Improving access to services.
Deaf people will be able to access essential services more easily
from today onwards with the launch of a free mobile app.
SignPort will enable Deaf people to book British Sign Language
(BSL) interpreters in just a few steps, see who their interpreter
will be and communicate with them securely. It was developed by
Deaf Action and Burrotech through the Scottish Government's
CivTech programme after a review found that the existing booking
system is fragmented and time-consuming, with back-and-forth
email exchanges leading to missed appointments and educational
barriers.
CivTech invites companies to work with government departments,
public bodies and charities to develop innovations which improve
people's lives and drive business growth. Through the scheme, the
Scottish Government has supported SignPort's development with
£350,000. Six public bodies have currently included the app in
their BSL plans with the Scottish Government encouraging more
organisations to use the platform.
Launching SignPort at Deaf Action's headquarters in Edinburgh,
Deputy First Minister said:
“This app builds on our commitment to make Scotland a more
inclusive place for Deaf people. It also represents exactly the
kind of innovation we want to see through our CivTech programme -
technology that transforms lives and removes barriers.
“By putting Deaf people and interpreters at the heart of its
design, this app addresses challenges that have persisted for too
long. As a social enterprise, SignPort will reinvest in the very
communities it serves, creating lasting change beyond improving
bookings. This is community-led innovation at its best.”
Background
The SignPort app is available to download from app stores. The
app is free for Deaf BSL users and interpreters, with public
bodies charged an annual subscription.
The British Sign Language Interpreting Landscape Review is
available to read from the Scottish Government's BSL Scotland Act
2015 website.
Information about the CivTech challenge and
details of the CivTech process are
available from CivTech's website. Since its launch in 2016, the
initiative has supported more than 100 companies, with every
pound of public investment leveraging five times as much in
private funding.
