Is that on the SCQF...? SCVO Digital Inclusion Programmes

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the national membership body for Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector. It champions the sector, provides services and debates big issues. SCVO is passionate about what the voluntary sector can achieve and along with its community of 2,000+ members, believes that charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups make Scotland a better place.

SCVO has been working on the digital inclusion agenda for around 8 years now, with a focus on supporting the voluntary sector to embed digital inclusion in core service delivery. SCVO and Glasgow Kelvin College are now offering a range of free qualifications which will help to address some of the challenges of digital inclusion in Scotland’s communities:

• Certificate in Digital Inclusion Support – SCQF Level 4 (with 1 credit point)
• Essential Skills for Digital Champions – SCQF Level 6 (with 4 credit points)
• Digital Inclusion Project Management – SCQF Level 8 (with 8 credit points)

After the past 15 months, there is no question that being digitally included is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but an essential lifeline. Digital has helped us stay connected to one another, enabled us to access services and find reliable public health information. It is often those working in frontline services that help build the skills and confidence of those who are digitally excluded. We call these people ‘Digital Champions’ and they embed digital skills in the core support they provide to their communities. The qualifications have been created to formally recognise the amazing work Digital Champions are doing across Scotland.

The Level 4 Certificate is an introductory course aimed at anyone starting their digital inclusion support journey, introducing some of the basic concepts. This is a great starting point for anyone who is new to helping address digital inequality. The Level 6 qualification builds on the Certificate, helping practitioners develop their digital support skills, with a focus on practice-based learning and reflection.

Our previous work at SCVO has taught us that well-intentioned attempts to promote digital inclusion can fail if there isn’t a commitment at senior management level that helps create the culture to sustain this work. We created the Level 8 qualification, aimed at managers, to help this cohort of learners to design and develop their own digital inclusion initiatives. This is a very practical course, taking learners through the different stages of project management and securing organisational buy-in.

Learner from the Level 8:

“Its guided assessments through project planning, delivery and evaluation put into focus approaches I had been doing unconsciously and allowed me to critically reflect their effectiveness. It challenged my assumptions of my community and was incredibly helpful in my role in Digital Inclusion.”

Enrolment for the new academic year will open again in September 2021, and you can find out more about all three qualifications on the SCVO website.