Scotland

Our vision

Scotland is determined to maximise the benefits of the Games and bring London 2012 to as many Scots as possible.

Achieving our vision

Our plans will fit in with Scottish Ministers’ objectives for Scotland, respecting our sustainable development principles and leaving long-lasting benefits across many areas of Scottish life.

We are focusing on seven key areas to achieve our vision:

• Developing sport – We will use the 2012 Games as an opportunity to drive forward our long-term aims and objectives for Scottish sport as set out in our new sport strategy ‘Reaching Higher’.
  
  The 2012 Games will create a focus on sport. They will inspire people of all ages and abilities to get involved. We will use the Games to help develop sport in Scotland, making sure we have the facilities and structures to meet the growing needs, from the elite down to grassroots level.
• Generating business and skills – We will use the 2012 Games to provide an inspirational platform to engage companies of all sizes to be the best they can be; participating in an international arena and demonstrating Scotland's leading edge talent and products. The Games will boost the Scottish economy and bring long-term benefits. They will offer opportunities for a range of businesses – construction, goods and services. Scottish businesses will be able to show people all over the world how good they are. The Games will also offer the experience of providing services to large-scale sporting events.
• Increasing tourism – The 2012 Games will provide an opportunity to increase Scotland’s international profile as a visitor destination. We will promote Scotland as a ‘must visit, must return’ destination, encouraging visitors to all parts of Scotland, helping the industry to grow.
• Promoting cultural projects – We will use the 2012 Games to ensure young people, communities, artists and cultural bodies in Scotland benefit from their experiences as volunteers, practitioners, participants and audiences in the cultural programme, including an exciting range of local events and activities.
• Encouraging volunteering – We want many of the estimated 70,000 Games volunteers to be Scottish. The Games will allow us to reach out to and inspire communities who have not previously been interested in volunteering.
• Providing education – The Games will give young people a better understanding of Olympic and Paralympic ideals and how they can impact on their lives in a practical way. Our programmes will help young people have a better understanding of different nations and cultures.
• Improving the health of a nation – We will use the Games to inspire people of all ages to become more physically active, individually and collectively. In particular, the Games will allow us to reach out and engage Scots through the celebration of the Olympic spirit to become more active through everyday activities.

Planning and delivery - making it happen

The Scottish Steering Group for the 2012 Games will link the work of the London 2012 Organising Committee, through the Nations and Regions Group, with wider organisations in Scotland.

Chaired by Louise Martin, it will help maximise the benefits of the 2012 Games to Scotland.

Structure

Scottish Ministers set up the Scottish Steering Group for the 2012 Games to ensure that information about, and benefits from, London 2012 are spread around Scotland.

The group is chaired by sportscotland and is represented by senior officers from key Scottish organisations: VisitScotland; Scottish Enterprise; Scottish Arts Council; EventScotland; BBC Scotland; Volunteer Development Scotland; CBI Scotland; and Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities. It meets quarterly.

Three sub-groups have been created to take forward the Steering Group’s work. They cover Economic Development; Culture and Education; and Sport.

Short life working groups have also been set up to deal with specific issues. So far, these have covered pre-Games training camps and identifying opportunities to bring the annual London 2012 roadshows and related events to Scotland.

The Scottish Executive has a dedicated staff resource to support the groups and to coordinate activities across the Executive and its agencies; and to work with UK Government and the London 2012 Organising Committee to help maximise the benefits of London 2012.

Download the organisational structure for Scotland (PDF, 15kB)