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Free digital skills training and mentoring for small charities
19 Feb 2021by Aidan Paterson
Beyond is offering mentoring and training to nonprofits working in the areas of financial wellbeing, early years, mental health and sexual & domestic violence. We examine the courses and training on offer
Beyond offers digital, data and design training, workshops, coaching and community to help nonprofits adapt and respond in times of crisis.
The struggles that charities faced in 2020 saw a sector-wide increase in digital. When new challenges arose, new solutions followed swiftly, as charities showed resilience and innovation as they adopted digital ways of working – many of them for the first time.
But the process of digital transformation was the very definition of a crash course. As our lives were upended overnight, charities were thrown in at the deep end and many had to begin designing online services without any prior planning.
Under normal circumstances, this process would have been the culmination of months, even years, of engagement with service users, iterating services and understanding which tools and solutions to use.. Instead, charities simply had to go online and get stuck in.
While this has led to much improvement in terms of digital services delivered by charities, it is natural that a year down the line many of us are feeling the strain. These ad hoc working practices were never meant for the long haul. Now that charity workers have mastered the basics, it is time to build on what has worked and to learn from what hasn’t. It’s time to create a foundation from which to adapt and sustain.
Smaller organisations are likely to be most in need. Digital skills were in high demand before the pandemic. In the new hiring environment, they are even more sought-after. Furthermore, staff who previously delivered face to face services find they are now becoming more confident in using online platforms to deliver support. Charities are looking at their workforce skills and capabilities differently, there is real opportunity to empower existing staff and volunteers and build their confidence in using digital to deliver services.
But even this can be easier said than done. This training is often expensive and not specifically aimed at charities.
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About Beyond
Beyond offers a programme of online learning to support digital capability building for nonprofits in England. The programme seeks to help smaller organisations, including registered charities, co-ops, social enterprises, housing associations, community interest companies (CIC), grassroots, voluntary and community organisations and companies whose main focus is social impact. This programme of learning has been developed by DOT PROJECT and Shift with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, and is delivered as part of a wider network, in close collaboration with both CAST (and their Catalyst initiative).
To date, Beyond has helped improve the design and digital skills of nearly 300 people from over 200 organisations. To register for a course, simply sign up via the Beyond website.
The support on offer
Working and being together online
This course is ideal for people with an interest in team wellbeing and productivity.
Digital product management
This course is ideal for people working on digital programmes or services within small and medium sized charities.
Digital safeguarding for your services
This course is ideal for people who are interested in or have a safeguarding responsibility.
Prototyping in Practice
This course is ideal for people designing services online, particularly if you have identified a problem and done some user research, this course is for you.
Developing a cyber resilient organisation
This course is ideal for people who have a responsibility for managing data, systems, and are responsible for cyber security.
Managing your data in a pandemic
This is for anyone responsible for the data managed by their organisation.
Relational skills to support organisational change
This is for anyone who is in the process of change within their organisation and want to engage their board and/or strengthen communication within teams.
Design thinking for times of crisis
This course is ideal for people in charge of service delivery and improvements.
Two advice sessions with a tech mentor
This is for you if you have burning tech questions you need help answering.
These sessions run between Feb - Mar on a one-to-one basis.
*First come first serve. Available to people in nonprofits focused on Mental Health or Sexual & Domestic Violence.
Tech foundations mentoring programme
It is tailored towards individuals who are responsible for managing and maintaining tech in your organisation.
These sessions run between Feb - Mar on a one-to-one basis.
*First come first serve. Available to people in nonprofits focused on Mental Health or Sexual & Domestic Violence.
Sign Up Here
Sign up to access learning through the Beyond platform
Aidan Paterson
Aidan Paterson
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