Putting communities and their residents at the heart of island economies.
We are a social enterprise based in Tiree, fully immersed in island life. We know the challenges that face our communities.
We designed isleHoliday to connect with travellers just like you. Travellers who appreciate our vulnerability and fragility and who, like us, want to develop resilient communities and ecosystems to protect island life for generations to come.
So how are you helping? The profit from your booking is being used to create digital jobs for islanders and our digital training and guidance is a crucial resource for many who wouldn’t otherwise have access to it.
‘Being a digital trainee with IsleDevelop has been a wonderful experience so far! It’s helping me build confidence in my existing skills while also introducing new skills and learning opportunities along the way. I feel like a valued team member, that my ideas and opinions are appreciated and reviews on my work have been very helpful and constructive.
I feel trusted to be left to the tasks I’ve been assigned, and though there have been challenges, I’m still enjoying them, especially the feeling of success after solving a problem. Any moment I’ve felt stuck, struggled or lost confidence, I feel as though I’ve been able to ask for help and everyone at IsleDevelop has been very supportive and understanding. And the craic is pretty good too’. - Rou
With a strong digital presence we can confidently address a number of the challenges associated with island life, including (and not limited to):
- Surviving the low season and winter months
- Continual ferry challenges and the impact on access
- School leavers forced to leave the islands to further their education or secure a job
- The lack of long-term housing that prohibits teachers and emergency service workers from taking up necessary roles
- Showcasing properties owned by islanders who rely on the rental income
- Providing visitors with smart travel tips vital in protecting our ecosystems and supporting local communities.
Empowering islanders with digital know-how combined with our support means we can react fast and effectively to those challenges. A few common scenarios are (and not limited to):
- Creating a digital campaign on behalf of a community that needs to highlight a specific issue or project. Often this needs to happen quickly and reach a big audience. We will design the website and create marketing campaigns in a short time, thus enabling community volunteers to focus their attention where it’s required the most
- Designing and managing websites whether the purpose is ecommerce, a digital portfolio, a booking site or a news site. We get the job done quickly and efficiently.
- Logo design and branding can be time consuming without digital savvy. We support islanders in the design process and with branding considerations
- Providing advice and guidance on social media platforms. It can be overwhelming choosing the right channel to engage with followers on, and the best type of content. We support islanders to identify their most effective channels, and how to get the best results
- We are Gaelic-speaking and offer bilingual sites.
Our ethos is clear, within our island communities we want to develop digital gurus and specialists who can readily support one another. With your support we can make it happen!
Your journey to the Scottish islands starts here!
You can read more articles like this about our purpose and story on our press page
