PRESS RELEASE - 15 August 2005

HOME OFFICE INVESTS £1.2 MILLION TO HELP VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS MAKE BETTER USE OF ICT

The Home Office has awarded £1.2 million for an innovative proposal to bring about a step-change in the ICT capacity and capability of the voluntary and community sector (VCS). The net:gain service aims to train Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) in the strategic use of ICT through a programme of face-to-face and online support, delivered by UK online centres. The service has been developed by a consortium led by charity ruralnet|uk in collaboration with Ufi, Foyer Federation and Funding Matters.

The project will be funded under the Home Office's ChangeUp programme, which sets out the changes needed to the strategic architecture of the VCS in order to build stronger communities and deliver public services more effectively. In particular, research has indicated that the VCS lags behind other sectors in the effective use of ICT. The primary barriers to the sector's engagement with ICT include a lack of strategic understanding of how ICT can benefit frontline organisations, and difficulties in accessing advice, information and support that is affordable, reliable and relevant to the sector.

net:gain proposes to address these issues through a programme of workshops and ongoing support for Chief Executives, Trustees and other senior staff within VCOs to identify how their needs can be met through better application of ICT. The new ICT support service aims to:

• help VCOs to ensure they are getting the most out of their ICT investment
• identify areas where ICT could improve business processes and service delivery
• work with organisations to develop an action plan for ICT development and training
• provide ongoing support and opportunities for further training.

A key feature of the service will be to bring together organisations who are going through similar kinds of issues. The aim is to provide a long-term support and development relationship between the net:gain centre, other local ICT service providers and local VCOs and to encourage sharing of good ICT practice through locally based networking.

The service was successfully trialed last year through a National Exemplar fund pilot managed by the Foyer Federation. Consortium partners will take the programme forward, working very closely with regional ChangeUp consortia and the ICT Hub, which also had its funding confirmed this week.

ruralnet|uk Chief Executive Simon Berry, a champion of community ICT centres since the early 90s, sees huge potential for self-help in the sector: “We have learnt an enormous amount about how best to use ICT by trying out new things and sharing that learning with partners – and, in turn, learning from their experiences. The voluntary organisations that took on UK online five years ago have experienced the kind of learning curve in ICT planning and implementation that will benefit many of their local colleagues. net:gain will help them pass that learning on, within a framework that builds on sustainability for all concerned.”

Says Ufi Policy Manager, Anne Faulkner , “net:gain will build on previous Government investment in UK online centres, which are already playing a pivotal role in bringing the benefits of ICT to some of the most disadvantaged communities in England. Centres have first-hand experience of the difficulties faced by other voluntary and community organisations in relation to ICT planning, which makes them ideally placed to understand their needs and support their development through training. "

A network of more than fifty specialist 'net:gain centres' will be selected to deliver the service from the 2000 UK online centres based in the voluntary and community sector. Funding from the Home Office has been received for two years, after which time it is hoped that the social enterprise model on which the service is based will enable it to become self-sustaining.

For further information visit the net:gain website www.net-gain.org.uk or contact David Ellis, Project Manager, on 0845 1300 411

Notes for Editors
1. ChangeUp is the Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community sector, published by the Active Community Unit in June 2004. Six hubs of excellence are being developed, including an ICT Hub. See www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/active/developing

2. ruralnet|uk is a rural development charity combining expertise in ICT and community development. An early pioneer of community ICT centres to support individuals, VCOs and small businesses, ruralnet|uk set up WREN, one of the first demonstration centres in the UK , in 1990. WREN first ran IT and ICT awareness sessions for VCOs in the early 1990s. ruralnet|uk owns and runs a social enterprise, RNUK Ltd, which manages development programmes in both rural and urban areas. RNUK Ltd leads the DirectSupport consortium, which has been giving free support to UK online centres since November 2000, helping develop more than 1000 voluntary sector UK online centres. DirectSuppport was originally funded by DfES and is now funded by Ufi . For more see www.ruralnetuk.org and www.directsupport.org.uk

3. Ufi Ltd, one of the government’s key partners in delivering the workforce development and lifelong learning agendas, is responsible for the network of 6000 UK online centres and over 1400 learndirect centres. It aims to drive up demand for learning, help adults improve their employability by acquiring new knowledge and skills, and help businesses become more competitive. Further information is at www.ufi.com.

4. The Foyer Federation is the national umbrella body for Foyers in the UK . Foyers provide an integrated service, including accommodation, support and access to training and employment opportunities, for homeless and disadvantaged 16-25 year olds. The Foyer Federation has developed a network of UK online centres in 50 Foyers across England .

5. Funding Matters is a small consultancy that provides funding information advice and guidance to government departments and agencies, VCS intermediaries and Neighbourhood Learning & UK online centres. The Funding Matters service focuses on ICT-related Social Inclusion, Learning and Regeneration. Funding Matters has been a consultant to the DfES and LSC on matters relating to the development of UK online centres.

6. Originally set-up from early 2000 by the government, through the Capital Modernisation Fund, UK online centres were tasked to reach digitally-excluded individuals. UK online centres offer a broad range of services linked to the use of ICT and learning, and help bridge the digital divide by providing access to new technologies for those without access to the internet at home or at work. Many centres also serve VCOs and the small business market with training and support in ICT. In April 2003, Ufi was given responsibility by the Department for Education and Skills for the administration and development of the UK online centre network. UK online centres are now extending access to government e-services, encouraging people to use the internet to find information and advice, to access a range of services and employment opportunities, and to take part in and progress their learning. For further information see www.ufi.com/ukol.