ruralnet|uk news

net:gain development grants announced

   The net:gain programme has now started the first round of funding for UK online centres. For those centres keen to participate, they can apply for a grant to help them meet development costs.  This will then aid and prepare them for delivery of the net:gain service to Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs).

The Home Office awarded £1.2 million to net:gain under its ChangeUp proposals to help the Voluntary and Community sector gain a better understanding of ICT strategic planning.  A further £250,000 has now been set aside for a programme of net:gain start-up grants.  UK online centres can apply to the fund for between £6,000 and £9,000 to support their development activities.

Home Office invests £1.2 million to help voluntary and community organisations make better use of ICT

The Home Office has awarded £1.2 million for an innovative proposal to bring about a step-change in the ICT capacity and capability of the voluntary and community sector (VCS). The net:gain service aims to train Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) in the strategic use of ICT through a programme of face-to-face and online support, delivered by UK online centres. The service has been developed by a consortium led by charity ruralnet|uk in collaboration with Ufi, Foyer Federation and Funding Matters.

Government Panel will have their Ears to the Ground

ruralnet|uk are pleased to announce that Stuart Burgess, Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities is now confirmed as the final member of the ruralnet|2005 annual conference rural affairs panel. He will join Rural Affairs Minister Jim Knight MP, James Paice MP and Lord Haskins. The session offers a neat reversal of the typical conference panel, with the special guests posing questions for the audience to answer. BBC News Rural Affairs Correspondent Tom Heap will be moderating these rather unusual proceedings.

Baring Foundation backs ICT Collaboration Project

Rural development charity, ruralnet|uk, has won £14,500 in its recent bid to the Baring Foundation, to support an action research project on ICT for collaboration. The funding comes from the Foundation’s ‘Strengthening the Voluntary Sector’ programme, and will help to develop an understanding of how ICT helps organisations work together.

Regional Forum Adopts Collaborative Networking System

ruralnet|uk are pleased that West Midlands Rural Affairs Forum (WMRAF) have chosen to use the charity's expertise in developing online network areas to link their people together, and to tap into the other resources provided through cross-network collaboration. This arrangement builds on five years working together on the WMRAF and West Midlands Rural Network websites (see www.wmraf.org.uk and www.wmrn.org.uk).

New Rural Affairs Minister Supports Free Places Scheme

ruralnet|uk is pleased to announce sponsorship from Defra and The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) of 50 ruralnet|2005 conference delegate places. These places will provide the opportunity for groups from the voluntary and community sector that would not otherwise be able to afford to attend to share their experiences and meet the decision makers and funders who influence their activities.

DirectSupport|online wins praise from early adopters

Brilliant!... Friendly… Accessible... Fab!... A lifesaver

These are just some of the many positive comments received about the online system in the recent DirectSupport|online user survey.

DirectSupport is a free guidance and mentoring service helping UK online centres work towards sustainability. The support service is funded by Ufi and is run by a consortium of voluntary sector partners who share experience of regeneration and community development by delivering specific projects. As lead partner in the consortium, ruralnet|uk has used its expertise and brought in significant added value and infrastructure to deliver the innovative DirectSupport|online services. The DirectSupport|online survey was developed to test the response to these services from UK online centres, and to seek feedback on how services might be improved.

CBN Goes Independent

The Community Broadband Network has moved into its second phase of development as an independent co-operative of local broadband projects and their supporters. Project partner ruralnet|uk will continue to play a key role in CBN providing on-line technology and support and running the CBN DirectSupport mentoring service for rural communities.

ruralnet|2004 continues online

More than 220 delegates and 28 exhibitors attended the ruralnet|2004 conference in Maidstone last week and the networking and access to support and expertise now continues online through ruralnet|online.

"We are pleased that ruralnet|2004 maintained the vibrancy, engagement and active participation of previous years. Again, it was more about new ideas, inspiration and motivation than the delivery of information," said ruralnet|uk Chief Executive, Simon Berry.

Fiona Mactaggart starts the ruralnet 2004 conference off on the right footing

Supporting grassroots rural community workers, who are often the most disadvantaged by service closure, ruralnet 2004 aims to stimulate thinking on practical ways to inject new ideas into the way that services are delivered in rural areas in the future, through presentations, workshops and debate.

A keynote address by Fiona Mactaggart MP on day one started the event off on a high. The Home Office minister with responsibility for community cohesion, civil renewal and active communities, she used the opportunity to outline the support available to those involved in service delivery and the Government's work to encourage partnership with the voluntary and community sector.