Free laptops for those who meet criteria

The initiative is designed to help those who may be digitally excluded at present and can meet the criteria.

These are to be gifted to digitally excluded families with children and care leavers up to the age of 26 years. TSI Western Isles can support groups and organisations to apply for these – please contact Suzanne Macaulay, [email protected] or for more information or visit https://tsiwi.org/latest-news/

The project aims to reach as many digitally excluded people as possible across the whole of the Western Isles. The current focus is for families with children, including single parents and expectant mothers, however, individuals who are isolated, disabled, elderly and vulnerable, low income families/individuals who might benefit can also register interest.

The eligibility criteria are: Digitally excluded – do not have an appropriate device and/or are not connected to the internet at home; and on low incomes so cannot afford to buy a device or pay for internet access; and are either households with children or where a child is normally resident; or care leavers up to the age of twenty-six.

Getting online will help individuals access public services, support learning, help find or maintain work and provide resilience in the event of further lockdowns.

Library staff can help with the initial set-up of devices, short induction and on-going advice, but your services/staff would need to be responsible for the actual gifting/handing-out of the devices to those put forward.

You can download a Connecting Scotland application form at https://tsiwi.org/latest-news/ and return to Kathleen Milne, Libraries Manager [email protected]