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Good Practice in Rural Development
No.8
Innovative Methods of Service Delivery in Rural Scotland:A Good Practice Guide

5. Use of New technology

Many people now have computers in their homes, with an increasing number of people accessing services via the internet and telephone. Many local authorities and Local Enterprise Companies also provide training courses in ICT, in partnership with local FE colleges and universities.

New technology can be a useful way of reaching as many people as possible as well as providing a confidential service. Remote provision of services via the internet and telephone is increasing, particularly in the banking and retail sectors.

Web-sites focussing on local areas have also been recognised not only as a valuable tourism resource providing information on local accommodation and businesses but also a good way of harnessing community spirit and identity.

5.1 Ayrshire Electronic Community (AEC)

Method of delivery: use of new technology
Funding: ERDF, East Ayrshire Council (lead partner)
Contact:http://www.e-ayrshire.co.uk (Maureen Walker: 01290 428300).

The AEC project was set up to improve the ICT infrastructure and ICT awareness throughout Ayrshire, particularly in socially excluded communities.

The AEC was borne out of the Information and Advice Project that was run before local authority reorganisation in 1995, through Strathclyde Regional Council's Poverty Action Group.

The Information and Advice Project provided substantial information on community needs, and the outcomes of this consultation was built on in subsequent meetings, ensuring community representation and this approach was adopted and extended by East Ayrshire Council.

The AEC project offers access and support to Internet-linked PCs in over 100 sites in community and public locations such as community centres, GP clinics and shopping precincts. This enables access to public information published online by various different public sector agencies, educational establishments, libraries, businesses and community services. Since January 2002 AEC has:

• Developed, and currently hosts / supports 80 community websites;
• Introduced the benefits of ICT to around 1000 individuals;
• Trained 550 people in basic computer, Internet and email usage;
• Assisted 250 community organisations to make use of ICT; and
• Provided broadband access in 20 AEC supported centres.

The AEC Project has been funded by a number of partnership bodies including Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care Health Trust, East Ayrshire Coalfield Area Social Inclusion Partnership, North Ayrshire Council, North Ayrshire Social Inclusion Partnership and the Benefits Agency. The sustainability of AEC beyond the current funding period of 31 December 2004 is currently being assessed and a Social Enterprise Business (not for profit) model is one option for consideration.

5.2 Angus Glens Online Resource Action (AGORA)

Method of delivery: use of new technology
Source of funding: Angus Council; Scottish Enterprise Tayside; the European Regional Development Fund.
Contact:http://www.angusglens.co.uk/indexie.html
kirriemuir@angus.gov.uk

AGORA started life with the refurbishment of 30 village halls throughout the Angus Council area. Twelve computers were purchased and distributed to 6 of the halls, located in Menmuir, Glenesk, Lethnot, Tannadice, Glenisla, and Memus. This paved the way for subsequent projects aimed at addressing the lack of IT skills in some of the remotest parts of Angus.

The next step in the development of AGORA was established in September 1998 with the 'Building Blocks in the Angus Glens' Project. A Community Education Worker (CEW) was appointed to consult local communities on their thoughts of how to make best use of the newly available technology. This consultation process contributed towards the development of training programmes that catered to the IT needs of local people to be drawn up and implemented. As part of the capacity building process, the CEW helped each of the 6 areas to establish local management groups who would take responsibility for the computers, including running costs. Basic computer education training was provided as was IT support, with the CEW acting as facilitator.

AGORA was established with several key objectives in mind. These included the further development of ICT training, promoting the use and advantages of ICT, utilising the internet as a business tool, and constructing a community web-site for local businesses, E-commerce and community groups.

AGORA seeks to help local businesses and communities build and manage their own web-site, thus developing the education, business and social opportunities in the Glens' remote communities.

5.3 Buchan Community Web

Method of delivery: use of new technology
Source of funding: Objective 1; Grampian Enterprise; Buchan Development Partnership.
Contact:http://www.buchanweb.org/bcw/main_pages/index.htm
(Bill Cottingham 01771 613666).

In September 1996, Aberdeenshire Council launched 15 community Internet groups. Buchan Community Web was one of those groups. The remit of Buchan Community Web was to develop a local web-site that provided information on local services, provided tourist information and news within the community.

Initial funding was secured from the EU and this contributed towards the project start-up costs and also paid for the training of volunteers. Further support and accommodation for the project was provided by Aberdeenshire Council.

An output of the project is the ongoing development of a community toolbox, which will provide an online resource providing examples of best practice on fundraising and how to establish an organisation, for example.

Buchan Community Web operates under the umbrella of Buchan Development Partnership, which also covers Buchan-Dial-A-Bus, the Book of Deer Project and Buchan Tourism Group ( see 4.1).

