London Regional ICT champion

Following on from last week’s gig for NAVCA at Reading, I was asked to make available my presentation on “ICT doing more with less”

In hard economic times, it can be easy for organisations to cut back on ICT, particularly with maintenance support and training.  These are false economies – ICT underpins service delivery, and used effectively can help organisations to better achieve their goals.  This workshop is designed as a brief tour around time and money saving tips and tools to help organisations make their ICT go further.  I was also asked to talk about using new media in the context of organisations being able to use these new free and low cost tools to extend their reach and tell their story to funders.  The list of examples is not exhaustive, let me know if you have others.

The presentation is available for download from here:

The latest issue of Lasa’s Computanews magazine is now available to download as a free PDF (1.5mb).

Computanews provides straightforward information on the use of ICT (information and communications technology) for staff in small to medium sized voluntary organisations. Sign up

In this issue:

• Project management – let’s work together – project management methodologies abound, but Aba Maison argues that the people side is as important as the processes.
• Look back in tech – the editors take a look at what might be happening in 2010 – and what ICT life was like 10 years back
• Tips 155 – Using project management tools – 12 tips to help with the project management process
• Answr up – Gunner at Aspiration talks to Computanews about their exciting new knowledge aggregation “FAQ on steroids” project.
• Data Protection – Paul Ticher looks at the latest developments affecting the sector and we review his revised data protection book
• Building Bridges – Ian Goodman from Lasa tells us how the latest project is going
• Managing Technology To Meet Your Mission – we review NTEN’s essential new tech management book

Where’s events and newsbits gone?
We’re changing Computanews slightly from this month by not publishing events or newsbits. Why? Well, we can free up a bit more room for longer articles because events and news is covered in full in our monthly London ICT e-Bulletin. If you’re not already getting this, sign up now!

Missed an issue?
Recent archived issues of Computanews can now be downloaded – see links in the sidebar on the right or visit the Computanews home page.

Tell your colleagues and friends about Computanews
It is easy to forward on this mailing to others who you think would benefit from Computanews. If you are reading someone else’s copy, why not sign up for your own?

Fancy yourself as a writer?
Computanews welcomes contributions from readers – whether it’s an observation on an article or a longer piece. If you would be interested in contributing drop an email to computanews@lasa.org.uk

Computanews ICT Guides
The Lasa Computanews Guides offer practical guidance on specific ICT issues and help answer common queries. Guides are available as a FREE PDF download. Guides currently available are:

* ICT Security
* Managing ICT
* Data Protection
* Project Management
* Circuit Riders

Download from the Lasa Computanews Guides webpage

It’s not quite rock and roll, but I’ll be presenting 2 workshops on ‘ICT – doing more with less’ on 3 February at NAVCA’s Shining on a Shoestring conference.

The Beatles final gig @ Candlestick Park San Francisco 1966

During the economic downturn and Big Squeeze on funding, ICT could become an easy cut as organisations look to save money.  This workshop will show that ICT underpins service delivery and there are many free or low cost tools and tips organisations can use for improving communications and increasing effectiveness.

NAVCA’s Shining on a Shoestring conference is a networking and development event designed and priced with the needs of smaller local infrastructure organisations  in mind. The event programme will feature:

• Leading effectively in a smaller LIO
• Funding strategies
• Marketing the difference you make to politicians and funders
• Involving the sector in representation and influencing

To find out more or book your place, go via the NAVCA event page.

Ofcom today issued three release on a new non-emergency number, an analysis of the state of the UK and international telecommunications market, and an assessment of the UK mobile market.

• Ofcom will allocate a new memorable three-digit phone number – 111 – for NHS non-emergency healthcare services. This aims to make it easier for patients to access healthcare in their local area.  Read more at:  www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/three_number_non_emergency/statement/

• The International Communications Market 2009 (December) – this report analyses the prices of communications services in the UK and compared them against the prices available in other countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the US).  Download the full report from Ofcom.

