Digital Xtra, the charity dedicated to increasing the provision of extracurricular computing activities for young people in Scotland, is to develop a national network of community coding and AI hubs.

Over the past 10 years, the charity – backed by the Scottish Government and industry – has supported 210 grassroots activities by awarding over £1.1 million via its annual grants programme.

These initiatives engaged over 60,000 young people across the country while laying a foundation for ongoing engagement about computing and technology. That figure is now set to rise considerably under the charity’s new ‘Code Xtra’ strategy.

The new strategy will see several new community coding and AI hubs rolled out across the country as the charity focuses on more of a place-based approach rather than funding individual projects. While the core objective of the charity will continue to be to inspire young people into tech, Digital Xtra will now work with select delivery partners to develop a national network of community hubs.

In turn, these hubs will directly support the growth of grassroots computing clubs in their local areas. With support from Holyrood, the first phase of the project will see hubs based in North Edinburgh (Muirhouse Library), Midlothian (Dalkeith Library), Inverclyde (Creative Regeneration), and Moray (Elgin Library), with more scheduled to be confirmed elsewhere in Scotland later this year.

Digital Xtra will then continue working with the Scottish Government and its industry partners, including Skyscanner, Baillie Gifford, and Cirrus Logic, to extend the hub network.

The charity is also keen to speak with other companies or organisations who may be interested in supporting the development of additional coding and AI hubs across Scotland thus providing even more opportunities for young people to learn vital digital skills.  

Each hub will drive growth in three ways:

• Delivery: Hosting high-quality, extracurricular coding and AI sessions for children and young people
• Training: Offering instruction and guidance for local educators and community leaders
• Resources: Serving as a lending library with equipment and resources for local schools and community groups

The hubs will feature LEGO Education’s brand-new, curriculum-aligned Computing Science & AI kits which teach age-appropriate lessons about foundational coding and machine learning.

Digital Xtra is one of the first organisations in Scotland to make this cutting-edge kit available to the public, while also introducing machine learning and AI skills to the charity’s remit for the first time.  

Ongoing training and support will be provided by Digital Xtra, Raising Robots, and Raspberry Pi Foundation as well as Digital Xtra’s other education and industry partners.

Kraig Brown, Digital Xtra’s Partnerships and Development Manager, said: “Technology is evolving faster than ever, and extracurricular tech activities are no longer just ‘nice-to-have’ – they are now a key part of young people’s learning journey. When assessment and accreditation aren’t the primary focus, young people have the freedom to think creatively, naturally building their ‘STEM Capital.’ 

Recommended

• Digital Xtra Fund Provides £110k for Coding Clubs in Scotland
• Digital Xtra Awards 27 Grants For Young People in Tech
• Digital Xtra Fund Offers Tech Skills Boost to Young Scots

“They are also a proven way to reach young people who often disengage in a traditional classroom setting and can be delivered in various locations or times that work for young people, their families, and the wider community.

“However, access to grassroots computing initiatives in Scotland is often a postcode lottery with varying coverage and support. This is unacceptable. Digital Xtra will continue to champion extracurricular computing initiatives for young people through our new community coding & AI hubs network, which will create a more joined-up approach to informal digital learning. 

“By working with the hubs to develop this new ecosystem, Digital Xtra will continue to be at the forefront of driving digital skills for young people, regardless of their background or postcode.”

Minister for Business Tom Arthur said: “Digital skills are essential for Scotland’s future, and every young person should have the opportunity to develop them, regardless of where they live, which is why I am proud to support this initiative.

“These new community coding and AI hubs will help more young people access high-quality learning opportunities, build confidence with technology and gain the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”