The Buchan Development Partnership recently formed a consortium with other public, private and voluntary sector bodies to make an application to the National Lottery Community Fund to purchase Maud Mart, formerly a cattle mart. It is hoped that once the funding is in place Maud Mart can be developed into a purpose-built training centre.

5.4 Information Technology Rural Training Bus

Method of delivery: mobile facilities, use of new technology
Source of funding: Rural Challenge Fund; European Social Fund; Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire.
Contact: Ronnie Sinclair 01292 266171.

In 1996 South Ayrshire Council approved the financing of a customised computer training bus with 8 workstations and an independent power supply. A previous project had delivered computer classes in local community centres and the Rural Training Bus was established to further develop IT training throughout the area. Tutorial support was provided by Ayr College whilst South Ayrshire Council provided the computers used. The Rural Training Bus became operational in August 1998.

The courses offered on the bus provide an introduction to information technology for people with little or no computer experience. Training is provided a half- day per week over 16 weeks. The course covers basic word processing, spreadsheets and database applications. On successful completion of the training course, participants receive an SVQ level 1 certificate.

The bus parks in the grounds of the local school or community centre, with a crèche available for the provision of childcare. The bus is a valuable training resource for people and there is a strong awareness of the bus in South Ayrshire. Initially, students on the training course produced the bus promotional material and, after three years, there continues to be strong demand for the service and there are waiting lists in most villages.

Capacity building is one of the aims of the Rural Training Bus with local people being given the opportunity to acquire IT skills that can then be applied for business or recreational purposes. The informal environment of the bus breaks down perceived barriers to continuing education by building people's confidence towards computer-use and learning in general. The drop out rate is very low and students work at their own pace.

The bus was refurbished in 2002 with the eight workstations upgraded to internet capable laptops. Moreover, the electrical system, which had been problematic in the past, was simplified allowing the service to run more effectively.

5.5 Lessons Learnt in Practice

New technology can allow people to transcend geographical location and enables them to access services they would normally have to travel to. The NHS Direct web-site, for example, offers information and advice on a myriad of medical conditions. Telephone banking services are also increasing in popularity. However, there are two significant preventative checks on the usefulness and appropriateness of new technologies - the purchase of personal computers for many people is cost prohibitive and many people are not proficient or, at least, confident in the use of ICT.

The Information Technology Rural Training Bus allows people to learn at their own pace, with potential concerns about computer-learning overcome by the approachability of staff. Training staff are 'adult sympathetic' which helps to build people's confidence. Furthermore, students are also encouraged to identify their future training needs and encouraged to continue learning at Ayr College or the Carrick buildings in Girvan.

The Buchan Community Web consult with all other local organisations that provide ICT training to avoid duplication. For example, Banff and Buchan Technical College provide Buchan Community Web with placement students who build the capacity of the project at no extra cost whilst the students gain valuable practical experience. Common sense dictates that the synergistic approach through collaboration and partnership working reaps benefits for the service providers and the service users. The project takes a softer approach than formalised training as some of the service users have never used computers before.

It was pointed out again that, sometimes, the work of volunteers can be overlooked or undervalued by grant administrators. However, the work of volunteers and the voluntary sector as a whole is growing in recognition. Creating a good work environment is essential for the retention of volunteers - the Buchan Community Web was described as being like "a little family" simply because they had worked well together. A major challenge mentioned is the procurement of funding but it was stressed that an optimistic outlook was necessary in retaining voluntary status rather moving towards becoming a profit-making organisation.

A key lesson pointed out by the AGORA project is that hardware and software can only be as effective as the available support - ICT training in itself does not facilitate community-led initiatives.

Furthermore, ICT training reaps 'soft' economic benefits and so the outputs of AGORA cannot be measured in terms of SVQ attainment by people or the number of people employed in relevant occupations. It is an 'added-value' project, building the capacity of communities to develop projects by themselves, with further potential e-commerce and tourism-related benefits of web-sites.

The Ayrshire Electronic Community pointed out that, whilst they had been very fortunate with the level of funding they had received, the set-up costs of large-scale ICT projects can be prohibitive without the availability of match funding required to lever EU Structural Funds. It was further stressed that the approach to ICT projects had to be people-centred, not equipment-centred.

The Information Technology Rural Training Bus has highlighted the strong demand for ICT training in rural areas. Moreover, it has been particularly effective in allowing women returners to work and young mothers to access training outwith the formalised environment of FE colleges, whilst still having access to adjacent childcare facilities. The bus provides a quality service to rural areas that many people would not have access to normally. However, whilst taking ICT training closer to people's doorsteps, a drawback is that once a course has been delivered it can take up to a year before another course is run in the same area, due to the rota system. The practical side of running such a project is ensuring that the systems are working on the Rural Training Bus, and avoiding long periods off the road. The former problem has been addressed of late with the simplification of the electrical system.

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