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Supporting Scotland's vibrant voluntary sector

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB.

We can think about digital inclusion just like driving a car, with each of the five challenges having an analogy:

Only when all five elements are complete can an individual get to their destination. 

However, in real life we have public transport system to ensure that we can all navigate and get around the world we live in, regardless of whether we have a car. There’s no comparable infrastructure for the digital world. That’s why everyone making a commitment to tackle digital exclusion is so important. 

Case study: North East Sensory Services

We seek to bridge service delivery gaps and ensure that people living with serious sensory loss or impairment, no matter their age or circumstances, have equality of rights and opportunity. Living with a significant sensory loss can be both physically and emotionally challenging, with increased risk of social isolation, frustration, and disengagement from society due to communication barriers.

We focus on solutions not problems, and enable people to find their own by providing them with the information, equipment, practical and emotional support they need to do so. Central to this is the provision of digital awareness, skills training and support through a number of our Added Value services, thus reducing social isolation and increasing independence, economic security and inclusion, and emotional wellbeing in our service users.
Our ‘ICT for All’ service frequently supports service users who are engaged in our Employment Service, familiarising those of working age with accessible, assistive technology to allow them to undertake job searches and complete application forms.

We have also found that smart speakers have proved both easily accessible and popular with older people who see their smart speaker as a new “friend” to chat to as well as answering questions, making phone calls, and playing music and radio.

“I find it difficult to put into words the benefit that my wife derived from your visits. The device your worker installed is allowing my wife to read letters which previously I would have had to read to her and to read magazine articles I would have told her about. His suggestions for the computer have made it easier for her to order groceries and bus tickets and generally keep in touch with the world, for herself.”

Last modified on 12 December 2023
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