comic relief nominet trust acf conf presentation
DESCRIPTION
Presentation at 2011 ACF conferenceTRANSCRIPT
The new frontier – are funders doing enough to encourage technological innovation in service delivery by the
organisations they are funding?
Billy Dann, Mental Health Grants Manager, Comic Relief [email protected]
Dan Sutch, Head of Development Research, Nominet Trust [email protected]
Setting the scene
Three ways to use ICT:1. To improve services by funders to organisations they are funding2. To improve internal systems whether funders or funded3. To improve service delivery to beneficiaries
Innovation can be achieved via: IdeasImplementationDissemination
Funders Delivery organisations
Beneficiaries
1
2 2
3
Aims of the workshop
Identify examples of best practice to learn from
Be clear why technological innovation in service delivery is a good thing for funders to encourage
Understand the barriers for service delivery organisations and funders
Agree next steps
Best practice 1
There would appear to be a difference between organisations innovating already using ICT and those who are looking to diversify into ICT…
Good ICT projects being delivered by organisations used to using ICT: Dipex www.healthtalkonline.org www.youthhealthtalk.org YouthNet UK www.thesite.org
Why do these represent best practice?Focused on the beneficiaries, in these cases young peopleOrganisation has clear means to get views of beneficiariesWell presentedAwareness of technical issues i.e. social networking and search engine optimisation
Best practice 2
Harder to find…
Good ICT projects being delivered by organisations not used to using ICT: Patchwork
Why do these represent best practice?Start with identification of existing social
problemFocus on how beneficiaries access/act
upon informationUnderstand ‘affordances’ of technology
and match to identified problemRecognising the process of changeArticulate social, org & econ value
Best practice 3
It’s also about funders working more effectively…
Joint working between Comic Relief, Nominet Trust, & Right Here (Paul Hamlyn Foundation / Mental Health Foundation) - how to use ICT to better support and inform young people around their mental health.
Why does this represent best practice?Service user focusCo-design between young people & professionals (funding, mental health, ICT, youth work & participation)Avoiding duplicationShared costs and risksBringing together different areas of focus and expertise
To consider:
Is there a significant difference between a successful youth group coming to you to ask for funding to set up a new detached outreach service and the same group coming to you to ask for funding to set up a new virtual youth service?
Small group 1
Let’s be clear…
Why should funders encourage technological innovation in service delivery by the organisations they fund?
Possible prompts to consider:
• To prove we are modern and forward thinking?
• More cost effective in a period of scarce resources?
• Beneficiaries expect it?
• Everybody else is doing it / it’s part of normal life?
Small group 2
If it’s such a good thing…
What are the barriers for service deliverers?
What are the barriers for funders?
Possible prompts to consider:
• Cost?
• Lack of technical expertise?
• Too risky / danger of failure?
• Too fast changing field?
Small group 3
So what are the next steps…
What will make funders more comfortable in encouraging technological innovation in service delivery?
Possible prompts to consider:
• Would a new ACF IBN for this area be useful?
• Is there a greater need for technical expertise and advice?
• Should we better publicise best practice? If yes, how?
• Do people just need to have contacts at other funders they can talk to (shared e-mail addresses)?
Wrap up discussion
Warwick report: projects that use ICT to support and inform young people with mental health problems should be assessed against the following best practice:
The views of young people are actively obtained in designing services.The project is aware of innovation & best practice in the use elsewhere of ICT
to support young people.There is active contact with private, public or other voluntary agencies that can
provide support & assistance in using ICT to deliver services to beneficiaries.Staff & volunteers are kept up to date regarding developments within ICT
relevant to young people (such as social networking and mobiles).Allocation is made for staff & volunteers to receive training & assistance around
using ICT relevant to young people.There is adequate moderation by the project of ICT usage by young people
some of whom may be vulnerable.There are sufficient organizational policies & procedures to take on board
issues arising from using ICT to deliver services to young people.
www.fundernetwork.org.uk
Follow up actions to be done