Forums and email groups in voluntary sector

As an iT4C volunteer, you are probably a "stranger in a strange land" in the voluntary sector. Most iT4C volunteers have careers in commercial, government or academic IT. The voluntary sector is different - better in some ways, tougher in others. But there are lots of full-time IT professionals in the sector and our friends at LASA have been serving them for some years. One of the most important resources for this is the UKriders list (http://lists.lasa.org.uk/lists/info/ukriders) which has been running since 2002. This an email group for IT people in the sector. Here are some recent topics which generated significant discussion -

• Online Collaboration Tools
• Shared back office systems,
• blog - to ping or not to ping
• HTML v Flash
• VOIP service providers
• Guidance on old PC's donated to staff
• Broadband unavailability and DACS lines
• Add Printer utility problem
• Google grants: Free advertising for non-profit organisations
• Anyone know of a Wiki with restricted access?

- and that's just the most popular ones in August and September. You can see that this is a very varied and lively arena. Please take a look at lists.lasa.org.uk/lists/info/ukriders - take a look at the Archive. If you like what you see, register and lurk, if you can contribute, go ahead. It would be good to hear from you at iT4C if you find this useful but the main thing is - get involved. The voluntary sector may be strange land but it has lots of friendly and helpful techies in it. Why not become one of them?

LASA have just (29 Sep) added two forums on behalf of the ICT Hub- the ICT Hub discussion (Discuss IT Volunteers, Funding, ICT in the Regions, Communicating with ICT and Discounted Products and Services) and the LASA/ICTHub Knowledgebase discussion. The latter includes topics such as -

• Accessibility & Inclusion - Using ICT for inclusive service delivery, and making sure your internal ICT is suitable for everyone
• 
  Databases - Strategy for planning, choosing and implementing a database for your organisation
• 
  Hardware - Strategy, options, and issues to consider when making decisions on ICT equipment for your organisation
• 
  ICT Management - Manage your organisation’s IT effectively
  Internet & Email - Strategy and services for setting up and managing Internet and email in your organisation
• 
  Networks - Choosing, setting up and managing your organisation’s computer network
  Security - Keeping your ICT systems secure - this means securing yourself against disasters and accidents as well as malice
• 
  Software - Strategy, options, and issues to consider when making decisions for appropriate software choices in your organisation
• 
  Using Your Computer - Issues for staff using computers in organisations
  Your Website - What to think about when developing a website for your organisation

Both Forums are brand new but if you like what you see in UKriders then why nor listen and contribute here too? Go to forums.icthub.org.uk.

Again, good to hear from you at iT4C if you do get involved but the main thing is, as for all such lists, learn and contribute.