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
Projects across Scotland have been awarded funding as part of the Scottish Government’s Digital Inclusion Programme aimed at helping people to access online support services, initially in mental health and housing services.
The thirteen projects, which bid to be one of the ‘Digital Pioneers’, will develop, test and implement programmes to help people access the services they need online to support their health and wellbeing.
The £600,000 first phase of the programme is being delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. It will benefit more than 1,500 people by building skills and confidence, as well as devices to support access to digital services in mental health and housing.
It is expected that following the programme, which will run for two years, a shared understanding and learning of how best to support digital inclusion in mental health and housing will be created.
Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Michael Matheson said: “Supporting people to feel more digitally confident so they can access the services they need online is absolutely vital and it is one of our long-standing commitments.
“This programme will see models tested that will help so many people gain the skills they need to improve their own health and know how to access the support that is available to them.”
The Digital Inclusion Programme launched in March 2023, is led by the Digital Health and Care directorate and delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Connecting Scotland.
The programme, backed by £2 million of funding, focuses on two areas: digital inclusion in Mental Health (supporting people with a mental health condition (s)) and digital inclusion in Housing (supporting customers or tenants in social housing, the private rented sector or owner-occupied housing who are most at risk of digital exclusion).
List of organisations awarded funding with overview of their project:
Organisation
Amount
Project Overview
Anticipated number of direct beneficiaries
Aberdeen Foyer
£54,867
Aberdeen Foyers Housing Digital Support project will work with young people in Aberdeenshire at risk of experiencing homelessness. Funding will allow them to expand their current services to provide devices, connectivity and digital inclusion support to improve access to supports and services and to reduce isolation. The project will support 22 staff and volunteers and 75 young people.
75
Blackwood Homes and Care
£55,000
Blackwoods Digital Buddies project will work with older people in supported living accomodation, in rural areas in Scotland. Funding will allow them to expand their current digital inclusion model across newly acquired supported living accomodation. The project will provide digital training to upskill 76 staff and volunteers and provide connectivity, devices and digital skills support to 130 older residents.
130
Simon Community Scotland
£54,982
Simon Community Scotland’s Get Connected Housing project will work with people experiencing homelessness. Funding will allow them to embed their existing digital inclusion approach within their Housing First & Housing Support Services within Edinburgh. The project will provide devices, connectivity and one to one digital support to work with people transitioning from homelessness and temporary accommodation to sustained tenancies. The project will work with 65 staff and 130 participants to build digital skills and confidence and improve access to services.
130
Prospect Community Housing Limited
£31,310
Prospect Community Housing’s Link Up project works with people with a disability or long term health condition in Wester Hailes. Funding will allow them to continue to work in partnership with WHALE arts to deliver digital drop-ins and one to one support to improve digital skills and confidence. The project will support 5 staff and volunteers and 70 participants.
70
Shettleston Housing Association Limited
£54,980
Shettleston Housing Association’s Shettleston Does Digital project works with older adults who are not in work or are retired. Funding will allow them to expand their existing digital inclusion work in partnership with Fuse Youth Cafe to deliver digital drop-ins and digital skills training to improve digital confidence and increase access to services and support. The project will work with 10 staff and volunteers and 160 participants
160
Link living
£50,268
Link Living’s Digital support service supports young people and people with moderate to severe mental health conditions across Edinburgh to improve digital skills. Funding will allow them to continue delivery of their Digital Support Service providing connectivity, devices and one to one support to improve digital skills and confidence. The project will support 1 staff member and 130 participants
130
Queens Cross Housing Association Limited
£42,753
Queens Cross Housing Association’s Digital Spaces in Community Places works with mutiple digitally excluded groups across communities in Glasgow. Funding will allow them to continue delivering digital sessions inlcuding coding for young people, digital cafes for older people and structured course content across 4 community facilities in Glasgow.The project will work with 50 staff and volunteers and 190 participants to build digital skills, confidence and increase access to support services.
