Community website 'Online Borders' is one of the best in the country
Tuesday, November 21 2006
Scottish Borders Community Grid for Learning ‘Online Borders’ recently scooped a Best Practice Award, and was selected as a finalist in the National e-Government Awards - the UK’s highest level commendation for online services to local communities.
The website, which is a partnership between Scottish Borders Council (SBC), NHS Borders, Careers Scotland, and the Borders Forum of Councils for Voluntary Service provides the community with useful services, training and resources at their fingertips. This service which was launched in March this year was selected by the Scottish European Social Fund (ESF) Objective 3 Partnership as top of the class in the ‘best demonstration of capacity building’ category.
(L to R) John Rigg, Marjorie Hutton, Liz Walthew.
The team received their award at the Good Practice event on Tuesday 7 November at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow. Liz Walthew is the Chair of the partnership and attended the event. She explains how she is delighted with the award, "It is absolutely great that the contribution that the website has made to the community in the Borders has been recognised. We are a very strong partnership and by working together this has made the website the success that it is".
Following on from this success, the project team recently received news that they have been chosen out of 345 services in the country as a finalist in the National e-Government Awards. Marjorie Hutton is SBC'sCommunity Learning and Development Manager. "We are very pleased with this news and it is truly wonderful that the service has been recognised. It is an excellent partnership and provides a huge range of resources for the community and this continues to develop. The website currently engages with 1500 local organisations and offers something for everybody in the community from local news, community events and community services directory listings to free online learning modules and on-line discussion forums on topical issues. This project has been a culmination of work over 3 years and it is a great achievement for the Borders for this hard work to be recognised".
The National e-Government Awards highlight the best online delivery of services in the country which have positively transformed lives of citizens, local communities, businesses and stakeholder groups. 89 finalists have been selected among a record 345 nominations that were submitted by senior professionals working across the public sector. The judging panel includes central and local government leaders with great experience in delivering strong services for citizens and stakeholders. The awards ceremony will be held in the Savoy Hotel in London in January 2007.
Editor's Note
Scottish Objective 3 European Social Fund (ESF) funds Online Borders alongside the New Opportunities Fund, Lloyds TSB, Scottish Executive and Careers Scotland. The website was launched in March 2006 and was developed jointly by the Borders Forum of Councils for Voluntary Service, Careers Scotland, Scottish Borders Council's Community Learning and Development, SBC Social Work Services and NHS Borders.
Unified Solutions.