28 March 2007 Superhighways Partnership & iT4 Communities Marcus Otite and Anne Stafford

28 March 2007

Superhighways Partnership &

iT4 Communities

Marcus Otite and Anne Stafford

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Where to get help for your ICT

• This workshop session should help identify free or low cost sources of support to enable your organisation to put its ideas into practice or solve common problems

• Vent frustrations• Tips and tricks• Campaign for what’s needed• No magic answer – sorry!

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ICT systems – what needs support?

• Hardware Support• Software Application

• Databases• Websites .etc

• Network Support• Consultancy and Advice

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Where do we go for help

• Volunteers• Staff• External Contractors• Circuit Riders• Consultants

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Our Experiences

• Volunteering• Circuit Riding

• You might notice a slight bias! • And this is a good time to ask specific questions about

these types of support• BUT we all work within a system of a patchwork of

support and some support fits some jobs/some organisations better than others

• A smorgsbord of support to choose from (or hobson’s choice?)

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Support Needs

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What type of support would you like?

• When things go wrong

• Purchasing decisions

• Planning and decision making

• New technologies

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Hardware Support

• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)• Warranty

• Full Cost Recovery (FCR)

• Research• Knowledge base• Discussion forums & email lists• Google it!

• Service Level Agreement (SLA)

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Software Support

• Training

• Online resources• Discussion Group• Forum• Research problem – google it!• Microsoft site

• Help desk

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Network Support

• Service Level Agreement• For a server based network a must!

• Network administrator

• Maintenance, backup and documentation

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Support

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Using Volunteers

• How to find one• iT4C• Volunteer bureaus• Amongst supporters, family and friends

• Advantages• Free, enthusiastic, committed, your best interests,

impartial

• Disadvantages• Might leave at any time, limited time available, may be

unskilled, may take on more than is appropriate

• When to use one• Not for mission critical, not for emergency work

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Working with Circuit Riders

• Who are Circuit Riders• Definition• Deferent models

• How to find one• Local based IT support network• Contact CVS• ICT Hub Website

• When to choose a circuit rider• Should be you first stop in community network

• Advantages• Cheaper impartial advice

• Disadvantages• Large case load of clients• They try to eliminate dependency

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Working with contractors

• Service level agreement

• Tendering

• Getting impartial advice • Circuit rider• Volunteer• Online forums, discussion groups

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Support from staff/for staff

• Assigning tasks

• Network administrator

• Staff training and support

• Training needs analysis

• Full cost approach to funding/budgets

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Conclusions?

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What do you think is missing?

• Voluntary Sector ICT Magazine• Voluntary Sector ICT Department for each

Borough• More in house discount training for

organisations• More affordable professional ICT advice and

support• More easily available discounted hardware and

software equipment

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Resources

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Web Site Resources

• Microsoft Knowledgebase• ICT Hub• Tech Soup• LASA• CIVICA• Charity Logistics• IT for Charities• Chat rooms, Discussions,

Publications – Newsletters.

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Charity Discounts

• Charity Logistics

• www.charitylogistics.org0845 1303 845

• Citnexus

• www.citnexus.co.uk01453 872777

• Civica Services Ltd

• www.civica.co.uk020 7760 2802

• Charity Technology Trust (CTT)

• www.ctt.org0845 456 1823

• National Council for Voluntary Organisations

• www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/discounts/services/020 7713 6161

• Pugh Computers

• www.pugh.co.uk01974 200201

• Phoenix Software

• www.phoenixs.co.uk0870 836 8000 (ask for voluntary sector sales

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ICT Funders

• Awards For All • Bridge House Trust • BT Community Connections • Worshipful Company of

Information Technologists • Microsoft • Neighbourhood Renewal

Community Programme • The Lloyds TSB Foundation for

England & Wales • Abbey National Charitable Trust

Ltd • The Tudor Trust • The Baring Foundation • The Allen Lane Foundation • The Big Lottery Fund

• The Cooperative Charitable Foundation

• The Garfield Weston Foundation • City Parochial Foundation • Henry Smith Charity • The Hedley Foundation: Building or

refurbishing? • Trust for London • The Lankelly Foundation • Comic Relief • JPaul Getty Jr Charitable Trust • Local Funding

• Tower Hamlets • Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark,

Bromley, Bexley & Greenwich • Hillingdon • Sutton

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Questions/Discussion?

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Thank you

• Marcus OtiteICT Development Worker, Superhighways

Email: marcus@mvsc.co.uk

Tel: 020 8685 2279

• Anne StaffordDevelopment Consultant, iT4Communities

Email: anne.stafford@icthub.org.uk

Tel: 020 7796 2144