190
Carr Gomm
£54,677
Carr Gomm’s Connected Lives project builds on the learning from their previous Digital Inclusion Research Project (DIRP). Funding will allow them to expand their digital inclusion support across Glasgow’s Integrated Services and enhance support through establishing a safe, online peer network to facilitate improved wellbeing through meaningful community connections. The project will support 40 staff and 60 service users to build their digital skills and confidence.
60
Saheliya
£54,773
Saheliya Digital Pioneers project works with marginalised New Scots women in Edinburgh and Glasgow to increase their digital skills and confidence. Funding will allow them to continue to deliver digital inclusion and language sessions to improve skills and confidence to access further supports and services to improve mental health and wellbeing. The project will support will support 10 staff and 72 New Scots women.
72
Moray Wellbeing Hub
£54,982
Moray Wellbeing Hub’s Digital Mental Health Capacity Building project aims to establish a digital mental health hub in to improve digital skills and access to services in Moray. Funding will allow them to build on current work with Health and Social Care Partnership Moray to offer online and in person digital support to improve digital skills and confidence and social connections. The project will work with 30 staff and 300 participants to reduce digital exclusion.
300
Scottish Association for Mental Health
£51,270
The Scottish Association for Mental Health’s Enduring Digital Accessibility project works with people in supported living settings to enhance their digital skills and confidence. Funding will allow them to expand and formalise their existing digital inclusion activities in Edinburgh, Perth and Glasgow and increase access to online supports and services. The project will also enhance staff and participants access with their care management system to improve peoples engagement within their individual care plans. The project will support 25 staff and 100 people in supported living settings.
100
Cyrenians
£36,244
Cyrenians Digital Inclusion project works with people facing long term unemployment, transitioning from hospital care and living in residential care. Funding will allow them to expand their current digital inclusion activities and provide a digital hub at their Farm, one to one support and indepth digital skills support in Edinburgh and West Lothian. The project will support 37 people.
37
Just Bee Productions
£54,229
Just Bee’s Just Breath project works with people to reduce mental health inequalities, assessments and waiting times to access services. Funding will allow them to deliver a variety of digital inclusion activities with people in crisis to improve their digital skills and confidence to access services and supports to support their mental Health. The project will support 4 staff and 80 participants experiencing moderate to severe mental health conditions.
A scheme aimed at boosting trade in town and city centres is going digital.
Scotland Loves Local (SLL) gift cards can be loaded with credit and used in participating shops and businesses within users’ local council area.
Now the Scottish Government is investing £250,000 to enable the cards to operate digitally via devices such as mobile phones.
By going digital, the cards can be used by businesses to reward loyal customers and encourage repeat custom. The new system may also be made compatible with transport providers’ ticketing systems, allowing relatives or businesses to gift train and bus fares into town centres for shopping trips.
Cards are currently utilised by more than 20 councils – including six which have used them to distribute more than £13 million of Scottish Government Coronavirus (Covid-19) economic recovery funding to lower income households.
Visiting Barrhead, where the SLL cards have helped boost business in the town centre, Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur said: “Going digital is an important step forward for the SLL gift card.
“The scheme has already delivered millions of pounds of extra spending to help businesses recover from the pandemic and by increasing their useability I am sure even more people will be encouraged to shop locally.
“The cards have made a real difference in places like Glasgow, where thousands of cards have been used to access Scottish Government funding for economic recovery.
“They represent a step towards the creation of local currencies to be invested and retained within areas. Digitalisation will accelerate that process and help support fairer and more prosperous local economies.”
Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) delivers the SLL initiative – which includes the gift card – encouraging people to support their communities by spending locally.
Interim Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “The Scotland Loves Local campaign is a force for good – galvanising communities to support local people and businesses at times when they have never needed that more.
“The need for us all to think, choose and spend locally is critical, not only in our ongoing recovery from the impact of Covid-19 on businesses, but in helping us all through the cost of living crisis and in responding to the climate emergency.
“Continued support from the Scottish Government allows businesses and communities to innovate, invest and embrace opportunity, building better, stronger places.”
ACE IT Scotland, an Edinburgh-based charity that helps older people to access the digital world, is celebrating after being awarded £198,000 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
ACE IT Scotland will use their funding to empower even more older people across the city and beyond, to improve wellbeing and combat digital exploitation, exclusion and loneliness.
