From the Director's Chair

 

We don't just sit in the office, emailing and phoning, we try to get out as much as possible. There's a real world, voluntary sector and IT industry, out there. Here's what I and our Deputy Programme Director, Anne Stafford, have been up to recently.

I helped to judge the Computer Weekly "Best Places to Work in IT" awards recently and I'll be at the Awards ceremony at Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane, on 22 February.

Anne Stafford went to a meeting of Women In Technology who will now be supporting us by promoting us to their members and inviting us to their monthly Industry events. Anne went to a joint VCS/Corporate sector event in Bristol to build our voluntary sector network links in the South West who have more than 700 potential volunteers and talk to companies (including BT and Rolls Royce).

Anne and I were at Homeless Link organized events in London and Leeds, promoting the effective use of IT to homeless agencies who have confidential data, and have to report to funders and statutory bodies regularly. You may remember some of the issues from our homeless themed newsletter last month.

Anne was also at a 'Choosing a database' afternoon workshop with commercial database providers and representatives of Brighton charities. She will write up some notes from this for a newsletter soon.

Anne met an IT specialist PR company Catalysis who are very keen to help us get more press so that the valuable work that you, our volunteers, do can inspire others.

We are always looking for new companies who might encourage their people to volunteer with us and Betfair are the latest who are promoting volunteering by their staff. Our latest cooperating company is Betfair who, as you might imagine, have lots of very bright IT people keeping their punters happy (or as happy as punters ever are)

If you have events or contacts, voluntary sector or IT industry, then let us know and we'll come to see you. It's great to get out of the office and meet the people where the work gets done - at iT4C we always remember - we only oil the wheels, it's our volunteers and VCOs who get the work done!

John Davies, iT4C Programme Director