net:gain

Case Studies

We believe the net:gain programme can bring great benefits to third sector organisations, but don't just take our word for it read about the impact the programme has had on the ground.

Wilf Ward Trust - Yorkshire
Craven Arms - Shropshire
Appleby Magna - Leicestershire
Hartlepool Carers - Hartlepool
Jack Drum Arts - County Durham
Dorothy House Hospice - Bradford on Avon
Travelling Light Theatre Company - Bristol
Humberside Learning Consortium - Hull
Gloucester CVS - Gloucester
Teignbridge CVS - Newton Abbot
Voluntary Youth Services Devon - Exeter
Community Service Volunteers - Bristol
Epilepsy Outlook - Hartlepool
Lloyd Park Centre - Walthamstow
Chesterfield Volunteer Centre - Chesterfield
Titanic Heritage Trust - Coventry

An ‘Accidental Techie’ is finally in control

Like many organisations the Wilf Ward Trust developed its services and systems over time – growing from an original bequest in 1986, to now cover much of Yorkshire, with 80 respite services; any technology the Trust was using had tended to come in piecemeal, rather than to any plan. As the network grew, communications were becoming time-consuming and complex. Change was clearly needed, as was an informed look at what Information and Communications Technologies could do to help.

This daunting task fell to Debs Meade, who, when she signed up for net:gain, was PA to the Chief Executive. “As the ‘accidental techie’, I needed a plan for roll out of equipment across 80 sites and an IT strategy. I was full of fear and dread at being out of my depth.”

North Yorkshire Forum for Voluntary Organisations recommended net:gain. On joining the programme with Electroville, Debs realised she needed to change the way she thought; and she had to bring the whole organisation with her: “We needed to stop just being re-active when things went wrong, and instead plan ahead for the changes we wanted as an organisation”. This is all too often easier said than done; where to start? However, Debs found that the net:gain planning method, tools and templates soon put the organisation on the right track.

“It focussed the mind on the task and removed red herrings,” says Debs. Once they had a framework to help prioritise and make decisions, Debs felt better equipped to contribute to the executive group, giving her the confidence and ability to take the process forward.

Already net:gain has had a big impact at the Trust: the organisation is avoiding ‘knee-jerk’ reactions to ICT and less time is wasted on fire-fighting. Communications are much quicker, more streamlined and more efficient. Email is now the main medium of communication, and the aspiration is to move closer to a paperless office. Timesheets for staff payments are now collected electronically across the network. The new processes are helping both with business planning and with Investors in People. Lots of training needs had been underestimated and the Trust are now in a much better position to address these.

Whilst net:gain required an investment of staff time, the Trust saved £100s on software, taking advantage of offers from Charity Technology Trust, and through the relationship with Electroville which offers a trusted source of technical support. “I am much more confident in every way: planning, contributing and problem solving, and hold a newly created post of IT Officer. We are much more focussed on what we want to achieve using ICT in our organisation, and how we want to do it. I’d recommend others to try the net:gain programme.”

net:gain centre - Electroville, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

A net:gain delegate tackles sustainability issues

Sarah Pook, Manager of the Craven Arms community centre faced a dilemma common to many managers of rural community centres. Sarah had successfully developed the centre as one of Shropshire’s ‘Broad Places’ – internet support venues delivering great benefit to scattered local communities – over the last few years. But, as a small, rural project, sustainability was a real challenge.

This is why Sarah now needed a simple way to gather ideas and issues into a forward plan which involved staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to capitalise on this momentum.

Inspiration came when Jackie Mantle, leading the new net:gain programme at the Mayfair Community Centre, persuaded Sarah to join the first group of voluntary organisations to try out the programme.

“From the very start,” says Sarah, “it’s provided me with a manageable way forward. We have a package of tools, techniques and support to explore possibilities, refine our ideas and gather the information we need to make progress.”

Even better, through the net:gain network Sarah has access to online experts who can provide advice on funding, business development, technology, marketing and income generation.

