Projects of the Month

If you would like to volunteer for any of these Projects of the Month, please go to Volunteer Opportunities. To access these workpackages using the links on this page, you need to be logged in.

Work Package Name: Game Support, North Wiltshire, SN1
Mentoring
South West
This charity promotes entrepreneurship amongst young people. They need IT/Business professionals to act as business advisers/support/mentors to Young Enterprise/Intel Masterclass of about 100 children, from 13 to 18, in groups of 6-8 children who will be running a business game supplied by a large multinational based in the UK. The game, supplied by Intel, simulates negotiating the purchase of PC's for a client against an outline specification, from multiple manufacturers across 3 time zones. Technical support will be provided remotely by the multinational. This is project for volunteers with both IT and business background who can commit to the occasional day during the working week at about one months notice. The idea is to have pool of such volunteers. Retired or semi retired middle or senior mangers in IT would be ideal but all who can spare the time are welcome. The project is starting in North Wiltshire initially, but will then roll out UK-wide

Work Package Name: Website redesign - South East, Slough, Bucks, SL1
Website
Bucks
This charity works to support and assist asylum seekers and refugees in the Slough area and help them settle with dignity. They provide a drop in centre where advice is available on issues such as immigration, health, housing, education, employment, benefits, etc. They also run a number of projects including English and citizenship classes, a study group for young people and a mother and toddlers group. The charity has a website which was developed for them by a previous iT4Communities volunteer. This has worked for them successfully in promoting their aims but they are now looking to have the site redesigned. They would like a volunteer to work with them to redevelop the site to make it look a bit more modern and to make it accessible and easy to navigate. They have some ideas themselves but want to bounce them off a volunteer with experience of designing sites. They would like to be able to maintain the site themselves in future so would appreciate some training on this.

Work Package Name: Website - Consultant - South West, Bath/Bristol
Website Advice
Bristol
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.

Work Package Name: Website, South West, Minchinhampton, Gloucs, GL6  
Website
Gloucs
The charity has a web-site (www.good-moves.org.uk). They would like assistance on the following: - to advise on and discuss the objectives of the web-site; and then look to see if the website will meet these objectives; - to develop the website and implement the agreed changes if this is required; - to take over keeping the web-site up to date for a while and to train them to take this over; - to give advice on how IT could further the objectives of the charity; - to advise on the data-base they will need to set up; - to give them training in mailing lists, and review the mailing list they have. The work on the web-site could be done remotely.

Work Package Name: Database advice - South West, Bristol South West
Database Advice
South West
This charity that offers a comprehensive service of volunteer support (handyman, gardening etc) to the older community of Bristol needs a database expert to help them design the transfer of their current paper-based system into a computer based booking system. Initially they would like someone to scope this project with them and write a recommendation (project initiation document) for the implementation. The implementation of the database build would be the second stage of the project and not necessarily implemented by the same volunteer. Volunteers do not need to be based in Bristol if they are happy to work remotely.

Work Package Name: Secure on-line purchasing, Kentish Town, NW5
Website
London
This national charity provides free and confidential sexual health advice and services specifically for young people under 25. They operate a number of centres where young people have access to doctors, nursing staff and counsellors. They also run a confidential help line and young people can contact them through their website or via a text messaging service. They also produce a range of publications on sexual health issues for use by teachers, health care workers, parents and young people. They would like to make these publications available for purchase through their website and are looking for a volunteer to help them with this. They have developed a specification for the project which has two distinct areas: 1. The facility to use a credit card to purchase a printed document; 2. Access to a secure area of the site where electronic publications will be available for download. Payment may be by credit card or on invoice. They are not sure of the technologies involved in this but their website was developed in ASP and already has a secure area which can perhaps be extended for this project. The volunteer will need to advise on the implications of encrypting and securing credit-card data and how access to the secure area of the site can best be managed. The volunteer should be prepared to work with people at the highest level within the charity.

Work Package Name: Defining deliverables for search engine optimisation
Remote
Consultancy
This charity provides theological training and related educational resources for an ecumenical grouping of denominations and churches. As well as training for people wishing to become ministers they also run courses for lay people who wish to explore and understand the Christian faith. In order to support their charitable activities they use their premises to provide B&B accommodation with priority given to other charities. The charity has a successful website promoting the B&B service and they have achieved a high search engine rating for the site. The charity's general manager will soon be moving overseas but will continue to work remotely. In order to manage his work the charity are defining a number of projects with associated deliverables that can be monitored and which will determine payment. One of the general manager's current responsibilities is the search engine ranking of the website and he will continue with this for the next four years. The charity has defined this work as forming two projects: "Search engine performance" and "Google Adwords / Overture programs". They are now defining the deliverables for these projects. They are looking for a volunteer to check these projects and deliverables for them and to ensure that nothing has been overlooked and that the deliverables are realistic. These project descriptions will form the basis of a contract between the charity and the general manager so both parties are keen to make them as comprehensive as possible. This is an opportunity for a volunteer with an understanding of the tasks involved in search engine optimisation and experience of project management. The charity is happy to work remotely with a volunteer but if a face-to-face meeting is necessary will be prepared to travel throughout England.

Work Package Name: Access development, London, Islington, N7
London
Database
This organisation provides a health advocacy service to refugees and asylum seekers in Islington they also provide training for refugee and asylum seekers to assist in their finding employment. The project staff uses an Access database to manage the trainees and their volunteering activities, so it is vital to their organisation but it is now old and is difficult to maintain. On professional advice they now seek a volunteer to work with them to redesign the database. Some of the features will include allowing two levels of access administrator & data entry; full details of training, appointments etc and to include reports to allow the project to be monitored. The organisation wants to work closely with the volunteer who develops the database so that they have an understanding of the database and how to maintain it in future. They would also like documentation describing the design of the database. The project staff has a good understanding of Access and can develop their own queries and reports but need a professional to provide a robust design.

If you would like to volunteer for any of these Projects of the Month, you will have to be logged in first for the link to take you directly to the workpackage.