There have been a number of reports published that highlight the difficulties experienced by voluntary and community groups in effectively managing ICT to improve services.  Areas where barriers to effective use of ICT have been identified include: 

 

Strategic Planning of ICT

Organisations often do not plan ahead for how they will use IT, upgrade and renew equipment, or fundraise for IT equipment. 

Solution?  A service that supports them in developing internal ICT strategy and provides guidance on how to manage their organisation’s ICT including care and maintenance.

 

Training and Skills

Community organisations often do not have sufficient funds to engage staff in training.  However, it is a known fact that a lot of technological problems that occur could have been avoided with proper staff training and ICT skills.  For example if an organisation trains staff to do a backup of all documents once a week on a floppy / CD, if the computer crashes the organisation has only lost 1 week's worth of information.  Also did you know that before accessing the internet you should have Anti-Virus protection installed to reduce the risk of your computer getting infected? 

Solution?  A project that signposts existing ICT training in order to avoid duplicating services and after determing gaps develop appropriate training to cover those gaps especially in relation to strategic matters eg 'Managing ICT'

 

Information and Knowledge

It is often a problem that voluntary organisations do not know where to go to for IT support.  Resources are often poorly signposted and groups are not aware of benefits available to them.  For example, did you know that as a charity you could benefit from a 75% price reduction when buying software? 

Solution?  A project that will develop improved communication and signposting services.  A project that will set up a website that links to local, regional and national ICT projects/ information, acting as a one-stop portal for ICT information, good practice, FAQs, existing ICT services and support, and funding information.  Other media such as an ICT newsletter and groupmail will also be developed. 

 

Technical Support

Like any organisation with technology, support is a necessity.  However commercial support is expensive and encourages dependency and existing technical support projects are often short-term, working in isolation and poorly advertised. 

Solution?  A project that provides some technical assistance or provides advice on the appropriateness of quotes supplied to community groups. 

 

For one-to-one ICT advice call the ICT Hub Helpdesk on 0800 652 4737. 

 

Peer Support

Staff / Volunteers working in the voluntary sector that usually have some responsibility for the organisation's ICT tend to work in isolation with no support and guidance. 

Solution?  A project that will develop models of support for staff and volunteers working in the sector with responsibility for ICT within their organisation or for organisations that they support.  This will include setting up quarterly forums, an online forum, accessing existing groupmail support and development of the website with appropriate material.  Groups can currently join the ICT Groupmail.

 

 

 

Strategic Aims of the Project