“Anyone who works in a rural area knows that it can be difficult to get services locally," says Sarah.

Now she can share experiences and learning with many other delegates who are overcoming similar problems, thanks to net:gain.Sarah can now develop plans that will allow her to:

• Maintain and develop the centre’s focus on its community
• Replace the centre’s equipment and systems when required
• Develop a community ICT learning programme

Most importantly, with the year-long support net:gain offers, Sarah is confident that she will be able to identify funders and present her organisation’s needs and costs to them in a coherent and persuasive way. She is also planning income generation opportunities to make her centre sustainable in the long run.

A net:gain centre plans diversification

Appleby Magna is a unique net:gain centre being located in the grounds of a Grade 1 listed building. The centre has been restored to create a high-tech environment to deliver IT training, provide access to the community and generate income from the rental of its facilities. By working with its local community and developing a skilled employee base, the centre has seen strong growth in recent years.
However, Appleby Magna Training Manager, Marilyn Dunkelman, was looking for a new direction for the centre; one which could fit in with and add value to their successful portfolio of training products.

However, Marilyn lacked a strategic development framework to support and sustain this planning. While training to become a net:gainfacilitator, she quickly realised that the net:gain development programme which her centre had applied to run also contained the tools her own centre needed: a participative planning and implementation method that provided the perfect approach to create develop and deliver her centre’s future. The best test of any development programme is when those who deliver it, actually use it; this is exactly what has happened here.

“Instead of lurching from one step to another, I knew that we needed a structured process to planning our strategic direction for the future. We are good at IT, we know how to plan, but we just needed a motivator to do it. I knew we needed a model to keep focused, and by going through the net:gain programme ourselves, this will support our financial planning and sustainability, whilst helping us to understand net:gain process in practice. We’ll be speaking from experience when we deliver the net:gain programme to other VCOs through the Appleby Magna Centre.”

Marilyn is now using the net:gain method to develop a business plan through a structured open and inclusive process.The net:gain programme will help the Appleby Magna Centre focus on providing a fit between the skills they can offer, the resources they have at their disposal and meeting the needs of their users in the local rural community; a win-win for both centre and delegates.

A net:gain centre saves £1,500 a year

Hartlepool Carers has found huge benefits from joining net:gain at their local centre: Belle Vue in Hartlepool.  A forward-looking organisation, with excellent roots in the community from which they sprung in 1994, Hartlepool Carers have become reliant on ICT for communication and promotion. IT systems are also vital for their team of 9 staff and over 30 volunteers, who co-ordinate and deliver day-to-day services to over 500 local carers. However, ICT maintenance costs were just too high – and didn’t fit their needs. ICT had become more of a headache than a help, and it was time for a serious re-think.

Project Development Manager Scott Jobson praises the practical and down to earth nature of the net:gain programme. It helped them to be both selective and objective: “Hartlepool Carers wanted to avoid being drawn in by technical sales people and gadgetry. Some people get carried away by how wonderful technology can be, but net:gain made us think more about what we require from technology. Impulsive or poorly thought through decisions can be very costly, as well as frustrating. We wanted to be very clear on our well-defined needs when inviting service providers to tender.”

Scott and his team used the net:gain Ten Step planning framework to work through their needs and reach a technical specification. The net:gain programme helps the delegate organisation to align ICT carefully to the needs of the organisation, think through options, and cost a proposal fully – including all the support and training needs it will bring. Help ranges from mentoring at the centre, exchanging tips with peers, expert help from the national Experts Online service (which all delegates get for free) and signposting to a range of advice and services, such as the ICT Hub web portal. Each centre also offers its own range of non-profit or discounted services. Belle Vue has developed several, including technical support and web-design.

On seeking quotes, Hartlepool Carers found they could get exactly what they wanted by joining Belle Vue’s own technical support service. They have been delighted with the ethos, the response times, and the price: “We were amazed at the quote - we have an immediate saving of at least £1,500 a year, ” says Scott.

