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Copyright iT4C 2008
Anne StaffordDeputy Programme Director
Who are we and what do we do?
Copyright iT4C 2008
iT4Communities Provides:
• Free Professional IT Support for charities needing IT help
• IT volunteering opportunities for IT Professionals to enhance their skills and get them out the office
• IT Strategy
• Websites
• Servers & Networks
• IT Buying Advice
• Database Development
• Telephone Systems
• Training
• ...and more!
Our Volunteers help with:
Copyright iT4C 2008
Where Do We Come From?
• iT4Communities is a programme of the Information Technologists’ Company – the 100th City of London Livery Company
• Set up in 2002 and delivered £2.75 million worth of IT services to the third sector so far
• The Information Technologists’ Company members are all senior IT professionals who joined to give something back to the IT sector and the wider community
Copyright iT4C 2008
Who Do We Help?
• Charities or charitable organisations such as community organisations, social enterprises etc.
• UK based organisations (work can be carried out overseas)
• Organisations who need IT help and support
• In fact, we help the whole Voluntary and Community Sector!
Copyright iT4C 2008
Who are iT4C’s Volunteers?
Our volunteers are all IT Professionals
We ask that they have:
• One year's IT experience with relevant IT qualifications OR
• Three years' IT experience without relevant qualifications
• We have 5,000 Volunteers on our database
• All have different skills and different reasons for sharing their time and talent
Copyright iT4C 2008
Where are iT4C’s Volunteers?
Our volunteers come from all over the UK
• They are concentrated in urban areas
• There are over 5,000 volunteers
• There are 2,200 Charities registered
• Virtual Volunteering means geography is irrelevant
Copyright iT4C 2008
From First Contact to ‘Job Done’
How it Happens
1. Charities and Volunteers register on our website
2. We help the charities define their needs
– Our unique Project Definition process means both the charities and IT professionals know exactly what is required
3.We publish the opportunities on our website and our RSS feed
4. We offer ‘Start to Finish’ support
– iT4C staff are available throughout the project as an independent source of advice and guidance
5.Volunteer contacts charity
6.Charity assesses volunteer suitability and they both agree to work with each other
7.Project starts and is completed leaving charity with a brand new sustainable and professional IT resource
8. We write up a case study and press release to promote the charity locally
Copyright iT4C 2008
• PD posted online and RSS for volunteers to see
• Project Completed then turned into a case study and press release – well done!
Charity Registers online
• iT4C Project Definer contacts charity and creates unique Project Definition (PD)
• Volunteer expresses their interest and contacts charity
• Both Charity & Volunteer agree to work together
How it Works:
• Charity requests a volunteer
Copyright iT4C 2008
Why it Works So Well
Benefits to Charities
• Better end-IT resource thanks to help from an IT Professional
• More time & money to dedicate to front line support
• iT4C removes the scary ‘techie’ barrier
• No worries as iT4C team are always on hand for support & guidance
Benefits to Volunteers
• Feel good factor from making a difference
• Increased business & communications skills for CV
• Enhanced future job prospects
Copyright iT4C 2008
Making it Work for charities
• Don’t forget there are costs involved with using IT Volunteers:
– Staff time
– Project Management
– Training
– Sustainability
– Costs of IT equipment, web hosting etc
• The BEST projects are:
– Well planned and managed
– Have the support of the Board/staff
– Well communicated from the start
– Not mission critical
– Not urgent
– Sustainable
– Bring in match funding
Copyright iT4C 2008
Making it Work for You
• Your reasons for volunteering are really important
– CV
– Trying new skills
– To give real value to a cause you believe in
– Getting out of the office/corporate environment
– Whole project control
• The BEST projects are:
– Partnership of volunteer and charity staff
– Appropriate time/skill commitment
– Well communicated from the start
– Mutual benefit
– Rewarding
– Supported – iT4Communities/other volunteer support
Copyright iT4C 2008
It Worked For Us!
Learning Through Action
• Learning Through Action is a charity addressing personal issues with children & young people
• They came to iT4C as they needed a new, engaging and fully accessible website
• Volunteer Ian Cooper enjoyed working with LTA so much that he became their long-term webmaster
• Website launched in just 5 months
• Ian now volunteers as a Director-Trustee and continues to add new features to the website
Copyright iT4C 2008
It Worked For Us!
Film It!
• Film It! aims to educate, engage and enthuse ‘hard to reach;’ young people through the creative arts. They run team-based filmmaking workshops for young people helping them grow in confidence and learn to work in a team
• Without any funding for rent costs let alone for any IT support they badly needed a technical volunteer to get them back into action.
• Sue Dawson of Film It said: “Esther was wonderful and efficiently got us back on track with our email accounts, she also was extremely nice and didn’t use geek speak so we could all understand her! Thank you for all your help.'
• Esther summed up the whole process perfectly, saying: “I really enjoy volunteering!”
