IT volunteering organisation IT4Communities is
expanding its operations after receiving a grant from the Home
Office.
Since its launch in 2002, IT4C has enabled IT professionals to
help with a wide range of community activities, from building IT
strategies for charities to teaching Word and Excel to charity shop
staff. It currently has on its books more than 1,400 tasks across
the UK that need help from volunteers with IT skills.
IT4C was launched and is run by the Worshipful Company of
Information Technologists. It is supported by trade body Intellect,
the British Computer Society, Business in the Community, Computer
Weekly and Citizens Online.
Last month the organisation received a grant of £390,000 from
the Home Office to expand its services.
John Davies, IT4C’s programme director, said, “We have a
cost-effective model for delivering services, but with very limited
resources we have not been able to reach as many voluntary sector
organisations as we wanted to.
“The funding will make a significant difference, not only to
IT4C, but more importantly to large numbers of charities and
community groups who will now be able to benefit from the expertise
of IT professionals.”
More
information www.it4communities.org.uk
Examples of volunteer opportunities
Flintshire: An group that provides services to local charities
needs help setting up and integrating a printer.
Glasgow: A charity that provides training courses would like a
skilled volunteer to teach the trainers how to manage a new PC
suite.
Grimsby: A charity for the blind needs a skilled volunteer to
help train blind people to use computers.
Mid Glamorgan: A children’s charity wants training and support
for a new PC system.
London: A charity promoting community access to live orchestral
music wants help setting up a virtual private network.
London: A charity providing rehabilitation for survivors of
torture needs help with its e-marketing strategy.
Reading: A charity for the homeless wants help getting a number
of donated PCs to work efficiently.
Worcester: A charity for young people wants a volunteer to help
develop a website.