Guidance

Digital Skills Partnership

This partnership aims to improve digital skills for people and organisations. Find out more about its work and how your organisation can get involved.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
• Published: 19 October 2018
• Last updated: 24 January 2023 — See all updates

The government is working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and Combined Authorities (CAs) to operate Local Digital Skills Partnerships (Local DSPs) across England to tackle local digital skills challenges and build thriving and inclusive regional economies.

There are 8 Local DSPs:

• Lancashire
• Heart of the South West
• West Midlands
• Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
• Cheshire and Warrington
• Catalyst South
• West Yorkshire
• Hull and East Yorkshire

You can read an evaluation of the first 6 Local DSPs which found them to have had positive outcomes for local people and communities, local businesses and public sector partners.

Local DSP Regional Coordinators

The 8 Local DSPs are allocated match funding to employ a Regional Coordinator to raise awareness of the importance of improved digital skills across their respective regions.

By working collaboratively with both regional and national stakeholders, they are developing new innovative models to improve digital skills across their regions, boost their local economies and share this best practice with other LEPs and CAs. Regional Coordinators also have regular monthly contact with DCMS, this is an opportunity to provide regular policy updates and make valuable introductions with the private sector and other government departments.

Contacts

Find out more about how you can join your Local DSP network by contacting their regional coordinator:

• Lancashire Local Digital Skills Partnership: Kerry Harrison (kerry.harrison@lancashirelep.co.uk)
• Heart of the South West Local Digital Skills Partnership: Dera Steele (debra.steele@devon.gov.uk)
• West Midlands Local Digital Skills Partnership: John Hall (john.hall@wmca.org.uk)
• Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Digital Skills Partnership: Chloe Rikard (Chloe.Rickard@cornwall.gov.uk)
• Cheshire & Warrington Local Digital Skills Partnership: Sarah Williams (sarah.williams@871candwep.co.uk)
• Catalyst South Digital Skills Partnership: Rich Burn (rich.burn@solentlep.org.uk)
• West Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership: Joshua Rickayzen (Joshua.Rickayzen@westyorks-ca.gov.uk)
• Hull and East Yorkshire Local Digital Skills Partnership: Tracy Pallett (T.Pallett@heylep.com)

The Digital Skills Partnership Team

For more information, please contact Gary Coyle, Head of Policy, Local Digital Skills Partnerships: gary.coyle@dcms.gov.uk

Published 19 October 2018
Last updated 24 January 2023 + show all updates

1. 24 January 2023

   Contacts updated

2. 19 October 2018

   First published.