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ICT regional champions workstream

Led by NAVCA

We are a network of nine regionally based champions for ICT, co-ordinated by NAVCA, who are helping third sector support organisations to use technology more efficiently and sustainably and to improve the ICT guidance they provide to the groups they work with.

 
Workstream partnership

Lead agency: National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)

Partners: Strategically-positioned organisations in the nine English regions each of which host an ICT champion.

These are VONNE (North East), Electroville (Yorkshire & the Humber), GMCVO  (North West), High Peak CVS (East Midlands), Community First (West Midlands), COVER (i-trust) (East of England), Lasa (London), SCIP (South East) and Cosmic (South West).

We believe that a strong and successful third sector is essential for achieving social justice and tackling poverty and disadvantage in our communities and that appropriate use of ICT can amplify the effect of this work in the third sector

Key aims for 2008 - 2011 

We are working with the members of sub-regional consortia to address goals set regionally that reflect the priorities of the area, as well as a series of overall aims which connect our work at a national level.

  • our aim is not to promote the use of technology for its own sake, but that appropriate technology can be chosen and tailored to reflect people's needs

  • we are committed to working in an ethical and transparent way to build trust and long lasting relationships

  • to provide appropriate on-line and printed resources and training courses aimed at helping local support providers understand technology better

  • to work with managers of local support providers to explain the strategic benefits of ICT and how to make best use of their ICT systems and operate more efficiently and more sustainably 

  • to help development workers in local support providers increase their ICT knowledge so they can show the groups they work with how existing and new emerging technologies can improve the effectiveness of these groups

  • to provide resources and signposting for people in local support providers with the role of supporting their ICT systems

  • to identify gaps in provision of ICT support services in each region and share good practice within and between regions to help strengthen local support providers or help new local providers establish affordable and sustainable ICT support services

  • to source funding opportunities aimed at increasing the level of ICT provision for development and support in their region. 

 
Benefits for support providers
  • efficiency savings in use of technology through understanding of its strategic importance

  • better understanding of technology and more able to make informed choices when selecting new technology or new applications such as social media tools

  • stronger funding applications that take into account the total cost of technology ownership from initial purchase through to ongoing support

  • confidence to be able to effectively reach and cascade good ICT practice to frontline organisations

  • access to an impartial signposting service of trusted local advisors and providers of ICT support and services that are relevant for the needs of the third sector

  • continued free access to 'ICT Hub legacy' publications and the on-line ICT Knowledgebase 

  • help to build their own resource library of ICT policies and plans from templates provided by the ICT Champions

  • support from a nationally co-ordinated network of champions for ICT helping each other to provide resources and answers as requested by local organisations

  • access to new on-line and printed resources to cover gaps identified by the ICT Champions

  • participation in training resources and training sessions for managers, development workers and ‘accidental techies’ of local support organisations.

 
Key opportunities for the third sector

  • Through work with members of ChangeUp Consortia and other key stakeholders to provide information that reflects the ICT needs of the third sector

  • through work with a range of organisations help raise awareness of what ICT can do to meet the needs of the third sector client groups and statutory partners

  • in collaborative partnerships play an active role in creating a network of affordable trusted ICT support available at local, regional and national level

  • a sharing of knowledge, experiences, expertise and support with people who support third sector organisations

  • by having a shared voice in lobbying local, regional and national bodies to ensure policy and developments in ICT address the needs of the third sector

  • harnessing the power of technology through knowledge of its practical benefits and uses, rather than technology being the driver for an organisation.