• Ofcom Mobile Sector Assessment – Mobile Evolution concludes that the UK mobile market is serving citizens and consumers well and it is not appropriate to do a wider market review at this point. However, the report also highlights mobile coverage as an area of concern and refers to research that Ofcom is currently carrying out to determine the causes of mobile not-spots in the UK.  www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/msa/statement/

The monthly London ICT e-bulletin is aimed at smaller voluntary and community organisations, managers, circuit riders and accidental techies. It will keep you up to date with the latest news for circuit riding, ICT events and training, ICT accessibility and more.

It’s free to subscribe to the monthly e-bulletin.  Just sign up at:  www.lasa.org.uk/lasa/mailing-lists/

In this month’s issue we look at:

To receive the free monthly e-bulletin by email, sign up at: www.lasa.org.uk/lasa/mailing-lists/

From the London ICT bulletin.  Subscribe here.

01 December: Netsquared Net Tuesday @ eOffice, 2 Sheraton Street, Soho 5.30 -7.30 – This month’s meeting looks at the eCampaigning Louder.org.uk website and an opportunity for sharing. Sign up for Net Tuesday.

4 December: SpiceWorld London @ Roxy Bar and Screen, London SE1 – A full day’s learning on the free SpiceWorks helpdesk and inventory tool. Register for Spiceworld London

8 December: NCVO ICT Foresight Seminar @ NCVO, London, N1 – What’s round the corner in the world of technology and where might your organisation be in 5 years’ time? Find out more about this afternoon seminar (2.30 – 5.00pm followed by drinks reception) and book online.

15 December 2009: London Circuit Rider afternoon networking event @ Novas Contemporary Urban Centre, London Bridge – Joint event with members of LVSC’s STAN and Cascade networks. We’ll be exploring what circuit riders, information workers and development workers can learn from each other. Sign up for the London Circuit Riders.

13 January: Modernising Volunteering by Red Foundation – a free training seminar providing an introduction to working with social networks for volunteer support service workers and those who are thinking of or just starting to use these networks for volunteer recruitment and communication with their peers or members.  Find out more about modernising volunteering

Media Trust training
The Media Trust is running a number of digital media training events in the London area over the next few months – see the Media Trust training page for more information.

Lasa ICT Learning Programme
A reminder that applications are open for this new innovative programme which will help circuit riders, development workers and accidental techies develop their awareness of the sector and its ICT needs, consultancy, planning and non-technical skills. More information and application forms

Event/training organisers – if you are planning an event please send us brief details so we can include it in the e-Bulletin by emailing ictbulletin@lasa.org.uk

Microsoft is inviting charities who currently or plan to provide IT skills training to support individuals into employment, to the launch of the Microsoft Britain Works NGO programme. The event is free to attend and will take place between 9:30 and 3:00 on Monday 07 December in London @ The Ruebens Hotel, 39 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PS.

The Microsoft Britain Works programme aims to work with NGO’s and community learning centres to help half a million people into jobs over the next three years in the areas of the economy that will lead the recovery.

There will be speeches from Microsoft executives and workshops on subjects such as Microsoft skills, how to access funding streams and bringing the benefits of technology to your organisation.  To register follow this link.

The third annual Charity Software Survey has now opened for responses.  The survey is in two parts – accounting and CRM software; you can fill in one or both of the sections depending on what your charity uses or your personal expertise.

The aim is to build up a comprehensive picture of what software packages charities are using, how satisfied they are with them and any problems they have.  The results will be presented in February, with those for accounting software appearing in Charity Finance and those for CRM software appearing in Civil Society IT.   All respondents who complete the survey in full will have the option of being emailed a free copy of the survey. The survey should take approximately five to 10 minutes to complete.

Any opinions you supply on the performance of your supplier/software will be published anonymously.

Respondents will be entered into a draw to win one of three 2GB iPod Shuffles.