Support your employees and volunteers with online IT training

“Learn at Your Own Pace” online courses used by The NHS, Councils and Universities

All the Microsoft training courses have been certified by the ECDL foundation:

• Individual courses (Beginner and Advanced levels): Excel, Outlook, Access, PowerPoint and Word >>> From £7.99 per month or £29.99 per year for each user
• ECDL Basic (7 modules) >>> From £39.99 per month or £129.99 per year for each user
• ECDL Advanced (4 Modules) >>> From £39.99 per month or £129.99 per year for each user
• Special courses such as Office Sense and Email Exemplar >>> From £7.99 per month or £29.99 per year for each user

Visit the website www.DigiStudy.co.uk or email for more information at info@digistudy.co.uk.

iT4Communities announce IT Volunteer Awards 2009 winners

iT4Communities has announced the winners of the 2009 IT Volunteering Awards at a ceremony at The British Computer Society in London.  Prizes were awarded for accessibility, innovation, impact and the best overall volunteer. Find out more about the winners and how to get support from an IT volunteer on the iT4Communities website www.it4communities.org.uk.

In January the Government published the Digital Britain report which set out how it plans to secure Britain’s place at the forefront of the global digital economy.  The interim report contains 22 recommendations for achieving this, including specific proposals on:

• next generation networks
• universal access to broadband
• a digital future for radio
• enhancing the digital delivery of public services

Thanks to the South West and Yorkshire and Humber regional ICT champions for highlighting these two ICT funding streams.

As always there will be more specific pots of money available regionally so for information on funding in your area, contact your local CVS or regional ICT champion.

BT Community Connections

An announcement is expected soon from BT’s Community Connections scheme, which offers grants to organisations to help with ICT and connectivity costs.  Keep an eye out at www.btcommunityconnections.com for more news.

Date set for NCVO annual ICT conference

6 May, London

NCVO’s 2009 ICT conference is taking place on Wednesday 6th May in London. The conference, in partnership with Microsoft, is going to be free for voluntary and community organisations to attend. As ICT mailing list members you will be first to hear when booking for the conference is open.  We will keep you posted as more details are announced. Register your interest in attending by emailing ictresources@ncvo-vol.org.uk.

... Accessibility

Sustaining Switched on Communities

Are you a voluntary organisation supporting individuals within your local community with ICT or is ICT part of the service you offer within your local community?  AbilityNet (with funding from the Big Lottery Fund) are looking for voluntary and community organisations to join them as part of the Switched on Communities project.  Participating organisations will receive an accessibility kit, initial and ongoing training and support, access to AbilityNet’s extensive loan bank of equipment, the full range of individual assessment options and advice about adaptive technology for your centre and individuals using your centre.  If you would like to be part of this project please email switchedon@abilitynet.org.uk or call 0800 269545.

Kirklees Council delivers first public service through Wii

Looking Local, the national digital TV project run by Kirklees Council, has made its service available through Nintendo Wii games consoles as part of its work on Assisted Living.  The council has trialled putting Wii consoles into old people’s homes, giving residents access to information.  Accessing services through the Wii – rather than through digital TV - has been a success because of the ease of use of the Wii remote and navigation of the screen.  You can read more about the project on the Yorkshire and Humber ICT champion’s blog.

... Participate

Researching the voluntary and community sector’s use of social networking

London Southbank University Masters student Wendy Rashed is doing some research into how charities are using social networking and whether there could be a model developed for small charities.  Please take a few minutes to tell Wendy about your experiences www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Wuf6GpTud87u48s249wc7Q_3d_3d.

Silver Surfers’ Day 2009

On Friday May 15th hundreds of organisations will hold IT taster events for older people, getting them to use digital technology, often for the very first time.  This year, they hope it's going to be bigger, better and more interactive than ever.  Digital Unite would like your help to hold more than 1000 events up and down the country.

It’s free to hold and run an event, all you need is, space, a computer and a few willing participants.  If you want to find out more then download the 2009 Event Holders' Planning Guide or for a one page overview why not read the Quick Guide.

Are you Twitter-ing?

You’re probably tired of hearing people talking about Twitter but it doesn’t show any signs of going away any time soon.  If you want to understand more about Twitter and how it can be used in the sector then why not read this piece I have written for the Third Sector Foresight website.  Once you’ve read that and set up your account, why not start following NCVO at http://twitter.com/NCVO.

... And finally

Free ICT jobs board

Don’t forget that you can advertise your ICT jobs for free on the jobs board, reaching thousands of people every month.  To see the current vacancies and find out how to submit your own, go to www.icthub.org.uk/Jobs_Board.

Outcome monitoring IT systems help save time and increase effectiveness but few charities use these systems.  The Outcomes Monitoring and IT conference on 21st May 2009 will give charities the opportunity to see a range of resources designed to help them capture the difference their work makes.  As well as the chance to see a range of systems in action, and to identify what might work best for them, participants will also benefit from one-to-one advice from experts in ICT, monitoring and evaluation, and discounts on publications.

For further information, please visit the conference website at www.outcomesandit.org.uk.

We are Geeks Who Care

We can help you focus on your mission by looking after your I.T. needs

We give you a customised IT support service that provides you with:

• On-site & remote IT support >>> From £29.95 per month
• Automatic Online Backup for PCs, MACs & Servers >>> Never lose data! Get a free trial!
• Web & Email hosting >>> From £15 per month (unlimited email accounts)
• Computer recycling services>>>Arrange computer pick-up
• Network setup, monitoring & support and more

Current clients include Happy Computers, The Attlee Foundation and many others.

Feel free to get in touch.

Call us 0800 612 6383
Email us info@digibridge.co.uk

You are receiving this email briefing because you are a member of the NCVO ICT mailing list and this is our main method of updating you. If you have any questions or comments or would like to unsubscribe to this email, please let us know by emailing louise.brown@ncvo-vol.org.uk.

Visit our website at www.icthub.org.uk or call the free NCVO HelpDesk 0800 2 798 798.