IT Network - Recognition - About the Project

Enable 16 Councils for Voluntary Service in the East of Scotland to take up broadband services
Provide a CVS Broadband Solutions Consultancy Programme for the 16 East of Scotland CVSs to enable them to identify the best broadband package and the most appropriate technical solutions to providing broadband services
Increase the number of voluntary organisations accessing broadband
Exploit broadband technologies through inter-networking to improve communications
Promote broadband technologies locally by demonstrating practically in a voluntary sector office environment the business benefits of high speed internet access
Provide training for 16 CVS staff to enable them to pass on the benefits of broadband to locally based voluntary organisations
Create 16 Social Economy Broadband Champions
Enable CVS to act as a conduit for provision of broadband access to locally based community and voluntary organisations
Provision of marketing material on the benefits of broadband to the voluntary sector and the client groups it seeks to support
Exchange good practice between CVS who are involved in broad band provision and new entrants to the market
Exchange visits between CVS involved in broadband provision and new CVS entrants to the market
Partnership initiatives between CVS who are leading the way in terms of wireless broadband to the local community and CVS in areas with significant levels of deprivation which will encourage uptake of broadband from socially excluded groups and promotion of the development of next generation broadband projects
Production of Good Practice information to ensure that the voluntary sector are advised of the range of broadband options available, the strengths and weaknesses of each package in relation to their local need and the financial costs of the different packages
Evaluation of the programme to ensure it meets the strategic objectives of the Broadband Access Programme
Increase the competitiveness of the social economy in the East of Scotland and contribute to the growth of Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SME’s)

It is envisaged that the project will bring the following benefits to the 16 East of Scotland CVSs:

Improved access to information
Business efficiencies and lowering of costs
Greater business to business sharing of information between SCVO and CVS
Raised standards in terms of quality of information provision to the voluntary sector
Ability to benefit from the range of resources and toolkits produced by SCVO
Increased networking between SCVO and East of Scotland CVS
Ability to benefit from the enhanced SCVO website and the proposed CVS Extranet/Web Site
Increased awareness and take-up of broadband in the voluntary sector in Scotland