The net:gain process also helps with funding, ensuring bid-writers can link their ICT requests directly to their organisation’s mission and its clients’ needs, and show exactly what impact it will have. Using this approach, Hartlepool Carers won funding for 3 laptops for a new project and are now implementing a learning and support programme for young carers.

With an ICT Action Plan underway, Hartlepool Carers already reports a less problematic working environment, enabling staff to concentrate their efforts on delivering services.

Scott says: “Although it is difficult to allocate time to ICT planning, it can save effort, duplication and money in the long run.”

net:gain centre - Belle Vue, Hartlepool

A net:gain delegate improves communication

Jack Drum Arts was started in 1986 to provide the community and young people in a rural setting with access to the arts. Its services include mentoring young people, taking them and the wider community to see touring companies, drama classes for young people aged 5 to 21 years old and film workshops. A number of 16-17 year olds who have been trained by Jack Drum Arts are now being employed part time to deliver classes to younger children. In addition Jack Drum Arts hires out costumes and film equipment to schools, charities and other film makers.

The Office Manager, Stacey Taylor, felt that there was a need to improve communications within the organisation. Frequently bookings and meetings couldn’t be arranged as the directors and artists were in meetings or workshops around the country and were unavailable. She felt that Jack Drum Arts was giving an inconsistent and unreliable service to its customers.

On the net:gain programme Stacey learned to think through problems more widely. “It showed me how to think of things outside of the box.” She has been applying these skills both at work and at home.

Resulting initiatives include:

• Trial of a web-based on-line diary
• Time savings for office manager of 2-3 hours per week
• No more missed messages, appointments easier to make
• Improvements in the payment of casual staff

The improvements in organisation and communication are already having an effect. “We can communicate so much better. Everything is all there, we can all see it.” Stacey feels this is helping them provide a smoother and quicker service to clients. “Providing this professional edge is important when customers
are buying a service as it gives them more faith that Jack Drum Arts will be able to deliver.”

Stacey’s hot tips

• Go into it with an open mind and don’t have any preconceptions
• Discuss things, don’t feel your question can’t be asked
• Don’t be afraid to think big

net:gain centre - Teesdale Village Halls, County Durham

net:gain supports the voluntary and community sector

The Titanic Heritage Trust was set up in 2005 to preserve the heritage of the Titanic and to establish a heritage centre before 2012, the Titanic’s 100th anniversary. It is a membership organisation with both national and international members. The trust is involved in giving lectures and talks and celebrated the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with a commemorative stamp and a service of remembrance in Coventry Cathedral. The trust is currently working on raising its profile, the BBC are already contacting them for advice and research, and focussing on fundraising to build a permanent heritage centre to open in
2012.

The founder and manager, Howard Nelson, knew he needed support, but had found that most training and events focussed on the private sector, with little available to support charities. After completing the net:gain programme he said “‘Finding an organisation that looks kindly on charities and charity groups was
like a breath of fresh air.”

He was attracted to the programme by the potential discounts available on software and attended the net:gain programme at Holbrooks Community Care Association (HCCA). He found the three sessions that he attended at the centre very useful and very interesting. He said “It was a very, very wise decision to
get involved and I’m sure we will continue to reap the benefits in future.”

As well as gaining access to discounted software and hardware he has found the access to training and the on-line grants forum very beneficial.

Resulting initiatives include:

• Clearer formulation of aims and goals
• Access to correct and up to date information on grants and funding
• Possible joint venture with a local theatre group
• Standardised documents
• Improved access to information
• Improved information sharing

Howard’s top tip for success:

• Try to make use of the facilities as often and as soon as you can

“Definitely the best forty quid I’ve spent this year, that’s for sure.”

A net:gain delegate takes a strategic overview

Dorothy House Hospice is a 31 year old independent hospice providing care and support for patients, carers and families to help patients have best quality at the end of life. It educates health professionals in ‘end of life’ care and operates 18 retail shops to raise funds.

