The Scottish Tech Army is a new initiative to match people working in the digital technology industries – including the games sector – who are currently furloughed, or out of work, with projects to combat the Covid-19 crisis.
The organisation aims to use the technical skills and creativity offered by Scotland’s digital workforce, to create a delivery capability for public and third sector bodies which have been impacted by the pandemic.
Think of it as open source for the common good.
The Scottish Tech Army is currently evaluating a wide range of projects, to prioritise those which can be delivered quickly and provide the greatest impact.
Volunteers from all disciplines are welcomed. From programmer and developers, to project managers and marketing/social media experts.
Alistair Forbes, the co-founder of the project, told DIGIT:
“Public and private sector workers – from health and social care staff through to food supply chain and logistics workers – are out there risking their lives to battle this pandemic and the Scottish Tech Army gives our digital community the chance to demonstrate that we’ve got their backs.
“Data and digital technologies are key weapons in the fight against the coronavirus and we’ll be able to rapidly deploy the resources and skills needed to tackle the outbreak and support the people who are being affected.
“We see the opportunity to deliver three-way benefits – providing support to the people and organisations on the front line, delivering meaningful impact in the communities around Scotland and giving the volunteers a sense of purpose and achievement in what are very challenging times for them.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and I’m confident the Scottish tech community will rise to it.
“We have had an immediate and enthusiastic response from all the organisations we have approached for help in setting up the Scottish Tech Army, including leading professionals from the legal, recruitment and communications sectors, as well as the Scottish Government.”
The games sector offers the perfect combination of creativity, digital skills and tight project management to support this initiative.
You can volunteer on the Scottish Tech Army website. You can also find out more about the initiative on the website, on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
The sign up process takes less than a minute and simply asks for your general area of expertise. The organisation hopes to have the first projects starting in the next week or so.
If you and your colleagues are currently furloughed, or if you have sadly lost your job thanks to the pandemic, this is an opportunity to use your skills and join over 400 other tech professionals to make a difference.
We’ll see you there.
