Our vision is for innovative, thriving and confident island communities. All year round.
Our mission
To employ and train islanders to develop digital skills, and to help grow thriving island communities by supporting island businesses and community projects.
We are a social enterprise. Our surplus is used to offer digital advice to island entrepreneurs and community groups who could not otherwise afford to access it.
What we do:
- We build great websites for anyone, based anywhere.
- We consult and advise on digital projects and strategies. Nothing is too big or too small.
- We are a Gaelic-speaking organisation that can offer Gaelic language or bilingual sites.
With our profits:
- We grow and develop concepts like isle20.com and isleHoliday.com – which both directly benefit our island communities.
- We offer subsidised digital support to island community groups.
- We offer free advice to island entrepreneurs and community groups who could not otherwise afford to access it.
Our Story
Isle Develop grew out of the isle20.com project during lockdown.
Covid19 crystalised for many of us the risks of relying too heavily on tourism. It showed the need to keep striving for innovation and diversity. To ensure that our island communities are not only resilient – but have strong, healthy economies.
Isle Develop has been created as a home for the original projects which inspired it, and as a digital agency to create island jobs – as well as great websites!
What makes Isle Develop special?
We are rooted in the Scottish islands. Our Directors and staff are all resident in the islands. They all operate their own small businesses or are active in their island communities. Often both!
We know what it takes to set things up from scratch. We don’t pretend to know all the answers, but we work hard and we’re willing to learn!
We are all passionate about creating secure futures for our islands. We want our communities to be the main beneficiaries of our projects. We want to experiment, build and learn.
We dream big, start small and move fast.
The team
Our Directors
- Rhoda Meek (Tiree) Rhoda manages the day-to-day running of Isle Develop CIC alongside Tiree Tea and a croft.
- Rebecca Hutton (Harris) Becca is a Harris Tweed weaver, owner of Taobh Tuath Tweeds and Chair of Northton Heritage Trust. She manages the day-to-day running of isle20.com.
- Ann MacDonald (Tiree) A former accountant now working in the public sector, Ann is also a Director of Tiree Renewable Energy and the Scottish Islands Federation.
- Catriona MacLennan (Harris) Previously a broadcaster, Catriona is Vice-chair of the Leverhulme Community Hub project alongside running a family fishing business.
- Kirsten Gow (Jura) Kirsten is an island researcher who has worked in a number of paid and voluntary roles supporting island and rural communities, both in her home island of Jura and across Scotland.
- Catriona Smyth (Tiree/Edinburgh) Catriona is currently based in Edinburgh but gets back to Tiree as often as she can. She is heavily involved in island history projects and Vice Chair of Friends of the Argyll Papers.
Our Contractors and Staff
- Mark Vale (Tiree) Mark is a Developer and the brains behind Tiree Community Broadband. He works alongside Rhoda to build and develop our website projects.
- Digital Trainees – watch this space!
support@isledevelop.com
Post
Isle Develop CIC, Coll View, Caolas, Isle of TIree, PA77 6TS