When Peter Lennard took up the role of Head of Finance and Facilities he quickly identified the need to develop an IT strategy with a clear link to the business plan. He realised that the organisation was involved in many different projects and needed a more strategic overview.

During the net:gain programme, Peter benefited from the structured process for developing an IT strategy which would link their requirements to the priorities of the organisation.

Peter said “One of the early “mission to goals” learning points was the realisation that right through the hospice, we needed to know where people were. A shared diary was an obvious solution, but getting clinical staff to understand this was hard. Going through the process helped them realise the benefits of
implementing shared diaries. We now have a strategy linked to the needs of our patients and funders.”

Better access to information and a better booking system have resulted in
improved and more effective services for patients for the same cost.

Resulting initiatives include:

• Using on-line diaries and remote access for field workers
• Review of strategy for archiving patient records
• Providing computers with specialised keyboards for disabled people in the day care centre – with support
  from AbilityNet
• Using the strategy to apply for Department of Health funding to provide computers in the in-patient unit so
  patients can e-mail
• In the medium term to improve communications between their 18 retail shops via an intranet.

Peter’s top tips for success:

• Allocate plenty of time for the programme
• Set deadlines for each stage
• Get as much support as you can
• Efficiency will only be achieved with full commitment

net:gain centre - Future Learning, Bristol

net:gain helps review of ICT requirements

Travelling Light Theatre Company was started 23 years ago to produce high quality shows exclusively for children that are performed in schools and national venues. It aims to produce shows that are thought provoking and which allow young audiences to use their imagination.

Funded by the Arts Council, they tour two productions annually with around 200 performances, reaching 20,000 young people. Travelling Light runs three youth theatres in regeneration areas in Bristol for children aged 8 to 18. They are involved in other education projects including Webplay’s Page to Stage platform, an on-line pilot project with interactive links between the company and schools.

Cath Greig the General Manager was attracted by the opportunity to think about how to plan and structure ICT. She said “ICT gets to the bottom of the pile, you don’t really think ahead and I realised that was the area we tend to neglect, even though we rely on our technology a lot.” The organisation faced a number
of issues including an outdated website, inconsistent internal communications and a lack of procedures for recording and disseminating information.

The net:gain programme helped them investigate exactly what was required and the range of possible options. Viewing processes from different perspectives gave an all round view of the organisation.

Resulting initiatives include:

• Improved sharing of information
• Everyone has a notebook on their desk for messages, reminders etc
• Weekly bulletin circulated to staff and board members
• Exploring the potential for an intranet
• Redevelopment of the website
• Planning for computer obsolescence

The techniques learned through net:gain are now being applied to each area of their work and planning. Cath said “It provides tools for strategic planners to understand an issue or part of a service from different perspectives and that is really valuable.”

Cath’s hot tips:

• Make sure you give yourself time
• Work with others in your organisation

netgain centre - Future Learning, Bristol

net:gain - encouranging change across the sector

Humberside Learning Consortium is a relatively new organisation that has developed out of a small training project started in Hull CVS twenty years ago. HLC aims to make access to learning easier by delivering information and supporting both providers and learners in the sector.

Les Braim, the Communications Manager, attended the net:gain programme at Electroville. He recognised that in many organisations it is difficult to get senior managers and board members on board in the planning stages.

Les said, “I personally did not need a specific trigger, but I do recognise that senior managers/trustees do. The main way forward is to relate the need to plan for ICT, whether purchase or ongoing support and replacement, with the effect on outputs should systems fail because such planning was not made core to
the organisation’s annual plan and budget.”

The main benefit of the net:gain programme was affirmation of the path already being followed by the organisation and reinforcement and justification for improved ICT planning including budgeting and full cost recovery.

