Projects of the Month

All the Work Packages listed below were 'Available' at the time the Volunteer Newsletter was put together. If, when contacting the charity, they tell you that a volunteer has started work on the Work Package, please ask the charity to contact info@iT4Communities.org.uk so that we can assist them in assigning the volunteer to the Work Package. Once the charity has assigned a volunteer, the Work Package state will be changed to “In progress”, and taken off the iT4C website.

Please go to www.iT4Communities.org.uk, then Log in and Search for volunteering opportunities - for these and more ‘Available Work Packages’. Alternatively simply go to each Work Package using the live links under the Work Package Name (you will need to login en route).

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Work Package Name: Website - QUICK
Skill Type: Website
Region: East of England
Postcode: PE1
Region Detail: Peterborough

Description: This charity that offers access to information, advice and services for older people and their carers requires a website volunteer. They have a template driven website that is fairly basic and not currently online. They require assistance with making it look much better, hosting it somewhere suitable and ensuring that the staff are able to easily update it. As so much of the work has been done this is potentially a quick project but the organisation is open to suggestions for using another CMS such as Plone, Mambo or Joomla if the volunteer strongly recommends one. Peterborough volunteers (or those who will visit) only please.

Work Package Name: Website advice and project management
Skill Type: Website
Region: South East
Postcode: RH20
Region Detail: Pulborough

Description: This small charity is looking to improve their current website to enable them to collect donations and accept registrations. They require a 'guardian angel' volunteer who will help them to write a website brief, choose a supplier and manage the project to ensure that they spend their limited funds in the best way possible and are left with an integrated and simple to maintain website. The charity is based in the South East and ensures that everyone has access to cancer screening and advice. They have no government funding and rely on volunteer support.

Work Package Name: Donations and supporters database advice
Skill Type: Database
Region: South East
Postcode: RH20
Region Detail: Pulborough

Description: This small charity is looking to build or buy a database that enables them to manage their supporters and the donations they receive. They are looking for a 'guardian angel' who will be able to help them cost the various options and assist with a smooth implementation. At this stage it is advice and guidance and not someone to build the database that they need. The charity is based in Sussex and provides cancer screening so that it is accessible to all. They receive no government funding and rely on volunteer support.

Work Package Name: Training in web skills
Skill Type: Training
Region: London
Postcode: E8
Region Detail: Hackney

Description: This charity works with gypsies and travellers in Hackney and surrounding London boroughs to ensure their communities are represented at all levels and to challenge discrimination when it arises. They work with young people aged 11 to 19 from these communities organising activities and encouraging them into training opportunities. The young people elect representatives from their peers annually and these representatives are responsible for conveying the views of the young people on all issues. The charity plan to add a youth section to their existing website and want to involve the young people in the whole process ? design, content, etc. They would like a volunteer who can train the representatives in web design and implementation issues. The training sessions would be for two young people and a youth worker on a weekly basis. The sessions would take place after 3.30 p.m. and would probably last about two hours. The charity would make training facilities available. The young people may have some previous knowledge but that is not guaranteed. Once trained the youth representatives will maintain the site and ultimately pass on their skills to next year's representatives. This is an opportunity for a volunteer who would enjoy working with a small group of young people to pass on valuable web-related skills. A CRB check is not necessary as the volunteer would not be left alone with the young people but if the volunteer was already CRB cleared it would be useful.

Work Package Name: PC setup and networking
Skill Type: Technical Support
Region: North East
Postcode: SR7
Region Detail: Seaham

Description: This charity operates a community centre in an area suffering from economic decline and extreme social deprivation. Over 1000 people attend the centre every week taking part in social activities, keep fit classes, etc. One of the facilities provided by the centre is an IT suite with some IT training available. However, their equipment is outdated and unreliable and is becoming increasingly unusable. The charity is hoping to have some new (or nearly new) PCs donated to allow them to update the IT suite. They would like a volunteer who can help them set up and network these PCs and to ensure that the office PCs are not accessible from the IT suite. The charity have licenses for all the software which needs to be installed on the PCs but aren't sure how to do the installations. In the short term, until the new PCs are available, the charity would appreciate some advice on how to keep the existing system running.

Work Package Name: Basic PC training
Skill Type: Training
Region: South East
Postcode: RG30
Region Detail: Reading

Description: This charity provides support and therapy to people affected by MS in Berkshire. They provide therapies such as physiotherapy, dietary advice and counselling. They can also provide information through books, videos and information packs. The charity has a number of members who are interested in using computers and who would like some basic IT training. They would like a volunteer who can provide training to small groups of members. The members have different levels of IT literacy with some needing to learn how to switch on the PC. Others may be interested in basic word processing or accessing the Internet. The charity has a network of three PCs running Windows XP available for the training sessions. The PCs all have MS Office installed and broadband access. Some members are disabled due to their illness but the PCs are adapted for their use. The charity has run a similar project in the past and still has some training materials available or the volunteer may wish to develop their own. The training sessions will need to take place during the day but the charity is flexible about their exact timing.

Work Package Name: Website - Update/Plan Changes
Skill Type: Website
Region: London
Postcode: N4
Region Detail: London

Description: This national voluntary youth organisation provides opportunities, regionally and nationally, for young people and adults to explore creative approaches to conflicts in their lives. They need a website volunteer to assist with some short term updates (to advertise two new projects on the website) and some longer term planning and advice. Medium term they are looking to increase usability of the website and seek advice to help plan a move to an online booking system/other suggested improvements. The website needs to be maintained in-house so support and training would be helpful for the person who will have this as part of their job description. (They currently use Frontpage and are considering a move to Dreamweaver). Help with the initial updates much appreciated, anything after this would be a bonus!


Work Package Name: Website Consultancy
Skill Type: Advice
Region: South West
Postcode: DT9
Region Detail: Bath/Bristol

Description: This network of older peoples forums in the South West is looking for a volunteer to: 1) advise about the build/implementation of a website that will act as a communication channel/virtual network for the geographically dispersed forums 2) advise about the project in its entirety including ensuring that the website works seamlessly with other communication channels and does not replace them 3) to ensure that the website is exemplary in terms of accessibility/usability 4) to act as technical advisor for the project & the (recruited) volunteer who will be producing the website The website is likely to be database driven, have online forums and secure membership areas but with a reliable CMS for ease of update/sustainability. This network assists older people in the South West to play an important role in influencing local and national decision makers. The forums inform and empower more senior citizens and support often isolated communities. The already established forums play an active part in identifying and resolving issues affecting the welfare of their communities. The improvement of communications between the forums that this project will achieve will assist with sustainability and impact.

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Please go to www.iT4Communities.org.uk, then Log in and Search for volunteering opportunities - for these and more ‘Available Work Packages’. Alternatively simply go to each Work Package using the live links under the Work Package Name (you will need to login en route).