There is no doubt that IT is becoming central to organisations'
capacity to communicate with their members, service users,
funders and other stakeholders. But a survey in 2001 by the
UK Government's Department for Education and Skills showed
that the IT infrastructure in the third sector remains fairly
undeveloped. Though 82% of organisations had computers and
67% had an internet connection, the computers were often at
a level too low to make the core cost savings, productivity
gains and service developments that have been achieved in
businesses. There are two general problems:
Many organisations remain sceptical about the benefits
of IT systems when weighed against the cost of installing
them.
Most organisations don't have the skills to support their
IT systems and plan for the future.
It's important to remember that IT decisions should be driven
by the goals of your organisation. Don't lose sight of the
fact that IT is only a means to an end, it isn't an end in
itself. Managers sometimes let IT people baffle them with
technicalities and in effect withdraw from the planning process.
At the same time technical staff can become too absorbed in
the technology and lose sight of the broader goals.
Set the criteria for what you want out of IT in your own
words, in language that everyone in the organisation can understand.
It is up to the technical expert to explain how their solution
can fit your needs. Spell out your proposals for change and
list the expected costs - both in terms of expenditure and
of staff time - as well as benefits and risks.
Video view: Parents for
Inclusion
See how Parents for Inclusion, an organisation campaigning
for the inclusion of disabled children in all aspects of life,
went about installing a new IT system.
It's a good idea to spell out the consultation process to
reassure your management committee that all staff have been
involved and are on board. You also need to spell out the
timetable for implementation and evaluation, highlighting
key milestones and detailing how you will measure success.
Building an effective IT infrastructure requires careful
planning. You will need the right staff and structures:
An IT co-ordinator
You will need someone to act as IT co-ordinator, even if
it is a part-time position. Whoever fills the role doesn't
necessarily need great technical knowledge. What is crucial
is their ability to administer the system, making sure problems
can be described for others to solve.
Super user
A super user is a staff member with a detailed knowledge
of computers and software. Colleagues probably already ask
her or him for help so it makes sense to build on this expertise,
recognising its value to your organisation. Provide extra
training and an enhanced job description.
IT steering group
An IT steering group takes responsibility for IT within
the organisation, bringing together the super users, the IT
co-ordinator and senior management to identify problems and
set strategies for the future. The group should consider the
practical and legal issues involved in storing
information, including registering under the Data
Protection Act. They should also make sure that health
and safety requirements are being met.
External support
External support is often necessary for both smaller organisations
with limited IT expertise and for larger organisations with
complex systems. See choosing
suppliers and equipment.
The internet
Fortunately for the voluntary sector, the internet is ideal
for creating networks of locally based groups with a common
cause - see the IT goes
rural case study.
Video view: Young Farmers'
Club of Wales
See what issues were faced by Young Farmers' Clubs of Wales
when they developed their website.
Websites can of course be used for much more than displaying
office opening times and last year's annual report: they can
include searchable online databases, discussion forums and
online evaluation forms. Creating an effective website requires
time, energy and developing new ways of providing information.
See how the Epilepsy Association of Scotland created their
website in the live and online
case study.