Resulting initiatives include:

• ICT strategy for Humberside Learning Consortium and a Sub-regional ICT strategy for the Federation of Local Development Agencies (FoLDA) as well as a joint bid to Capacity Builders Consortium Development Fund for a major share of ICT project

It is anticipated that a number of benefits will result from these strategies including better integrated data about the state of the sector in the sub-region, facilitation of collaborative project work between partners, improved targeting for information and the ability to obtain up to date data when required. This links
into in-house systems which will enhance assessment for all quality marks for all partners.

“The FoLDA ICT Strategy marks the most significant change. This shows a growing commitment to incorporating ICT in all planning processes. It is hoped that the change in attitude will permeate down to other members of the VCS in the area.”

net:gain centre - Electroville, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

GAVCA recommends net:gain

Gloucester CVS (GAVCA) is involved in leading ChangeUp in Gloucestershire, and could see that net:gain - run by FutureLearning CIC in Bristol - offered a good fit with what they are trying to achieve.

ICT and organisational management are the top two skill gaps in this sector in the South West according to the 2006 Workforce Development strategy. GAVCA Chief Officer, Sally Pickering explains: “We wanted infrastructure organisations to look at strategic planning and we were struggling to convince them. We believe that it’s important for organisations to plan their ICT properly. net:gain offered the potential to convince our clients and partners that strategic ICT planning is a good idea.We joined the programme so that we could learn how it worked.”

With ten years’ track record supporting the sector,GAVCA now covers Gloucester, Cheltenham and the wider county. It already offers a wide range of ICT support for local voluntary organisations, including help with ICT policies and procedures, data security, backups, disaster recovery, ICT health checks and purchasing advice.

Sally found that understanding the net:gain planning process was most useful: “We can now recommend net:gain as a planning tool and it provides us with an additional resource for our clients.”

net:gain offers delegate organisations the opportunity to work together over three workshop meetings, and Sally sees a lot of potential in the “Technical Fair”, which forms part of the second workshop: the net:gain centre offers demonstrations of equipment, and may bring in guest speakers from the private or voluntary sector:“It is good to be exposed to different ICT products by an organisation that isn’t selling them, and have the chance to discuss them with your peers and with objective advisors.”

Futurelearning CIC and GAVCA are now looking at ways to work together, to raise awareness of the benefits of net:gain across the county.

Sally’s top tip:
“Make sure that the right person attends the first net:gain workshop – it’s for strategic decision-makers, not techies - and that you get buy-in from your colleagues when you get back to base to implement what you have learnt”

How net:gain helped improve and manage change

Teignbridge CVS is one of the smaller Councils for Voluntary Service, with only 8 staff. A review of their Information Management Systems was due,but Manager Susan Wroe admits that they had no real understanding of how to go about this: they needed a route map, and a guide. Moreover,she felt that their lack of understanding regarding the potential of ICT to better deliver client services would limit their vision.

Says Susan: “net:gain puts IT planning into easy steps.It was really useful to work  through and see how IT could help us improve and manage the change we needed.The process made us ask the correct questions. For example, when reviewing our Information Management System the net:gain process made us add bits that we would not have thought about before going on the programme”

The outcome has been a new system that integrates all of their information management needs, and which Susan expects will save time and resources:

“We have only just had a new Information Management System installed. However, we envisage that we will be far more efficient in our work with ‘users’ and stakeholders. As an organisation we are better organised and more structured, and will be better able to identify and target the work we need to do – it will make us more pro-active, and less reactive.”

Susan thinks it was worth enrolling on the programme just to learn the planning methodology: “I can see benefits of using the process outside of IT planning – it’s transferable to other issues”

Susan Wroe attended net:gain workshops at Cosmic and praised the staff for all the support that she received.

First net:gain Completer from Cosmic

It was the constant drive to achieve and demonstrate quality improvement that persuaded Mark Goodman, Chief Officer of Voluntary Youth Services (VYS) Devon, to embark on the net:gain programme at his local centre, Cosmic.

VYS already had a strategic plan and annual work plan in place, but neither made any reference to ICT. Mark saw net:gain advertised, and realised it could be just what his organisation needed. Cosmic is well known in the South West: Mark had worked with them over a number of years, and had a good relationship with the staff there.

