getwithit Conference – Herefordshire & Worcestershire

The getwithit team are pleased to announce the details of their 2008 Annual ICT Conference. This year it will be taking place on the 25th November, at the Bank House Hotel, Bransford.

The conference has been developed to meet the needs of small to medium voluntary and community organisations based in Herefordshire and Worcestershire and is tailored to suit their specific needs.

The conference will also be of particular relevance to individuals who have responsibility for ICT but limited experience, or organisations with little or no internal ICT support.

The speakers on the day will cover the following topics;

• Why managers and Trustees should be interested in ICT

• How to write for the web

• Data Protection

• ICT and Accessibility

• Conducting Online Surveys

There will also be a chance to ‘ask the expert’ which is an opportunity to pick the brains of our panel of experts by asking about any ICT issue that you are currently experiencing.

For more information and get hold of a booking form visit the getwithit website.

New ICT support in Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Good News if you live in Worcestershire or Herefordshire

The Get with IT team are funded through the BIG Lottery to provide IT advice and support to voluntary and community organisations across the two counties. To find out more about this project why not visit their website www.getwithit.org.uk.

Accessible web sites

10 common errors when implementing accessibility is Webcredibles’s latest article on web accessibility and is well worth a look. It is important to remember that as technologoy moves on our ‘good practices’ in web coding and design do too. Why not take a look and check your site today.

Free Local ICT Workshops in our region

Throughout February and March the ICT champions for the West Midlands are hosting a series of ICT workshops across the region.

Sub Region	Date	Venue	Agenda
Black Country	Wed 12 March – 1 – 3 pm		Probably ICT Planning & Management, and Accessible ICT
Birmingham	Wed 13th Feb	Birmingham & Midland Institute Margaret Street Birmingham, B3 3BS	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Coventry & Warwickshire	Wed 5th March		ICT accessibility, and Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Herefordshire	Thurs 14th Feb	South Wye Learning Centre Stanberrow Road Hereford HR2 7NG	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Shropshire	Fri 14th March	Monkhouse Granary Monkhouse Broadoak Shrewsbury Shropshire SY4 3HP	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Solihull	Thurs 21st Feb	The Fordbridge Centre Nineacres Drive Fordbridge Birmingham, B37 5DD	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent	Wed 5th Mar	The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Hanley	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Telford & Wrekin	Thurs 6th Mar	Telford & Wrekin CVS Meeting Point House Southwater Square Telford TF3 4HS Tel: 01952-458032	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT
Worcestershire	Wed 12th Mar  9 am – 11 am	Perdiswell Young People’s Leisure Club Perdiswell Park Droitwich Rd Worcester, WR3 7SN	Planning, Funding & Managing ICT

To register your interest in these events please fill in the booking form below and return using the contact details on the screen. If you should like futher information contact phyllisl@comfirst.org.uk.

Workshop booking form

Free Conference, Bristol, 5th February 2008

The Social Source South West Conference is being held in Bristol, 05 Frebruary 2008.
This is a network ing and information day about free and open source software, and low-cost ICT for the voluntary and community sector. There is no attendance fee and lunch will be provided.
For more details please visit www.bristolwireless.net and you can register online at www.survey.bris.ac./voscur/sssw

2 FREE workshops in the London area on Tuesday 12th February

Aimed at voluntary arts groups (e.g. arts, drama, singing, dance, photography etc) but are relevant to anyone involved in voluntary arts provision (national umbrella bodies, voluntary arts organisations, local authority arts officers, Arts Council staff, policy makers, consultants etc).
Venue: SHELTER Training Unit, City Forum, 250 City Road, London. EC1V 2PU. (Nearest tube Old Street and Angel)

Workshop One is 9.30am – 12.30pm and Workshop Two 1.30pm – 4.30pm.

Workshop One – Is your art or craft group missing out?

