New Fund to Enhance Digital Skills Across Glasgow

That the Parliament congratulates the HFD Charitable Foundation and the Virgin Money Foundation on launching the Building Digital Skills Fund to support community groups and charities in Glasgow and the surrounding area with projects to address digital inequalities; understands that, so far, it allocated £688,000 to the Cranhill Development Trust, Fuse Youth Café, the Govanhill Baths Community Trust, the Govan Community Project, the Maryhill Integration Network, Rosemount Lifelong Learning, the South West Arts and Music Project (SWAMP) and the Whiteinch Centre to support people by boosting their digital skills and confidence, providing them with access to affordable data and broadband and ensuring that they have the necessary equipment, such as mobile Wi-Fi devices, to do this; notes that each of the charities receiving support from the first round of funding were selected in recognition of what it sees as the crucial role that they play in promoting digital inclusion throughout the communities that they serve; understands that, according to the most recent Glasgow Household Survey, an estimated 44,450 of the city's residents do not have internet access, and believes that this new fund will assist in bridging the divide, by providing people with support to help with access to equipment and key digital skills, including using internet platforms for applying for jobs and college courses and using search engines.