Says Mark: “Very few organisations appreciate just how important a role ICT now plays in their organisational effectiveness – we were no exception: I knew we needed to spend some time reflecting on where we were and what we wanted to achieve with ICT.”

VYS is not a large organisation, but it provides practical help and a voice for youth groups across the whole of Devon – a wide remit that requires excellent communication, networking and collaboration. Effective, efficient systems and continual review of policy and best practice. Many of VYS’s goals for the year revolved around these challenges, areas where effective use of ICT is bound to have an impact.

Mark is pleased with the outcome of the work – which has tied ICT into his planning in just the way he hoped:

• From April 2007 VYS will have replacement strategy for ICT hardware, with monies set aside each year to meet this commitment.
• Next year’s Work Plan now has a section on ICT development
• The work will support their Strategic Plan (2008), setting out needs and plans in relation to ICT

On a practical level, VYS has already begun to see improved communication between staff, and better reporting.They have also designed a web-based customer survey – just one way they have identified that ICT can help improve feedback to and from the network. Mark says: “ We should start to see benefits very soon:In fact as soon as early next year.”

On a personal level, Mark says that joining net:gain has improved his knowledge and understanding of ICT, especially how it supports organisational development.

“I’d recommend net:gain to any organisation that is serious about investing time in improvement, and wants to get the best out of the tools available: it helps you learn from others who are much more experienced than you, to guide your future planning"

First net:gain completer from Future Learning CIC

Community Service Volunteers in Bristol was delighted to win a brand new contract. But it had demanding requirements, including response times. That meant a change in the way they'd worked before!
Nick Cocking from Community Service Volunteers in Bristol is just completing the programme at Future Learning CIC. He was faced with the challenge of organising client referrals to a new service, which had stringent contractual requirements, and the CSV needed a change in their systems and procedures. For example, they needed to establish contact with referred clients within five days, in order to meet the service agreement and draw down the income.

Nick found the net:gain workshops and the Ten Step process really useful, because it identified potential technical solutions and allowed him to engage staff in the development of procedures that everyone agreed.

‘Although we are not quite ready to make a purchase, we now know what questions to ask potential suppliers about their products. We have a specification that we have worked out as a team.’ Nick says. ‘And now that we have worked through the net:gain process for a single project, we can see how to apply it to the organisation as a whole and build technology into our business planning.’

‘We found it very useful to meet other organisations working on net:gain during the workshops and we have since got together with another organisation round the corner to help each other schedule our work programmes.’

‘At the moment, we rely on the postal service to meet our 5 day deadline for clients to make contact. With Christmas around the corner, we had to do something and net:gain gave us a way of doing it quickly but gave us confidence that we had done a proper job.’

Net:gain helps Epilepsy Outlook review communications

Making sure the right information gets to the right people in a form that’s accessible is a real priority for Epilepsy Outlook Manager, Jacqui Gettings.

This voluntary sector organisation provides support for people with epilepsy and their carers. Every person's epilepsy is unique to them, and the individual copes differently with the condition. So it’s crucial to present information in ways that meet each person’s needs.

Currently, Epilepsy Outlook use paper-based information, so achieving the flexibility needed takes a lot of time and effort. Jacqui was keen to learn how technology could answer the needs of Epilepsy Outlook’s clients, to deliver the range of communications needed more efficiently and effectively.

The Belle Vue net:gain Centre has agreed a valuable local offer with other ChangeUp providers in the region, so Jacqui’s organisation has immediately benefited from a free IT health check consultation. This gives them an accurate baseline of their IT capability. As Jacqui progresses through the net:gain programme, development modules helping her organisation to map beneficiary need to technology, to specify and cost the equipment they need to buy, and to plan for implementation, will allow Epilepsy Outlook to build on the information gleaned from the health check.