More and more art and craft groups are using the web and computers to help their group and promote themselves – is your group missing out?
Guiding you through the opportunities available to your group it will cover: simple websites, demonstrate the range of computers/hardware/software available, the costs involved and how you could secure funding, back up/virus protection/firewalls and securing on-going technical support. Demonstrates how using IT can help your group with minutes, newsletters, databases and bookkeeping. Everyone will receive a comprehensive pack of handy hints, tips and articles.

Workshop Two – Developing IT within your art and craft group

Free masterclass exploring topics e.g. Web 2.0 and specialist software packages

Covers the opportunities available to develop your IT capabilities. Includes how to develop your website e.g. ticket sales, blogs, uploading photographs, music and videos, pod casting, RSS and web 2.0. Includes demonstrations of specialist software packages available e.g. Photoshop & composer. The session will also cover free software available, sharing hardware resources within the sector, costings and funding opportunities, and how to access further help and support. Everyone will receive a comprehensive pack of handy hints, tips and articles on using IT within your group.
The trainers are Miles Maier – London ICT Champion & Brian Bell ICT Commission Manager for Voluntary Arts England.

To book a space contact Brian Bell at Voluntary Arts England on 0191 230 4464, e-mail brian@vaengland.org.uk , complete the attached form or download a booking form at www.vaengland.org.uk/events

National Conference and Awards – London 11th March

ICT Hub 2008 National Conference and Awards, 11^th March 2008, London

Featuring workshops such as “Making the most of your contacts”, “Greener computing”, “Casting your web more widely”, “Avoiding Apocalypse Now”, “The power of sound” and “The wired fundraiser”, the third annual ICT Hub conference is your opportunity to find out how ICT can help your organisation be more efficient and effective. The conference will also feature the 2008 ICT Hub awards, showcasing those organisations that have realised the potential of ICT over the last year. Make your nomination now!

To find out more about the awards, visit www.icthub.org.uk/ICT_Hub_Awards. To book your place at the conference, download the booking form www.icthub.org.uk/events/ict_hub_2008_national_conference_and_awards.html.

Arts Event – Birmingham 13th February

“A Wider Embrace – Increasing Participation”, an ICT and the arts event from the ICT Hub and Voluntary Arts England

Wednesday 13^th February 2008, Birmingham

Whether it be using a database to manage the contacts for your dance event, using a free piece of software to edit a piece of music, showcasing your artwork on an online gallery or collaborating with other arts groups using new media tools such as blogs and wikis, technology can be used in all aspects of the arts. Using technology effectively and efficiently can save you time, money and resources, ultimately helping you to do more with your funding.

This one day event is designed to help organisations working in all areas of the arts discover how ICT can help them both to run their organisation more effectively and in the delivery of their arts activities.
For more information and to book your place, visit www.icthub.org.uk/events/a_wider_embrace_increasing_participation.html

Mental Health Event – London 22nd February

ICT Hub Mental Health Event – in partnership with the Digital Inclusion Team and The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health

“Using and benefiting from ICT in the Mental Health Sector” Friday 22^nd February 2008, London

How can ICT benefit the Mental Health Sector? Are more people using the internet to donate to charity? Does sharing information improve your service delivery? How can you tap into the new Online Technologies and reach out to new audiences?
This one day event is aimed at helping organisations in or working with the Mental Health sector to use ICT more effectively. It is designed for all levels of ICT expertise with sessions to suit all requirements.
For more information and to book your place, visit www.icthub.org.uk/events/ict_hub_conferences_for_vcos_working_in_mental_health.html

Principles of a Circuit Rider

Circuit Riders, e-Riders and other professionals working with charities, non-profits and other VCS organisations have for some years acknowledged that there has not been a single statement of the principles by which they work.

The ICT Hub Circuit Rider Training and Standards Project have come up with the following Principles which are shown on www.lasa.org.uk/circuitriders/principles.shtml .

You can show your commitment to these by “signing up” to the principles. To sign up to the list of organisations and individuals who have made a commitment to work according to these principles, please email crprinciples@lasa.org.uk – your name, organisation (if appropriate) and web address will be published on the Circuit Rider Signatories page www.lasa.org.uk/circuitriders/signatories.shtml