Online resources for service delivery

Charities have faced a digital awakening in recent years. Those who did not have digital strategies in place, or the requisite skills with which to implement one, found themselves struggling as everything from fundraising to service delivery moved online, in large part due to the pandemic. One in three charities had to cancel services because they didn’t have digital skills to deliver them. 

In 2021, there were signs of improvement. More than four in five charities started offering online services after or during the pandemic, and 78% have deployed digital to speak to new audiences.  

But the Charity Digital Skills report also found that more than a fifth (22%) of organisations had to cancel their services because their beneficiaries didn’t have the tech or skills to use them. In order for their service users to access services, almost half (45%) of charities had to provide them with devices, data, or technological support.  

While they have made excellent headway in embracing digital themselves, the gap between how charities deliver their services digitally and who can use them is still too wide. Charities remain concerned that using it will exclude some people or groups, with digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation reporting that 10 million people in the UK lacking the basic foundational skills needed for an increasingly digital world.

How can charities solve the problem? 

There are lots of different ways that charities can ensure that they include more people when deploying digital technology.  

First of all, they can continue to improve digital skills themselves. For the three in five charities that told the Charity Digital Skills report that they have a digital strategy in place in 2021, there are still two that do not.  

A digital strategy shows charities areas where they can apply digital technology to support their mission. With a digital strategy, charities can be sure that every piece of tech they use has a purpose and that it is beneficial to their service users, first and foremost. Even new fundraising platforms should be to raise more money to apply to your mission.  

This free Digital Skills Toolkit has an entire chapter devoted to the steps you need to create a great digital strategy. To start with, charities should conduct a digital audit so they can understand their current capabilities and where they need to improve. Charities can use online tools such as NCVO’s Digital Maturity Matrix or the Digital Maturity Framework from Data Orchard to do this. 

Charities should also talk to their beneficiaries and donors, to gather what they need from you and whether the technology you use is meeting those needs. Think about different ways you can deliver services, including embracing hybrid delivery.  

Putting support services online was an important way that charities were able to continue their work during the pandemic, but two years later, the flexibility of such an option remains popular. More than half of youth employment charity EY Foundation’s beneficiaries backed hybrid support in 2021. Fewer than a third wanted face-to-face support only. 

Following EY Foundation’s example, charities should ask their users what they prefer outright, in order to discover the extent of digital exclusion among their beneficiaries. Ask them what the barriers are – whether it’s skills, technology, or something else entirely – and think of ways you can remove them. Any tactics you decide upon should be included in your digital strategy.

What external help is out there? 

Look out for local initiatives that can work alongside you – some of which you might even be able to get involved with directly. 

In 2021, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announced that it would invest £21m in measures to combat digital exclusion over the next three years. The aim is to improve the digital skills of 4,000 people in the region through ‘digital boot camps’ provided by charities and education authorities.  

The University of the West England in Bristol is also delivering a series of fully-funded Inclusive Digital Bootcamps in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).  

For charities looking to provide guidance themselves, the Good Things Foundation also has a network of community partners who can provide a “supportive learning experience and access to the internet” for those who have previously been digitally excluded.  

The Foundation provides resources for people looking to support others with getting online, including how to use games to teach tablet skills, and can also point people to free online courses for help using devices and accessing public services.