Services Delivery Projects help local agencies and voluntary organisations build their ICT capacity in order to deliver services more effectively. This support for local organisations can have a major impact on the well being of the special needs populations they serve.

This project description was written by Terry Grunwald for the Scottish Communities Channel in 2001, but is now longer available there. We plan to update here shortly.

What do Benefits Services Delivery Projects do?

• Provide outreach and on-site demonstrations at local agencies and organisations to build awareness of the Net and its benefits
• Build community-of-interest networks among practitioners who provide a common service or work with similar populations
• Help groups build web pages that serve their organisational missions and "tell their story" to the community
• Promote and help develop information and referral databases that combine government and community services into a single integrated system
• Provide videoconferencing facilities that enable people in remote areas to get direct services from benefits agencies ­ saving time and transportation costs

Resources

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

Citizens Advice Bureau-Scotland provides information and referral on 150 Citizens Advice Bureau Service points that cover Scotland from the islands to city centres. See its list of local Bureau web sites.

The London Advice Services Agency is developing two useful resources (1) Computanews a subscription-based newsletter on IT for workers and (2) Knowledgebase, a database of useful ICT information for organisations.

Models

Ayrshire Community Network has created a state-of-the-art video link between local council offices and benefits offices. See their story on the Communities Channel site.

Castlemilk Connections is working with a cluster of child care providers in its area by offering a helpdesk -- plus on-site support, training, and web site development services. See their story on the Communities Channel site.