What is DirectSupport?

Experience you can trust

DirectSupport is one of the longest running support services for UK online centres. We have been helping centres since 2000. A free guidance and mentoring service, DirectSupport is now funded by Ufi. We focus mainly on community and voluntary UK online centres, but can assist any type of centre or partnership in need of guidance.

The current programme of support is delivered mainly through our online and telephone services, and will run through to July 2007.

UK online centres have been set up by the Government to give local, public access to ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies). >>more

The DirectSupport service is run by Voluntary Sector and Social Enterprise. The consortium operates to share experience of regeneration and community development by delivering specific projects.

The aim of DirectSupport is to ensure that centre staff can access guidance both on day to day management issues and on future planning. We are an enabling service: we signpost, interpret information emerging from government, funders and stakeholders, offer mentoring, and act as a sounding board or intermediary when problems arise.

Helping centres to plan, to exchange experience and work together is a key part of the process. We also help centres to access and develop good ideas for informal activities, so they can share these with other centres. >>more

There are several levels of DirectSupport available free for the next year to UK online centres:

DirectSupport Online, including the Experts Online service
Helpdesk
Mentoring and workshops, including tools to help you develop sustainability

The CuriosIT range of fun ICT activities is available free to all UK online centres.