ICT Hub November 2007 Newsletter
The content of this newsletter was last edited on 8th August 2008
Hard to Reach or just not trying? Exploring what ICT can do and not do to help rural groups, BME organisations and older people; and some ideas for tools to support dispersed communities.
Contents
- Latest articles
- This month’s case studies
- New resources on the Knowledgebase
- Stories from around the Web
- News from the ICT Hub
Latest articles
Helping Dispersed Groups Communicate – How can ICT help you reach out? Reaching Out with ICT.
What does Hard to Reach really mean? – What can we do better and how might ICT make a difference? Hard to Reach or not really trying?
Evolving the South West – ICT doesn’< < t come in kit form…why you need to tailor the plans to make the best of it.
This month’s case studies
Pelvic Pain support Network - Improving stakeholders’ access to support and information.
How Ectopic Pregnancy Trust Uses Online forums - The trust is successfully using the internet to deliver information and support on this potentially fatal condition.
Hidden Voices - How simple support makes a difference to communicating with stakeholders.
New resources on the Knowledgebase
New this month on the ICT Hub Knowledgebase
- Using your database - Advice on managing your organisation’s database to ensure the data in it stays useful
- Databases in the Voluntary Sector - An overview of products and options in the database market
- Free and Open Source Software for the Macintosh - A review of Open source applications for the Macintosh
- Choosing and Using Free and Open Source Software - Excerpts from "Choosing and Using Free and Open Source Software: A Primer for Nonprofits"
- Second Life and the Voluntary Sector - A look at whether (and how) Second Life can be used by the Not for Profit Sector
- www.icthubknowledgebase.org.uk for full details
Stories from around the Web
Sharing large files easily over the
internet
Struggling with sending large files by email or resorting to sending CDs in the post? Try
TransferBigFiles.com – you can upload up to 2GB (single or multiple files), password protect them
for security and attach a simple email message. The recipient has five days to download it and it
won’t clog up their inbox. It’s got to be better than a bounce back message…
Ways to make your emails
more effective and efficient
14 do’s and don’ts that will make a difference
Choosing and using Free and Open Source
software
An updated guide from NOSI to help voluntary organisations make a choice about open source –
what it is, what options are available and how to get support.
User-generated content – the
implications
As Facebook gets criticised for exposing users to inappropriate content, what does your
organisation need to think about with user generated content?
Run your own
petitions
Freecharity.org.uk have developed a plug-in to help organisations run simple web based
petitions through a WordPress based site or blog. It’s still in beta version (ie still in final
testing) but click the link to get to grips with it...and if you haven’t discovered the joys of
WordPress yet, take a look at http://wordpress.com/
Using the internet for campaigning
IssueMarketing.com - the official website of The Internet Advocacy Book, is a free resource
for non-profits and socially-progressive organizations who use the internet to advocate for their
cause. Although US-focused it’s still relevant to UK voluntary organizations. It’s also worth
checking out the ICT Foresight guides
Eight
ideas to promote your website
Advice on how to drive more people to your website and on how to keep them there from
WildApricot.
News from the ICT Hub
ICT Hub Café – discussion forums
We’ve made some changes to the ICT Hub discussion forums to make them a friendlier place to
meet. Why not drop into the new look ICT Hub Café to discuss your organisation’s ICT issues; get
suggestions, help and information; or give others the benefit of your experience and wisdom.
Current chat in the Café:
- Communicating with the UK’s Multicultural communities
- Google Grants – free online advertising for charities
- ICT Hub Conference 2008 – your views
- Using social networks to beat cyber bullies
Joining us in the café will be four New Media experts offering lively and informative discussion. The four are Pete Wilson, who has worked in digital marketing for around eight years; Cobi Smith, a freelance media producer, editor and journalist; Felix Cohen, a director of technology and Suzanne Amos a freelance copywriter and web editor in the public and private sectors.
Between them they have knowledge of email, mobile, banners, web sites, viral, podcasting, blogging, social networking and usability. If they don’t know the answer to a question….they know quite a few people who will.
So pop into the ICT Hub café and join the party!

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