This new National Lottery 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 900 learners over three years, as well as recruiting 50 new volunteers to help deliver the service.
National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes a share of this to projects to support people and communities to prosper and thrive.
Iain Couper, manager at ACE IT Scotland said:“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding gives us the stability and resource to grow our services over the next 3 years.
“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.”
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 which I received from my volunteer tutor.”
During the pandemic, in 2020 alone, The National Lottery Community Fund distributed almost £1 billion to charities and community organisations across the UK.
EDUCATION convener Councillor JOAN GRIFFITHS was joined by council leader Cammy Day on a visit to Craigroyston Community High School this week.
The policians met Head Teacher Shelley McLaren and S3 pupils who were receiving new tablet devices to aid their studies as part of the council’s Empowered Learning programme.
Every school pupil from P6 to S6 in the capital will receive their own digital device as part of an ambitious and inclusive education strategy, Edinburgh Learns for Life.
The 1:1 roll out, being carried out in partnership with the city council’s ICT services provider CGI, started last September thanks to a £17.6m boost to learning and teaching. In addition to the personal distribution additional iPads will be also be issued to P1 to P5 year groups on an agreed ratio.
Councillor Griffiths said: “I am hugely proud that our ambitious Empowered Learning programme will provide every school pupil from P6 to S6 in Scotland’s Capital with their own digital device.
“The 1:1 roll-out, being carried out in partnership with our ICT services provider CGI, started in schools across the city at the start of the year and is due to be completed in December.
“It will result in 41,000 iPads being given to pupils and teaching staff as we look to provide equality of access to digital devices and raise attainment. And it’s not just our P6 to S6 pupils who will benefit.
“In addition to their personal devices we’re providing iPads to P1 to P5 year groups on an agreed ratio and over a 1,000 across our early years settings. There will be devices for all teaching staff and we have 1,150 to cover rising rolls for the school year. So far 17,000 iPads have been delivered and the roll out completed in 76 schools.
“The next major phase of the roll out has now started with devices being distributed to our high schools. Yesterday during my visit to Craigroyston High School I saw first-hand the real impact of the scheme on pupils as they were given their own devices that will accompany them on their learning journey through school.
“The vital need for digital access to learning was never more starkly illustrated than during the pandemic when remote learning and teaching became the norm. Some pupils struggled as they didn’t have their own devices and this highlighted the importance of making sure all our pupils have the digital means to learn on a level playing field.
“The Empowered Learning programme, funded by a £17.6m investment by the Council, demonstrates this commitment and Edinburgh is pioneering the use of technology in education for teachers and pupils alike.
“But it’s not just about handing out new iPads. We have to make sure the infrastructure and training is there to support everyone. As part of the programme there will also be enhanced wi-fi coverage for all our schools and early years settings, improved collaboration and classroom management tools such as Apple Classroom. So far cabling and wireless access point installations have been completed at 106 settings.
“Also the benefits of the programme go far wider than just pupils and teaching staff having their own device. It leads to personalising learning, improving teacher feedback, preparing students for future working, collaborative on and off-line working and, crucially supporting all our efforts to raise attainment.
“I am also delighted that funding for 4 years of this programme has been agreed as part of the Council’s 2021-26 Revenue Budget Settlement.
“I firmly believe this project shows our commitment to providing our children and young people with every opportunity to succeed in their education and provide them with the skills required for their future career paths.”
Key elements of the Empowered Learning programme, which will see a phased roll out of all the devices completed by the end of 2022, include: 27,000 new iPads being issued to pupils/staff, refreshed iPads for up to 12,000 pupils/staff and expanding the wireless connectivity in schools by providing wireless access points and a comprehensive programme of professional learning for teachers.
