Digital Inclusion
5 tips for making use of accessibility features in Office 365.
This is a quick round up of some of the accessibility features in Office 365 that you may not be aware of. From using your voice to find what you’re looking for or input data to using live captions in meetings, these 5 tips are useful for anyone with an Office 365 account.
Read our Office 365 accessibility tips
It’s more than just access to devices – but that’s a good start
We were thrilled to give out 10 tablets to Kingston residents in need, as early participants in the DevicesDotNow initiative.
As part of the HEAR Network’s Digital Inclusion campaign we’re sharing our experience and highlighting how now, more than ever, not being online can exclude people from support at at time they need it most.
Read the blog post
Digital Inclusion Resources Roundup
Here’s a round-up of some other useful news and tips we’ve discovered over the last month:
- Don’t underestimate the telephone! 32 useful tricks and tips for helping people with digital skills during lockdown
- A new manifesto for digital inclusion from the Good Things Foundation
- We all need to be asking people about their digital skills say Citizens online
- Taking your first steps online Citizens Online article
- Introduction to digital accessibility – free Ability Net webinar 18 June
Tech Spotlight
Transcribe your inerviews with Otter.ai
Otter.ai helps you record and transcribe meetings, interviews, lectures, and other important voice conversations. It’s the ideal tool for helping you transcribe interviews with your beneficiaries or other key stakeholders. 600 minutes of transcription for your free account – and it’s cheap to upgrade for more functionality or time.
Create your free account with Otter.ai
News and Resources
A list of carefully sourced news articles and resources relating to civil society and tech. We’re focused this week on security – especially when using video conferencing tools.
Staying safe online – cyber security, video and social media
- The National Cyber Security Centre share their advice on using video conferencing services securely and tips from Cyber Aware, the UK government’s advice on how to stay secure online during coronavirus
- Discover how to report a potential phishing message to the NCSC using the Suspicious Email Reporting Service
- Understand your social media profile settings with these handy checklists from online safety experts SWGfl
- Watch this on-demand webinar ‘GDPR and Working from Home’
- And this on-demand webinar from Digital Leaders on staying safe in our new virtual world
- Here are vital things to consider if you’re using your own device for work from the Information Commissioner’s Office
- Check out Mozilla’s review of the privacy and security of popular video apps to help you make smart decisions on what to use to work remotely
Tips and tools for impact
- 3 infographic tips for nonprofits from Nonprofit Tech for Good
- The best software to create a Theory of Change – from Inspiring Impact
Communications and digital fundraising resources
- On Road have launched a new free guide “Better Stories”: How to support people to do great media interviews
- Communications, Press and Influencing toolkit provides a detailed overview of storytelling from a charity perspective from Lloyds Bank Foundation
- 15 free digital communications resources for charities to use during the coronavirus pandemic – on the Media Trust hub
- Digital fundraising for small charities (in a hurry) – downloadable guide from Reason Digital
- Read Social Misfits Media’s 5 top tips for purpose-led organisations looking to master Twitter
Remote working resources for managers via The Catalyst
Working remotely brings new challenges and opportunities for managers.
- Check out this toolkit of resources to remote working from Gitlab whose whole staff team works remotely
- And this Almanac collection Remote survival guide – for managers (you’ll need to enter an email or sign in with Google to access)
And don’t forget our #StayHome blog series with resources to help you work remotely during Covid-19.
Training
Our recent online webinars and training sessions have been fully booked – so we thought we’d re-run some! Plus there are some brand new online sessions. Bear with us – we’re trying to move our sessions online as fast as possible to help you in your everyday work…
All of the following sessions are free to attend:
- Qualitative Data 101 Tuesday 9 June 10am to 11.30am
- E-Voice website 1:1 surgery Wednesday 10 June, various times
- Office 365 – not just for file storage and email but an amazing toolbox of useful apps Thursday, 11 June, 10am to 11.30am
- E-Voice website 1:1 surgery Friday 12 June, various times
- Microsoft Teams: Walk-through for small charities – Friday 19 June, 10am to 11.30am
- Beginners guide to Canva for publicity Thursday 25 June, 2pm to 3.30pm
- Set up a free charity website and add your photos and other great content – 19 June, 10am to 11.30am
- Microsoft Teams: Walk-through for small charities Weds 1 July, 10am to 11.30am
We are providing one-to-one support in all things data via Datawise London. You can submit your data query on the Datawise website.
Other Useful Training & Events
Social Switch Project Frontline Training
The Social Switch Project Frontline Training is a free interactive course, aimed at professionals working with young people in London to deal with the challenges and opportunities of social media.
Other sources of tech support
London Digital Support
To help small local charities and community organisations working in London with current digital challenges, Greater London Authority is working with a group of digital experts (including us) to facilitate free short term digital support and advice.
Complete the Digital Support Access Form to log your support needs.
CITA (Charity IT Association)
For longer term support or bigger challenges, CITA can match charities with IT professional volunteers, via their three programmes:
- Tech Surgery (CITA Review) – offering a short IT assessment giving independent advice to identify and qualify potential IT projects and initiatives that will support your strategic and operational objectives.
- IT Consultancy (CITA Advisory) – providing IT project management support and advice helping charities to define, plan and manage identified IT projects from scoping to completion.
- IT Project Delivery (CITA Delivery) – providing the right technical skills needed to deliver a successful IT project.
Find out more and register on the CITA website.
