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Dear Andy,
As someone with an interest in voluntary and community sector ICT we hope you find our monthly London ICT e-bulletin useful. Our bulletin is aimed at smaller organisations, managers, circuit riders and accidental techies. It will keep you up to date with the latest news, ICT events and training, accessibility, opinions and more. You can also forward it to a colleague or unsubscribe at any time.
Join in the discussion
In the Bulletin we will normally have one or two discussion points which can be followed up by Bulletin subscribers over on the Knowledgebase Forums – we encourage all Bulletin subscribers to join in and take forward the ongoing debates. Currently there are discussions running on the importance of ICT management, training, budgeting, social media and much more.
Lasa Information Systems Team
In this London ICT e-bulletin for November 2009:
ict news
Win a website, Computanews out now, PCs for the elderly, Community Voices
events, training and learning
Creating newsletters, NetSquared's Net Tuesday, SpiceWorld, NCVO Foresight, London Circuit Riders, Modernising Volunteering, Media Trust training, Lasa ICT Learning Programme
funding and awards
BT Community Connections, eBay for charities and Media Trust awards
resources
ICT elements of the National Support Services, updated data protection, ICT Security Guide, upgrading to Windows 7, people and project management, social media library, legal issues
practical tips
Listening dashboards, reducing energy use, extending computer life, accessibility in Vista
tools & applications
Pasting tool, information mapping, VOICE websites, typing training, Drupal introduction, green software
opinion
Measuring social media ROI, real time web, keeping online donors, dangers of social media
discuss
Have you thought about your social media policy?
Competition opens for charities to win free website and digital strategy
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Digital communications agency Precedent Communications is offering £30,000-worth of its services as a competition prize for charities. The prize includes a new website, training and a digital strategy. To enter, Precedent is asking charities to post short videos on YouTube. Full details on the competition microsite. Communications charity the Media Trust is also offering prizes to the runners-up, including free training in digital media.
New Computanews out now
Issue 154 is now available to download. In this issue:
- Microsoft's latest operating system is compared with Ubuntu and Mac alternatives along with accessibility features
- using student volunteers and volunteering best practice
- 12 ICT security tips to help you stay safe
- Mobile and wireless technology explained and help with moving from cabled to wireless network
- our round up of ICT news and events from the voluntary and community sector.
New PC for elderly people launched
A new computer aimed at people aged over 60 who are unfamiliar with PCs and the internet has been unveiled. The simplified Linux-based desktop – called SimplicITy – has just six buttons directing users to basic tasks such as e-mail and chat. Read the story on the BBC website.
Digital media research
Research commissioned by Media Trust reveals there is an opportunity for Community Voices (see Resources) to add value to media activities within disadvantaged and isolated communities. The research aimed to get an overview of the success stories as well as identifying some of the biggest barriers that prevent communities from finding their voice. Download the Community Voices report.
Related Knowledgebase articles:
24 November: Create e-newsletters that get read @ venue tbc – This Media Trust afternoon workshop will teach you what content is of genuine value to your audience, how to write killer subject lines and other key elements to drive click-through rates and traffic to your website. £95 for charities/voluntary sector organisations. More information on e-newsletters workshop.
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
MissionFish – eBay for Charity
eBay for Charity gives eBay users an easy way to support their favourite charities by making donations when they buy and sell. Buyers can support a good cause and sellers can donate a percentage from any sale to a charity of their choice and add Gift Aid. Charities can also sell their own items directly on eBay to raise unrestricted funds. As eBay’s partner for the programme, MissionFish vets charities, processes donations, collects Gift Aid and advises on how to make the most of eBay. More information at Mission Fish
Inspiring Voices digital media awards
Media Trust is always looking to celebrate the varied and inspiring ways you are using digital media to help empower disadvantaged communities. Community Voices has 20 £500 awards to give away before the end of March 2010. More information on Inspiring Voices.
BT Community Connections
A reminder that you can still apply for a laptop and contribution to a year's free broadband connection. Postal applications must be received by 5 January 2010 and online by 7 January. Find out more about BT Community Connections
Related Knowledgebase articles:
National Support Services
This month we look at three of the nine NSSs funded by Capacity Builders, highlighting ICT tools and elements included in each service.
Marketing & Communications – lead agency – Media Trust:
- Marketing matters – a video guide giving practical advice on the fundamentals of marketing and demystifying Web 2.0 tools such as vodcasts and blogs.
- Other Media Trust projects include Community Voices – engaging and equipping citizens who feel unheard or voiceless with the tools to help them express and exchange views using digital media with funding available for grassroots projects and youth media – see Media Box, Youth Mentoring and the Communication for the Next Generation guide
Campaigning & Advocacy – lead agency NCVO's Campaigning Effectiveness:
- Louder is a new website which has been developed to support the set up and running of e-campaigns using a range of free tools.
- There is also a collection of other resources, examples and case studies of use of new media to aid campaigns.
