‘Old’ media, such as newspapers and TV, is mainly about other people publishing information using expertise and tools that we can’t afford. ‘New’ media uses more accessible tools such as broadband connections and mobile phones and is creating a more interactive and participative culture. Web 2.0 is not a technical specification but suggests that we [...]

Most staff, volunteers or trustees are not ICT experts and at times may need help to get the most from equipment, a website or database..
Help may come from a volunteer, someone in the staff team with technical knowledge, a staff member with ICT support in their job description, or a paid-for contractor or consultant. Sometimes [...]

It’s important for senior managers and trustees to ensure good governance and management policies are in place covering legal responsibilities such as personal safety, data protection and health and safety. They must also help develop and implement strategic ICT plans to ensure the organisation has the resources and support it needs.
The ICT Champions have [...]

Development workers offer a great deal of help to groups by recognising a need to plan properly, encouraging people to budget properly when fundraising and being aware of suppliers who are trusted by other people in your local networks.
Some development workers may not be confident about ICT, and may not have detailed technical skills, but [...]

Most staff, volunteers or trustees are not ICT experts and at times may need help to get the most from equipment, a website or database.
Short-term help. As problems occur, in troubleshooting, quick fixes, short-cuts, reminders, contact with external suppliers or volunteers.
Medium-term help. Routine tasks, such as back-up, security, software, password management, file management, inventory and [...]

Most mobile phones or pocket video cameras can record short videos that are of high enough quality for this purpose.
This is usually done by setting your handset to camera mode and then switching from photo to video mode (you may see an icon symbolising a camera). On pocket video cameras it’s often as simple [...]

An Accidental Techie is the person everyone turns to when their computer goes wrong. They may not have any IT qualifications, or have anything about IT support in their job description, but they know the answer to common problems.

You do not need to be a qualified accountant to offer financial support and you do not need a great deal of technical knowledge to help organizations to manage their ICT better.

Potential risks related to ICT include risks to security, health and safety and financial stability. Information and valuable equipment may be lost, damaged or stolen. Or unauthorised people may gain access to sensitive information. Charities above a certain size must carry out risk assessments and may need to take technical advice to address ICT-related issues. [...]

Databases are commonly used for managing contacts, monitoring or fundraising. Some organisations have the expertise to develop their own database, but most buy a package off the shelf or ask a developer to build something to suit their needs.

The internet offers new opportunities for fundraising and there are lots of ways for charities to generate money online.

It may be helpful for a group of people to be able to work together on a document at the same time. They may be drafting a policy together, preparing a grant application or producing guide to services.

A reliable back-up system protects your organisation when things go wrong. It is a vital ingredient in safe and secure ICT operations and can be installed and operated at relatively low cost. Although it is a technical issue it is the responsibility of trustees and manager to make sure that data is secure and the [...]

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for making computers and the internet accessible to people with disabilities. Talk to the person to identify their needs.

In terms of ICT accessibility is about making sure services and information can be used by a wide range of people. It is also about making adjustments to computer equipment to enable staff, volunteers and service users to be more productive.