First digital community centre opens in Scotland

The first Digital Community Centre (DCC) in mainland UK opened this week in Scotland.

Part of a global initiative by HP and supported by the Govan Initiative, a local development company, the DCC aims to provide local people with the opportunity to gain basic IT skills and show how information and communications technology can be used for a range of activities from job seeking to the management of community projects and running small businesses.

The centre is located in Govan, one of Glasgow's most deprived areas. HP chose the area since it is in close proximity to its Erskine site where some of its products are assembled and customer services teams are based. A spokesman for the company said it is committed to "playing a full part in every community where we do business, and DCCs are one way we do this".

The DCC digitally connects 12 local community centres to provide job growth and entrepreneurship. Users can access a wide range of multimedia technology, including computers, scanners, digital cameras and data projectors, provided by HP to a value of £150,000.

The project will target a range of groups including young people, single parents, the unemployed and members from the BME (Black Minority Ethnic) community. The centre is free to use and anyone can come along.

Opening the centre in Govan, Johann Lamont MSP, Deputy Minister for Communities, said: "The Govan Digital Community Centre allows people to use technology in different ways, and I am confident that this initiative will open up opportunities for individuals and for the community."

The aim with the DCC is to attract jobs and industry to Govan and to regenerate the whole area, HP said.

The staff that provide the training at the centre are employed by Govan Initiative. HP said it is currently in the process of building a three-year strategic plan to support Govan Initiative in order to find other potential sponsors for costs such as repair of equipment.

The DCC in Govan is the first on the UK mainland, but there are established centres in France, Ghana, Hungary, Portugal, Jordan, South Africa as well as Belfast and Dublin. There are currently no plans of more DCC projects in the UK.