Funding welcomed to connect Scotland’s most vulnerable

ScotlandIS welcomes news today (Thursday 7th May) of the Scottish Government’s plan to invest £5 million for internet connections, training and support, and a laptop or tablet, to vulnerable people who are not already online during the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Jane Morrison-Ross, chief executive of ScotlandIS, said:

“ScotlandIS is delighted at news of the Scottish Government’s funding of the Connecting Scotland programme. The initiative, with support from several key industry players, will help the most vulnerable people in Scotland get online to access much needed support, information, and training at this challenging time.

“It is through collaboration, innovation, and intent that we can advance the digitisation of Scotland and ensure no-one is left behind when it comes to online connectivity, and ScotlandIS is proud to play its role in delivering on this ambition. We also wish to convey our gratitude to our members and the wider Scottish technology sector, in particular some of our smaller members who have offered much time, expertise and guidance. I would also like to thank Gartner for the fantastic project support which has enabled the collaboration between all partners.

The Connecting Scotland project is being delivered by the Scottish Government, in partnership with local authorities, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the digital and IT sectors led by ScotlandIS. It is also supported by Microsoft, Leidos, the Data Lab, and Accenture.