Safe Surfing: free cyber safety factsheets available

Scots are to be armed with a new tool to equip them with the digital know-how and best practice on how to tackle cyber crime. To coincide with Safer Internet Day 2018, the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) has revised its hugely successful cyber safety factsheets which aim to provide individuals and businesses with enhanced guidance to thwart e-crime. Continue reading Safe Surfing: free cyber safety factsheets available

Beware of LinkedIn’s pitfalls, warns cyber security expert

A leading expert on cybercrime is warning Scots to be wary of the hidden dangers LinkedIn can pose. In the run up to Safer Internet Day, Gerry Grant, Chief Ethical Hacker with the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC), is urging caution from those who use the popular social media network. Continue reading Beware of LinkedIn’s pitfalls, warns cyber security expert

First for Scotland as Hanover launches online discussion group?

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Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association has launched a new Facebook group for their residents, their friends and relatives to share news, views and useful tips and to ask any questions they may have about Hanover’s services.

‘Hanover Blether’ went live on Monday 29 August 2016 and was made a reality after a resident suggested it would be beneficial to have an online ‘hub’ to connect with other Hanover residents and to share their experiences, news about the local community, events and group activities as well as allowing their friends and family to easily interact with their loved ones.

The group is thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland and although it is maintained jointly by Hanover staff and Hanover residents, the group is completely independent and residents are encouraged to share their views on the organisation and about life in Hanover properties, good or bad.

The group also provides another, more informal, way for residents to get in touch with Hanover directly and to ask anything about the organisation and their tenancy. Hanover noted that the group was not to be used in emergencies or to report a repair, when the usual channels should be used.

Hanover resident, Patrick O’Shea, the brains behind the group said: “I thought it would be a good idea to give Hanover residents a platform to raise issues that they may have and to find out about the problems and experiences of other residents. I also felt that there are many good reasons for staying in Hanover and we should talk about those as well.”

Helen Murdoch, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Chief Executive, said: “I’m absolutely delighted Hanover Blether is up and running and look forward to seeing the tremendous benefits it will bring to both ourselves and to our Facebook users.

“Resident engagement is a key strategic priority for Hanover. More and more of our service users, their carers and their relatives are online, and Facebook is a great way to communicate, which will in turn help us to work closely with those people we engage with to improve our services. It will also provide a great forum for our residents to share tips and get to know each other.”

Common Weal’s social media platform launches today

Scotland’s new social media platform goes live at midday

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‘Think and Do tank’ Common Weal launch their new social media platform today. Two years in the planning, organisers say the space offers opportunities for debate, discussion and ideas about Scotland’s future.

In an email issued to supporters yesterday, Common Weal said:

When Common Weal first started, it was suggested to us by many that what we needed most was a space to bring everyone together, to stay connected, to share ideas and plan for our future. Well, nearly two years later, we’ve finally done it.

Because of the investment from our partners – our regular donors – we have been able to take all the great things about social media and create a space where we can come together, to discuss the immense challenges we face in our social, political and economic future. It is a place for debate, to learn and educate, to share our experiences, and plan and strategise.

Making change isn’t easy. It takes hard work. But isn’t that the most exciting part? The more effort we put in now, at a grassroots level, the greater the results will be. The wealth of knowledge in Scotland is astounding, but it’s frustrating when we don’t know how to put that knowledge into action. Let’s become the media, become the experts, let’s be the powerful ones shaping our future.

I hope you will join us on by setting up a profile for the launch tomorrow – Saturday 13th August. We created it together. Let’s utilise it in the best possible way.

CommonSocial video with instructions: https://vimeo.com/178482743

CommonSocial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommonSocial/?fref=ts

CommonSocial Twitter: @commonsocia

Good luck with the launch – let’s keep talking!

Ocean Terminal event is just what the doctor ordered

‘Design Doctor’ social media campaign makes the virtual a reality with interactive upcycling event in Edinburgh

 

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This weekend marks the culmination of a Scotland-wide, eight-week social media campaign to encourage people to upcycle and re-use furniture. Continue reading Ocean Terminal event is just what the doctor ordered

OMG! College offers digital industry skills programme

Edinburgh College gives budding digital creatives the chance to make it with BBC scheme

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Edinburgh College is giving creative young unemployed people who love likes, hashtags and telling stories online the chance to take the first steps towards a digital industry career.

The college’s eight-week BBC Make it Digital programme will teach skills to unemployed young people including: digital storytelling, building a website, planning a social media campaign, shooting and editing a film and learning how to pitch creative ideas to business.

The training programme was designed by the BBC Academy and is open to unemployed people between 16-24. It will take place at the college’s Milton Road Campus, where students will work with industry-standard software. The course will start on 2 November.

Taking part in this programme does not affect benefits and those between 16 and 18 on the programme will receive £55 per week Training Allowance. Travelling expenses are also part of the support.

Students will spend three weeks on work placements with local employers, who will ask them to design a social media campaign.

Make it Digital is a national scheme but the programme in Scotland has the added benefit of a recognised SQA qualification – the National Progression Award in Enterprise and Employability.

Trainees will also take part in a Radio 1 challenge based in London, where the best entries will be shortlisted into the final recruitment stages for a year-long Radio 1 Apprenticeship.

As well as new digital skills, students will also learn employability skills including business networking, CV and interview tips, budgeting, project management and creating an online portfolio. By the end of the training, participants will greatly improve their chances of finding a job or a modern apprenticeship.

Jon Buglass, head of Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to start to develop the skills they need to make it in the creative digital industry. The digital sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK at the moment as businesses now rely on an online presence to survive. We’re excited to be working with the BBC Academy and Skills Development Scotland to give unemployed young people the chance to build digital and employability skills to help them make their way back into the workplace.”

Skills Development Scotland is funding the programme through the Employability Fund. Contact the Edinburgh Skills Development Scotland Careers Centre on 0131 718 2040 or speak to a Jobcentre Work Coach to find out how to apply for this course.

 

Digital Information Day for MHA tenants

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Muirhouse Housing Association tenants have an opportunity to brush up their technology skills at event at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre tomorrow (writes James McGinty):

Come and find out more about using phones,tablets and computers with the M.H.A. Team at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre (Lounge/Cafe area) on Tuesday (9 June) from 11am – 1pm.

This is an event for M.H.A.Tenants only.

An expert from the field of computers will be there joining the Team and if you attend your name will be entered to a lucky dip to win a tablet!

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