mPower has been involved in supporting the work being done by the Scottish Government as part of the Connecting Scotland programme to connect digitally excluded households, many of which include older people.
We estimate that together through the Connecting Scotland programme we’ve been able to provide around 300 devices to our beneficiaries.
We are delighted that the next phase of the Connecting Scotland programme will be specifically aimed at older people and we’ll do all we can to ensure as many as possible of our project beneficiaries are included.
John MacDonald, SCVO and mPower Community Engagement Coordinate said
“We are working hard to ensure that as many of the mPower beneficiaries as possible who need a device and connectivity can benefit from this programme. We know that connecting older people to digital resources can have a significant positive impact on their wellbeing. It allows them to connect safely with friends, family and health professionals during the pandemic as well as to easily access more of the things they love, such as music, dance, comedy, nature; anything you find online really. We know there are challenges in using the technology for the first time and that’s why through the use of Digital Champions, we’re also able to support people in learning how to use the devices and tools to get the most out of them’’.