Digital Xtra opens new round of funding for extracurricular computing projects

Scotland’s Digital Xtra Fund launched in May 2016 and awarded £250,000 to 12 projects, which expect to reach a combined total of 10,500 young people across the country by March 2017. An additional £150,000 has now been made available in response to the high number of applications received for the first round of funding.

Applications open  3 October via Public Contracts Scotland and eligible organisations can bid for grants from £1500 to a maximum £25000 per project to support computing science and digital skills focused extracurricular activities for 2016/17.

Funding is intended to support enterprising organisations that give young people aged 16 and under opportunities to learn computer science related digital skills and contribute to widening the provision of extracurricular computing science related activities across Scotland.

Scottish Government strategy sets out an ambitious plan to make Scotland a world-class digital nation by 2020. Over 84,000 people work in digital technologies roles across the Scottish economy and skills development will be an integral component in helping young people prepare for the digital future. Career opportunities are significant, with up to an estimated 11,000 job opportunities available in Scotland annually.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, said: “The Scottish Government is determined to close the digital skills gap faced by all sectors across the economy. We made clear our commitment to invest in the digital skills of our young people in the digital teaching and learning strategy we published last week. This additional funding for Digital Xtra will give thousands more young people opportunities to strengthen their digital skills through their engagement in a range of innovative projects.”

Digital Xtra has been developed and funded by the Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership whose partners include Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Funding Council, Education Scotland, ScotlandIS, and industry representatives.

It is anticipated that industry, employers and other funders will contribute to the fund in subsequent years, making this a sustainable approach.

Applications will be assessed by an expert panel which includes representatives from across Scotland’s digital technologies industry, Scottish Government and education.

Phil Worms, Computing and Schools Project Lead at ScotlandIS, says: “The panel was impressed by the many innovative ideas and partnerships received in the first round so it is fantastic to be able to offer a further funding opportunity this year and make extracurricular computing activities available to even more young people.  Once again we are very keen to see collaborative applications involving different partners and projects that foster greater links between industry, young people and the wider community. Projects should also show how participants will be involved in digital making and what computer science related skills they will learn.”

The Digital Xtra Fund welcomes applications from existing initiatives looking to expand their activities, as well as from innovative new projects and pilots that could be rolled out further in future. All applicants should clearly demonstrate potential for scalability and sustainability, as well as showing how they will reach previously underrepresented groups.

A total of £250,000 was awarded to 12 projects in August 2016, supporting a diverse range of activities including the use of wildlife cameras to help school pupils learn to code using Raspberry Pi computers, coding taught through local libraries, and a forensic investigation project.

The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday 4th November, 2016.  For full information and to apply, visit:

http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Authority/Postbox/Auth_PostBoxStatus.aspx?ID=SEP258925

Public Contracts Scotland Helpline Number: 0800 222 9003

Key dates 

1.  Any questions or queries about the application process should be submitted via the Public Contracts Scotland portal no later 5pm on Friday 28^th October 2016
2. Applications to the fund will be subject to a two stage assessment process comprising:
   1. An initial sift to ensure eligibility conditions are satisfied
   2. A full panel assessment with representatives from across Scotland’s digital technologies industry, Scottish Government and education

A new fund launching this month will support Scotland’s drive to attract more young people into digital careers by widening access to extracurricular and enrichment activities that bring technology to life.

The new Digital Xtra fund will be dedicated to ensuring that every child across the country has the opportunity to benefit from exciting and challenging digital activities such as after school coding clubs, competitions and innovative classroom programmes.

The £250,000 fund will be administered centrally by Skills Development Scotland and will accept applications from a wide range of organisations across Scotland such as education providers and schools, the voluntary sector and employers. Applications open later this month and full criteria and documentation will be available online via the Our Skills Force website.

The fund aims to make initiatives more accessible and sustainable across the whole country, and address the current shortage of extracurricular and enrichment provision in rural areas. It will also focus on fostering cutting edge initiatives as well as sharing best practice.

Developed in partnership by Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, ScotlandIS and Education Scotland, the new fund is part of an innovative and coordinated approach to how digital extracurricular and enrichment activities are supported. It will allow public sector bodies, Scottish Government, voluntary sector and industry to work together to support projects in a more coordinated way.

As part of the new approach, all extracurricular digital initiatives will be mapped to the curriculum to enable schools and teachers to make best use of them. Online resources will be developed to increase awareness of the full range of initiatives and best practice case studies and ideas will be made available for teachers and schools.

It is also planned that school pupils, parents and volunteers will be able to search for initiatives in their local area and find out how they can get involved.

The Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership will provide funding for the first year, and it is anticipated that industry, employers and other funders will contribute in subsequent years, making this a sustainable approach.