Connecting Scotland receives GB£23 million funding

Scottish government programme Connecting Scotland was launched in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. It will provide iPads, Chromebooks, and develop digital skills for people who are digitally excluded and on low incomes. The first phase of the programme, April-July 2020, which focused on those who were at risk of isolation due to the Coronavirus, was supported by the government with GB£5 million to target 9 000 households. The second phase was launched on 18 August 2020 with an additional GB£15 million to target households with children and caretakers up to the age of 26. In September 2020, the Programme for Government (PfG) announced further cash support of GB£23 million to organisations that work with digitally excluded families and young people in care. ‘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,’ noted Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell. The closing date for current open applications is on 5 October 2020.