Welcome to our newsletter, bringing you all the latest from the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government. In this newsletter, we bring you a detailed update on what has been happening across the Digital Partnership throughout the last month and details of upcoming activities.
If you have any queries regarding any of the content within this newsletter, please get in touch.
Data Literacy and Data Stewardship Professional Learning - Closing Date Extended to Friday 4th of October!
The Digital Office for Scottish Local Government and the Scottish Digital Academy work together to build digital capability across the public sector.
This offer of professional learning is intended as a pilot to develop data literacy and stewardship skills for those working in local government. In September 2024, the First Minister set out the Scottish Government’s ambitions for the year ahead through the Programme for Government:
eradicating child poverty
growing the economy
tackling the climate emergency
improving public services
The purpose of this pilot is to assess a professional learning intervention to upskill those working with data where it relates to child poverty.
Details about the course and the content can be found in the course booklet and we recommend that you download and review this before registering interest. Please also find the links to the recordings of both the Executive and Learner information sessions for reference for those of you who couldn't attend or would like to share with colleagues.
To note that the exact course dates and times have yet to be confirmed, and we will confirm these details to success registrants. Registration closes on Friday 4th October 2024.
If you have any questions or issues completing the registration form, please contact Verity Hislop.
We are delighted to share with you that COSLA has entered a five year agreement with CACI to provide access to Paycheck and Acorn data which has been used by Scottish Councils to support more targeted interventions relating to housing, poverty, health and wellbeing (and more). 23 Councils have so far joined the agreement and will have received the datasets on the 26th September.
Onboarding events for staff using the data are scheduled for the following dates. You can join the Microsoft Teams sessions by clicking on the preferred time slot below:
As well as providing access to the data, the Digital Office and CACI plan to support Councils with adoption and to facilitate shared learning and are meeting in October to develop an engagement plan.
If your Council has not yet signed up but would like to find out more about how you might get involved, please contact Colin Birchenall.
Next Generation Digital Champions Discovery Workshop.
The role of Digital Champions has become increasingly pivotal. These are the individuals who possess a profound understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and beyond. Many are enthusiasts as well as experts who leverage technology to solve complex problems, disrupt traditional models, and create unprecedented value.
There has been great progress across local government since the launch of the initial Digital Champions initiative, with many councils engaging individuals throughout their organisations, but what if we were to combine professional training and support with a cross organisation Digital Champion network?
That’s exactly what we want to explore in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and a collaborative procurement, but we need your support to co-design ‘how might we’? Please join us in this discovery workshop on Thursday 10th October, 10am - 11:30 am to share your experiences, co-develop and find out more.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Verity Hislop.
National M365 Cross-Organisation Collaboration Programme.
We’re keen to hear from you! We're looking for case studies and team feedback on how the changes introduced as part of Phase 1 have impacted your day-to-day work. To make this as smooth and easy as possible, we can either send you a short questionnaire or arrange a quick 15-minute call with staff. These insights will be included in our upcoming national communications.
The M365 Landscape Review is ready to go, with all questions finalised and reviewed. We’ll be reaching out to engage with your teams this week to gather key contacts and begin the process.
The Device Optimisation Initiative is also set to start, with everything in place. We’ll begin reaching out to teams this week to kick off engagement and ensure smooth coordination.
The Skills HubRollout continues to grow, with 26 councils now onboarded. We’re working to get the remaining councils live as quickly as possible.
Collaborative Procurement Opportunity:
We’re currently exploring the feasibility of procuring a solution to enable secure and seamless Wi-Fi access across public sector locations, such as GovRoam. This would allow staff to connect easily and securely when working across different sites, improving both connectivity and flexibility.
This initiative aligns with our broader goal of enhancing cross-organisational connectivity, implementing common solutions, and fostering digital collaboration. The expected benefits include cost efficiencies through collective procurement, improved workforce productivity, and stronger cross-organisation connectivity.
