COSMIC's News & Events

Rob - More recognition for making a difference to the Voluntary and Community Sector

May 1st 2007

Artical Reference: S.Davey, 1/05/07, from ICT Website:http://www.icthub.org.uk/caseStudies/How_does_one_person_make
_a_difference_in_ICT.html

How Does One Person Make a Difference in ICT In The Voluntary and Community Sector

The recent ICT Hub awards featured a category for Individual Contribution to ICT in the Voluntary Sector. It attracted some excellent nominations from the length and breadth of England.

The winner was Rob French, a member of the team at Devon-based COSMIC a social enterprise working across South West England with individuals, communities and businesses. Their focus is encouraging the use, development and understanding of Information Communications Technology. In line with the social enterprise ethos, COSMIC's staff have very strong social values whilst the organisation as a whole tries to balance a 50/50 split between funded and commercial work.

For the last 6 months Rob has headed up a new technical support service at COSMIC which supports voluntary and community organisations located across the South West. His time bank model allows these VCO's to access his knowledge and support efficiently as their needs change and develop. Rob provides support and knowledge in areas including:

  • IT maintenance and repair
  • specifications and purchasing
  • network installations and support
  • wireless systems installation and support
  • software testing and review
  • staff support and training
  • new IT systems appraisal and evaluation

So far so good. Just another techie plying his trade in the rural community? Well not exactly…

IT professionals aren't always the most popular people in the world. They can be vague and confusing. They can be uncommunicative. They can be arrogant and awkward. Not Rob. I've met him. He's a genuinely nice bloke, understands what he does, is easy around people (whether he met them two minutes or ten years ago) and gets on with things. If you don't understand, he'll show you what he's doing and fix the problem.

Rob delivers.

"He's helped bring us into the 21st century in as painless a way as possible. The advice he gave us when we contacted him about upgrading our IT was sound and, to a group of people who know very little about the intricacies of IT, very understandable."

If ICT is ever going to transform the voluntary and community sector, it will depend on individuals as much as programmes. One step at a time. Let's face it, many organisations are scared witless about that single PC box in the corner let alone websites, databases, networks and remote access. Web 2.0? Hmm, let's start with feeling comfortable with the mouse first shall we?

"If he encounters a problem which is beyond his level of knowledge he researches the issue and always communicates the outcome to us promptly."

Like all true ICT champions, Rob makes a difference, usually seamlessly and always quietly and effectively. When he scratches his head with a new problem, he goes away and solves it. There are no problems, only challenges to be met.

"Over the past two years Rob has tirelessly responded quickly and efficiently to our requests for ICT support. At times this has required him coming out to our offices in Exeter at short notice to affect emergency repairs, install new equipment and also make recommendations to improve our IT network."

If you read the Ethics article in last months newsletter, you'll have noticed that the best IT professionals are always trying to put themselves out of a job by building up the capacity of those around them.

"Rob is also very willing to share his knowledge and skills with staff here, when time allows, and consequently we are more able to deal with minor issues and problems ourselves. He is always helpful and enthusiastic and his warm and friendly manner make him very approachable".

ICT champions are also about inspiring confidence and encouraging others to have a go. ICT terrifies many and it's the supportive hand holding which makes the difference. Enthusiasm and a positive approach are what matter. Putting yourself in the customer's shoes. Making a difference with a smile on your face no matter what technical and logistical terrors face you.

"Rob's enthusiasm and positive approach to all our enquiries and cries for help makes working with him a great pleasure. He is generous in sharing his knowledge and skilful in the way he inspires confidence in our own ability to do technical things. We feel brave enough to have a
go because we are secure in the knowledge that Rob will always come to our aid if it all goes horribly wrong. But invariably everything is fine, and then Rob praises us and tells us that he knew we could do it."

Rob has worked incredibly hard for the organisations that he has been supporting, working above and beyond the call of duty on many occasions, offering advice and support, both practically and through the use of language that can be understood by the least 'techie' people.

"Rob is highly regarded here because his support has made a huge difference in the way we now work. As a charity with limited means it is of the utmost importance to us that we work as efficiently and effectively as possible, and Rob has enabled us to achieve this."

The service that COSMIC can now offer to organisations has been developed by Rob specifically to meet the needs of his clients, making sure they get the best value for their money. And all with a smile on his face.

Congratulations to Rob French for winning the inaugural ICT Hub award for Individual Contribution to ICT in the Voluntary Sector. But this isn't simply a eulogy to Rob and his work.

It's a call to action

Amongst the highly commended for the awards were:

  • Maher Al-Ugaliy (Kingston Voluntary Action) who has been a driving force in IT development in the area, sharing expertise through training and IT support
  • Richard Walsh (BETA Netc@fe) who assisted in computer installation, designing and teaching administration programmes and the setting up of an internet café.
  • Panikos Panayi who volunteered hundreds of hours in addition to his full time job to develop a web based online referral system for Halton Citizens Advice Bureau.
  • Mike Hewitt (Lancaster University Volunteering Unit) who organised hundreds of computers to be donated to schools and charities as a hobby which grewinto a partnership with Blackpool and Fylde Council for Voluntary Services and then into it's own social enterprise.

Rob, Maher, Richard, Panikos, Mike and a number of unsung heroes prove a point.

ICT starts here. We, as individuals, can support communities and the individuals within them, trying new things, fulfilling our passion for technology and the difference it can make. It's not always about the highly technical skills – more often than not it's about our enthusiasm, communication, personal skills and driving force that makes things happen.

Conclusion

So what are YOU going to do next? It's up to each and everyone of us to make a change in the voluntary sector. It might be going beyond the call of duty, it might be volunteering in our spare time, it might just be throwing up new ideas or simply challenging pre-conceptions. Through teamwork, initiative, communication (and doubtless sound application of the technology itself), we can all make a difference.

Whether employee, volunteer, consultant or trustee, it's time to make that difference and bring supportive and effective ICT into the heart of the voluntary and community sector, one person and one organisation at a time.

What are you going to do today to make a contribution to ICT in the voluntary sector?

Simon Davey