Benefits for young people include:
Fair and equal access from P6 to S6, ensuring all pupils have personal access to digital learning with their teacher in school or at home
Effective digital workflow to increase engagement, improve teacher feedback and raise attainment
A range of innovative accessibility features to improve access to the curriculum for pupils with additional support needs
Pupils can work online simultaneously in a class or collaboratively outside the classroom
High quality digital applications for productivity and creativity, providing more ways to personalise and choose how they learn
Development of learning, thinking and digital literacy skills vital for success in today’s rapidly evolving, technological society
Work to provide every school pupil in Scotland with a laptop or tablet has started.Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed discussions with local government are underway to deliver the ambitious commitment, which will benefit 700,000 children.
The Scottish Government are also considering how to deliver consistent digital infrastructure across Scotland’s 2,500 school buildings. The announcement delivers on another commitment for the first 100 days of this government.
Ms Somerville said: “Every child has the right to an education and we believe that means an education supported and enhanced by technology. This as a vital aspect of an education system in the digital age which was clearly demonstrated by the pandemic.
“This is a hugely ambitious programme of work that will build on efforts to tackle digital inclusion during the pandemic. These early talks with Scottish councils are a positive step towards delivering this commitment.”
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People Know How have launched a nationwide campaign, Connectivity Now, calling for accessible and affordable connectivity in homes across Scotland to facilitate an end to data poverty.
Coronavirus highlighted digital exclusion across demographics, postcodes and sectors throughout Scotland. Organisations across sectors have now joined the battle against digital exclusion to continue offering their services, products or support.
The Connectivity Now manifesto is a call-to-action for organisations across sectors. It consists of 3 actions:
1. Regulate connectivity
2. Link connectivity to shared spaces
3. Zero-rate essential service websites
Read the full manifesto and pledge your support to #ConnectivityNow on People Know How’s website.
To make your pledge even more impactful, the charity is encouraging pledgers to record a short video clip, completing the following sentence: I support Connectivity Now because… Pledges including a video will be shared on People Know How’s social media channels, tagging and promoting your organisation as a supporter.
To spread the word and help get more pledges, People Know How have posts pinned for you to share on their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels and don’t forget to use the #ConnectivityNow hashtag!
Let’s unite our experiences from this pandemic and do something about data poverty!
Ready to pledge? Visit the website to read the manifesto, pledge your support and move one step closer to #ConnectivityNow:
Geography, background or ability should not be a barrier to getting online
An ambition to achieve ”world leading” levels of digital inclusion is at the heart of plans to equip Scotland for the technological transformation of the post-coronavirus (COVID-19) world.
The updated Digital Strategy, developed by the Scottish Government and COSLA in consultation with business and the third sector, also highlights a shared commitment to deliver digital public services that are accessible to all and simple to use.
On the economy, it recognises the potential for technology and digital ways of working to support Scotland’s post-pandemic recovery and its environmental targets.
Setting out the vision for every business to become a digital business, the strategy makes clear that improved digital education for children and continued upskilling of the existing workforce will be crucial if Scotland is to keep pace internationally.
The strategy also aims to support the success of Scotland’s tech industry as an innovative and global player, fostering a network of digital and data talent and attracting inward investment.
Innovation Minister Ivan McKee said: “Digital technology is a source of incredible opportunity – to open new markets, work in new ways, tackle climate change and make links across the globe.
“The pandemic reminds us every day that access to the internet is an essential lifeline and I’m determined to ensure that no one is left behind.
“Progress has been made to address this with Connecting Scotland bringing 55,000 people online by the end of this year. Now we want to go further and achieve world-leading levels of inclusion – as part of an ethical digital nation in which everybody has the skills, connectivity and devices required to reap the benefits of technology.
“The response to the pandemic has seen the public and private sectors deliver new services online and at speed. We’ll build on that momentum to support Scotland’s people and its businesses to thrive in the digital world.”
COSLA resources spokesperson Gail MacGregor said: “Digital technologies are changing the way we live our daily lives. The Digital Strategy for Scotland sets out an ambitious vision of a Scotland where everyone has the necessary skills and connectivity to thrive and where technology is used to improve access to services designed around the needs of people.
“The response to the pandemic has sped up the pace of digital transformation and has demonstrated the progress that can be made when we work together. Local Government will continue to take on a leadership role in achieving this shared vision of an open and inclusive digital Scotland where no one is left behind.”
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.”