If your council is already using GovRoam (or other such solution), we’d love to hear your feedback! And if this functionality sounds like it would be of use to your team, please get in touch with Monika Franko to express your interest and explore the potential for participation in a collaborative procurement process.
New AI Guidance Published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides new opportunities for Councils to increase productivity, transform the customer experience, and improve outcomes for our communities.
We know that many Councils are now starting to experiment with (or are implementing) AI solutions, and as they do so are seeking advice and guidance to help them to navigate challenges such as privacy, ethics, trust, equalities and bias.
Last year, the Digital Office hosted a webinar with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on equalities considerations for introducing AI. The EHRC has now issued new guidance "Ensuring equality in public services: including in the use of AI", together with good practice in Local Government.
Martyn Wallace, Chief Digital Officer "With the emergence of AI in the public sector, it is crucial to balance the operational efficiencies and enhanced benefits to citizens with ethical, lawful, secure, and equitable use. The guidance set out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission ensures we use AI correctly from the start.
The second User Insight Group (UIG) for the Security Operations Centre (SOC) Framework project was successfully completed on 26th of September.
A huge thanks to all the participants from both the first and second UIGs for their valuable contributions. Your time and insight have been instrumental in shaping the direction of this project.
Work is progressing on the first draft of the SOC requirements document, which was shared during the second UIG. The next phase involves convening the Technical Panel and finalising these requirements.
If you'd like to get involved in the project, it's not too late! Please reach out to Dave Ritchie or Sam Whitehead directly.
Development of the new Multi-Agency Public Protection System (MAPPS).
The Digital Office, in collaboration with the Scottish Government, local authorities, Police Scotland, the NHS, and the Home Office, is actively involved in developing the new Multi-Agency Public Protection System (MAPPS). This system is set to replace ViSOR, which currently contains details of individuals requiring special monitoring arrangements and for whom local government is a responsible authority.
A draft paper providing updates on the project's progress has been completed and is being shared with colleagues at COSLA, the Scottish Government, and the Digital Assurance Board. Following a review by our governance boards, this document will be made more widely available. Given the complexity and significance of this project for public protection in Scotland, we will continue to provide updates on its progress and any potential implications for Scottish Local Government.
If you would like to find out more about this project, please contact info@digitaloffice.scot
Shared ARC Programme shortlisted for DL100 Award.
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We are excited to announce that the Shared ARC Programme is shortlisted for the 2024 Digital Leaders 100 Award for Digital Public Service Innovation.
The DL100 list honors those driving the UK's Digital Transformation. The Shared ARC Platform, a pioneering UK initiative, provides a state-of-the-art, cloud-based solution for Telecare Service Providers, combining shared infrastructure with full autonomy and diverse service delivery options.
With a focus on security and scalability, it promotes robust collaboration and efficient information exchange among Telecare Service Providers in Scotland, ensuring continuous improvement and excellence.
Help us win!
Your vote can help us secure this award. Support the Shared ARC Programme and our mission to transform digital public services in Scotland. Cast your vote today!
Data plays an important role in informing policy at every stage, from identifying areas where improvement can or should be made to evaluating the success of policies.
Scottish Government's Better Data Community (Making Data Better, Smarter and More Open) are holding Data in Policy themed events to showcase the innovative work taking place to improve public services with the help of data and help creates spaces to share experiences.
Confirmed dates include:
SAVVI - Using Data to Find and Support Vulnerable People Speakers: Paul Davidson and Shelley Heckman, Tameside Council Wednesday 2nd October, 12pm - 1pm.
How policy and data can help change happen … and lessons from when it did not
The Scottish Climate Intelligence Service and piecing together Scotland’s climate policy implementation Speaker: Clare Wharmby, Edinburgh Climate Change Institute Thursday 24 October, 11 am – 12 pm
You can find further information on these events and detailed instructions on how to sign up, free of charge, on Ticket Tailor.
Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, COSLA Verity House, 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh, United Kingdom EH12 5BH, Scotland