Jacqui is planning how to use technology to promote the organisation more effectively. Looking to the future, Jacqui intends to use the knowledge she gains through net:gain to develop the organisation’s databases, reach a broader range of client groups, and promote the organisation more effectively.Several doors are opening for Epilepsy Outlook, and with the support provided through net:gain, no doubt, they will be well on their way towards achieving their goals.

net:gain delegate motivates colleagues to embrace change

Wendy Thomas , Fundraising and Marketing Manager of the Lloyd Park Centre in Walthamstow has only praise for the net:gain programme. She signed up for the programme via the O-Regen Click Cente, Walthamstow. "This has been a really valuable experience and I would highly recommend it to any other voluntary orgainisation "
The Lloyd Park Centre has come a long way since starting out as a parent and toddler group in 1987. An established charity with purpose-built facilities, Lloyd Park now provides high quality, family orientated services for the under 5s, their parents and carers. Effective communication between all stakeholders involved with the centre and its clients is vital to maintain their high quality of service.

One of the first delegates to embark on the net:gain programme at the 0-Regen Click Centre, Wendy had no idea what to expect . But she immediatly saw how useful the net:gain method could be to her organisation, and was inspired to put it into practice straight away.

The net:gain programme helped Wendy and her colleages to begin their strategic planning for ICT with an open mind: focusing on what they wanted to achieve for their beneficiaries without getting bogged down in ICT issues. The programme materials enable people at every level in the organisation  - including volunteers and service users  - to contribute to planning , whatever their ICT capabilities, as the process allows for insights on mission, needs and goals from their different perspectives.

"We found this a really valuable exercise in identifying ways to improve our organisation and together we planned twelve initiatives around the goals we identified. Using the net:gain planning charts we could quickly establish a process to help achieve these goals. Everyone involved left the meeting feeling motivated about making the changes happen," said Wendy.

Inspired by the meeting, two members of staff had each implemented an initiative within a week! Some initiatives  ed to technology innovations. The organisation is now trialing SKYPE - internet telephony - to improve communications between users and partners. Calls to partners and families can be made free of charge.

"We contact users and partners several times during the day and have conference calls as well. This is a cost saving approach and optimises the use of our broadband."

How net:gain helped The Chesterfield Volunteer Centre

The Chesterfield Volunteer Centre is lucky to have good, up to date ICT equipment, but Centre Co-ordinator Dave Radford knew that wasn't the whole story. Dave is just completing the net:gain programme, provided by the IT29 net:gain centre run by Holmewood and Heath Community Action Partnership. He knew that his organisation needed to take time out, to make sure they were using their ICT equipment to the best advantage.

Dave says, “I don’t think anyone at the Volunteer Centre would consider themselves an IT expert, but the whole programme has been incredibly enlightening.  We are aware that while we are fortunate in the equipment that we have, we knew that we were not really using it to its full potential.  To be fair we had no idea what its full potential was.  However we did have dreams: wild crazy dreams that we thought were just too much for even our fairly up-to-date system. After the first consultation with our local net:gain provider, we found out that our wild dreams were not quite so wild after all. In fact, if we can scrape together just a bit of money, then they are very achievable dreams indeed.”

The net:gain process can also highlight glaring holes in the way an organisation works – both aspects that use technology, and those that don’t.  Dave explains: “It made us painfully aware of the things that we were not doing so well, such as ‘backing up’ for instance.  This had always been a problem for us and we were unsure how to get round it until we found out about backing up to a remote server via the internet. This is a system we will employ shortly.”

Dave feels that the programme has given his organisation the impetus – and the support structure – to change for the better, in a way that puts them in the driving seat: “So often when talking to an IT professional one can feel extremely excluded, but in this instance we felt included. We ended up feeling as if our computers were friends, rather than the enemy we perceived them to be. To have the opportunity to think through what we needed, and then have things explained in a clear, understandable fashion was a breath of fresh air.

“There is still a long way to go, we realise that, but hopefully with the support of net:gain we can work more effectively, serve our clients better, and make our dreams a reality.”