Digital Xtra Fund becomes Scotland’s first dedicated digital skills charity for young people
Melanie May | 3 April 2017 | News
Scotland’s Digital Xtra Fund has become the country’s first charity dedicated to supporting digital skills initiatives for young people aged 16 and under.
The Digital Xtra Fund, which works to encourage under 16s in Scotland to develop their digital skills through extracurricular activities, has so far distributed £400,000 to organisations delivering extracurricular activities and has an expected reach of 15,000 young people, across every local authority area in Scotland.
Last month, it received official charitable status from Scottish charity regulator, OSCR, announced by Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, at Tackling the Technology Gender Gap Together 2017.
A key objective of the charity is to promote gender balance by encouraging more girls to engage in digital and consider STEM subjects while in school. Objectives also include building stronger links between young people and Scotland’s tech industry, promoting the range of pathways into the tech sector, and targeting underrepresented groups.
It is asking Scotland’s tech industry for donations, sponsorships and offers of in kind support to help it deliver its objectives, with BT Scotland and Be Positive two of the first industry contributors.
Funding for Digital Xtra Fund is provided by partners of the Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership, which include the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Funding Council, Education Scotland, ScotlandIS, and industry representatives.
Minister Somerville said:
“The Digital Xtra Fund highlights the Scottish Government’s determination to close the digital skills gap faced by all sectors across the economy but also brings together a range of exciting digital opportunities for young people in one easily accessible place and does so in a new and innovative way. Investment in the digital skills of our young people is crucial to Scotland’s future.”
Image: project currently funded by Digital Xtra Fund
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.