for people who are digitally excluded and on low incomes and is delivered in partnership with SCVO, all 32 local authorities and hundreds of third sector organisations across Scotland.

Phase 1 (April – July 2020) focused on those who were at high risk of contracting coronavirus because they were in the extremely high vulnerability group (‘shielding’) or the higher risk of severe illness group.

Phase 2, round 1 launched on 18 August and is focused on households with children, or where a child is normally resident (this includes pregnant women with no child in the household) and care leavers up to the age of 26 (in line with eligibility for aftercare support).

The next round of phase 2 opens tday (24 November)and will close on 18 January at 11am.

Applications can be made by organisations who support eligible groups via the Connecting Scotland website.

Help to get online

Connecting Scotland programme funding to expand to £43 million.

Organisations that work with digitally excluded families and young people in care are being encouraged to get involved with a programme aiming to get more people online.

Funding for Connecting Scotland, which aims to give low income families and individuals an internet device as well as twelve months unlimited data and technical support has now reached £43 million. This follows the announcement of an additional £23 million as part of Programme for Government earlier this month.

With around a hundred applications already received for the current phase of the programme, local authorities and third sector bodies have another three weeks to seek support for the families and care leavers they work with, with further details on how the additional funding will work expected next month.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The pandemic has emphasised the importance of digital connectivity – for education, for access to public services and online shopping, and for staying in touch with friends and family. However, it has also heightened the impact of digital exclusion.

“Over the next 15 months, the Connecting Scotland programme will make a significant contribution towards closing that digital divide by helping many more households to benefit from technology through issuing devices along with offers of support and data.

“By the end of next year it will have brought approximately 50,000 people online, underpinned by an additional £23 million Scottish Government funding. I will be able to announce details of the programme’s next phase, including the groups of people that I believe will be particularly able to benefit in the coming weeks.

“However, it is absolutely crucial that anyone who could benefit from the scheme has the chance to do so which is why I hope local authorities and our third sector partners will help identify even more people needing this kind of support.”

Organisations can apply for phase 2 up to 11am on 5 October here.

For more information on the programme visit www.connecting.scot.

Delivering R100 for Scotland

Voucher scheme to ensure superfast broadband access for all.

Details of a voucher scheme to help ensure everyone in Scotland will have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2021 have been announced.

The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme will provide funding of up to £5,000 to help homes and businesses not in scope of either Reaching 100% (R100) contracts or planned commercial investment to obtain superfast broadband where providers may not ordinarily go.

Interim vouchers of up to £400 are also being made available for premises where superfast broadband is planned for after the end of 2021 – with an additional £250 for those in the hardest-to-reach areas.

An online postcode checker has been launched to give homes and businesses information on superfast roll-out in their area as well as providing information on voucher scheme eligibility.

Scotland’s Connectivity Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Digital Connectivity has played a vital role in supporting our efforts to keep people safe during the Covid-19 lockdown and will be pivotal in plans for our strategic economic recovery from the pandemic.

“Work is underway to build the infrastructure which will underpin R100, backed by Scottish Government funding of £579M. This, together with commercially-driven work, will ensure the vast majority of homes and businesses across the country can access superfast broadband access by the end of 2021.

“But Scotland has some of the most challenging locations anywhere in Europe for providing telecoms infrastructure and I have always been clear that additional measures may still be needed to provide superfast access to some of the hardest-to-reach areas.

“That is why we have been developing plans in parallel with the main infrastructure investment to ensure our 100% commitment is met, and the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme offering a level of funding far exceeding that of any other broadband voucher scheme currently in operation within the UK, will ensure that everyone can access and benefit from this world-leading digital capability.”

The R100 online postcode tracker is live now.

Around 23,000 low income households without proper internet access will be helped to get online with the assistance of £15 million of Scottish Government funding.

The investment, part of the Connecting Scotland programme, will prioritise disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. These families will get a device, twelve months unlimited data as well as technical support to get online safely and securely.

Households will also be linked with a Digital Champion who will provide six months of training and support over the phone. Suitable recipients will be identified by local authorities and third sector organisations who apply to the programme on behalf of those they support.

This second phase of the programme, builds on an initial £5 million to get up to 9,000 households with people at clinical or high risk from Covid-19 connected online.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “It has never been more important to be connected and online. It enables us to access information about how to stay safe and healthy during Covid-19, keep in touch with friends and family, and study or work.

“I am therefore very pleased to be able to extend our Connecting Scotland programme and tackle the digital divide by reaching over 30,000 households across both phases that are experiencing difficulties with online access.

“An additional £15 million will help thousands of families and young care leavers who could not otherwise afford to get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected.

“This builds on £25m investment in devices and connectivity which will support around 70,000 school pupils.”

David McNeill, Director of Development at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, added: “The first phase of Connecting Scotland has made a significant difference to the lives of thousands of people who were missing out on the benefits of being online. It has enabled them to stay connected to friends and family, informed and entertained, and able to continue with learning and work.

“This additional investment will enable hundreds of organisations from across the public and third sectors to provide support to those who need it most, removing the barriers related to the affordability of kit and connectivity, as well as helping to build digital confidence and skills.”

Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children 1st also said: “Children 1st were delighted to take part in the first phase of the Connecting Scotland programme to help families without access to IT to cope through coronavirus.

“Good digital access is essential to keeping both children and parents connected to education, their friends and families and to wider support from charities like Children 1st during these extremely difficult times. It’s great to see the programme being rolled out to reach even more families.”

Connecting Scotland initiative to get vulnerable people online

A new £5 million programme is to offer an internet connection, training and support, and a laptop or tablet to vulnerable people who are not already online during the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Connecting Scotland programme will connect 9,000 more people who are considered at clinically high risk themselves so they can access services and support and connect with friends and family during the pandemic.

Those who take part in the programme will be paired with a ‘digital champion’ to support them for six months while they get connected and find the information they need.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Access to the internet is a real lifeline during these difficult times, so we want to support people to get online and stay connected through this project.

“The advice is clear that we need to stay at home, but for those shielding and in a high risk group, and not online, we know this is difficult and can increase isolation and loneliness at a time they already feel vulnerable and might be missing other support.

“The internet helps us to keep in touch with friends and family and is an important way to find information on support services during this challenging time. This £5 million investment will bring 9,000 more people online over the coming months, and help people best manage the impact that coronavirus is having on their lives.”

Local authorities and the third sector will lead on identifying people to receive devices, distributing them and providing training and support.

SCVO Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said: “For most of us, technology has played a crucial role in keeping us connected to friends and family, informed and entertained, and able to continue with learning and work.

“However, there are people that can’t access the benefits of being online because of the affordability of kit and connectivity, or the confidence and skills to be able to use technology effectively. This additional investment will go a long way towards reducing that digital divide and ensuring everyone can benefit from being online.”

Councillor Gail Macgregor, COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson said: “Ensuring that our communities are connected is essential to our response to tackling coronavirus, and COSLA welcomes the positive role that this programme will have in getting people online in the coming weeks and months.”

“Local Government has been at the forefront of efforts to tackle digital exclusion and is ideally placed to understand the significant challenges that it presents, particularly to the most vulnerable. That is why we are working closely with Scottish Government and third sector partners to deliver on this programme.”