Equalities & Diversity – lead agency Women's Resource Centre
Updated Data Protection book published
The third edition of Paul Ticher's book on Data Protection in the Voluntary Sector has just been published. £18.95 from Directory of Social Change.
Computanews Guide to ICT Security
Aimed at voluntary sector staff with responsibility for managing and securing ICT systems, the free 34 page ICT Security guide (2MB PDF file) looks at:
- Assessing the risks and policies needed
- How computer security is affected by people and the environment in which it used and
- How to secure those all-important assets
As ICT security is a vast subject, the Guide is split into easily digestible sections, written in plain language and complemented with a rating system so as to be appropriate whatever the size or complexity of your organisation's ICT systems. Download the ICT Security Guide.
Should You Upgrade to Windows 7
Kevin Lo at TechSoup looks at four questions to ask before acquiring and deploying Windows 7 at your organisation.
Project Management – The People Side
Project management methodologies abound, but the usually overlooked people side is just as important as the processes. This new Knowledgebase article looks at some tips and tools for working successfully with people on projects, and takes a brief look at some online project management tools that can help.
New social media resource library
There are many resources on social media for nonprofits, but they are scattered all over the web. As a first step in their year-long social media research initiative, Idealware has compiled a library of nearly 200 – and growing – resources on social media. Visit the library.
- legal
Commission considers wider-ranging data breach notification law
The EC will consider passing new laws forcing organisations that lose personal data to go public with that loss. The Commission has until now been opposed to the creation of wide-ranging data breach notification requirements. More on data breaches at Out-Law.com.
Online advertising threatened by cookie law
Visitors to websites in Europe may soon face a barrage of pop-ups that seek their consent to internet cookies. The plan to change current laws on cookies can be stopped only if politicians fail to resolve a file-sharing dispute. More on cookie laws at Out-Law.com.
Consultation over maximum fine for data protection breaches
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) would have the power to fine organisations up to £500,000 for serious breaches of data protection principles under plans announced by the Ministry of Justice.
More on data protection breaches at Out-Law.com.
Related Knowledgebase articles:
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Each month we look at some practical tips and techniques to help you get the most out of using ICT.
How to create a listening dashboard for your organisation
NetSquared's Amy Sample Ward investigates how to pull together sources of online information in one place.
Reduce Your Energy Use
TechSoup's five quick and easy ways to reduce your ICT energy use – part one is an overview, part two looks at two of the suggestions in more detail.
Extending the Life of Your Computer
Save money and resources and keep that PC out of the graveyard for a few more years – a TechSoup article.
Accessibility Features in Windows Vista
Download this Superhighways guide to the accessibility features available in Windows Vista.
Related Knowledgebase articles:
Each month we look at some handy tools to help you get the most out of your technology:
BetterPaste
Better Paste is a simple, lightweight application for Windows that tweaks the Ctrl+V paste shortcut so that it pastes plain text every time. This is really useful if you are copying text from a Word document and need to strip out the formatting in order to bring it into a web page.
Get a Brain!
The Personal Brain is a great free visual information mapping desktop application. Download your Brain
VOICE websites
Cambridge Open Systems is making available free websites to all not-for-profit, voluntary, and community groups throughout the UK that can be set up with no technical expertise required. Interactive modules such as events calendars, discussion boards and surveys can easily be added to sites. Local authorities can subscribe to the full VOICE package which includes training and technical support.
Learn to type
UltraKey 5.0 UK is a downloadable application which teaches touch typing and safe keyboard use. It provides many options that adapt to a broad range of age groups and special needs. There is a free time limited trial download from the Bytes of Learning website; through the CTX programme eligible organisations can opt to buy 5 licences for £10 + VAT.
Drupal 101
An introduction to Drupal website content management system by Peter Campbell at Idealware.
Greening Your IT Through Your Software Choices
Computers and servers can consume a tremendous amount of natural resources. Over at Idealware David Deal and the Green IT Consortium take a look at the software that can help you reduce your environmental footprint.
Related Knowledgebase articles:
Our new section takes a tour around the sector's blogs…
Measuring ROI on social media
Clare Rollinson at NCVO looks at why you should ask the question: have we received more donations or more sales from our activity in social media?
Real time web in action
There's more to real time internet than Twitter – Marshall Kirkpatrick of ReadWrite Web gives 10 useful examples.
Online Donors: Why They Leave and How to Win Them Back
Rebecca Higman and Kayta Andreson from Network For Good discuss how to keep your online donors over at NTEN's blogs.
Has Your Organization Thought Through its Social Media Policy?
Dee Allbritton examines the dangers of social media and why a policy is important to safeguard your organisation online.
Related Knowledgebase articles:
Has your organisation recently started using social media? Has it thought through the potential issues and dangers and established a social media policy (as discussed by Dee Allbritton in the Opinion section)? Discuss this over on the ICT Knowledgebase Forum.
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