IT training in the voluntary sector - a perspective

Simon Davey, preponderate.net

Training and the voluntary sector don't always sit well together. In an environment where everyone is always busy and budgets are always used to the maximum, giving people time and money to go on training courses is often a low priority. If people muddle through, that's usually good enough, but it could be so much better. Where training is not seen as a priority, the organisation is less likely to be effectively serving its beneficiaries as the negative effect on staff will impact on their ability to achieve outcomes.

Staff and volunteers who are appropriately trained, comfortable in their use of ICT and not fearful of technology are:

  • happier – resulting in a better organisational ethos
  • more productive - improved overall service delivery
  • better team members – improved effectiveness and reduced management time/costs
  • less likely to leave their job – reduced management costs
  • able to improve the organisation's effectiveness – better service delivery
  • more efficient in delivering outputs and meeting outcomes – better service delivery

Research shows that for organisations where training is a low priority, their staff have the least ICT skills and lack ICT confidence – the latter often being a major factor in poor use of ICT and thus adding to the overall costs of direct service provision.

On average, the staff of a small voluntary group can 'lose' 5% of their time because of poor IT skills. The problems they face lead to frustration and low morale. Just as poor tools frustrate the tradesman, so lack of ability to use the basic tools of a modern office frustrate staff in many charities, irrespective of whether they are traditionally thought of as office workers or not. If your staff use computers, the chances are they could use them better.

ICT skills are increasingly important. In an age when even keyworkers in homelessness charities' day centres are expected to record outcomes management on databases, having ICT skills is no longer a luxury. Funders are starting to acknowledge the value of ICT but are insisting it's done properly. It's pointless putting a learner driver in a Mercedes but we're quick to put staff onto new systems without giving them the support and training they need.

Summary of the research for ICT Hub baseline (Paul Ticher, 2007)

  • 65% of respondents to the ICT Hub baseline survey were only ‘fairly satisfied' with the ICT skills of their staff and volunteers (only 9% were very satisfied)
  • 25% of respondents carried out a regular training needs analysis and ensured it is acted upon (only 4% expected staff to work towards a recognised standard such as ECDL)

The ad hoc, underfunded approach to training is not working particularly well. Those organisations that carry out a regular training needs analysis are at least three times as likely to be very satisfied with the skills of their staff and volunteers as those who take any other approach.

All those who are 'not at all satisfied' with the ICT skills of staff and volunteers do not prioritise training and these organisations are twice as likely as average to be not very satisfied with the ICT skills of their staff and volunteers. [Extract from ICT Hub baseline research 2007] download full report

Wills, motives and benefits to change

"Where respondents are aware of free or low cost training resources, they say they cannot afford the staff time to attend training, despite knowing how crucial it is." (ICT Hub baseline research 2007)

  • Attitude and leadership - Knowing how crucial something is and still not doing anything about it comes down to attitude and leadership. If something is crucial, it needs to be dealt with regardless. ICT training still suffers from a lack of priority either because the case hasn't be made or resources aren't being effectively managed. Organisations that make the best of ICT training typically have strong leaders who make sure resources are managed to enable the support.
  • Return on investment – Done properly, training saves time, money and enables you to do more or better things with your existing resources. Almost every manager wants more resources. If your organisation can save over one and a half hours per week for the sake of a day's training, it's simply not acceptable to not provide it. You could lose a member of staff to flu for five days. Can't you do without someone for a single day if the positive impact is so significant?
  • Quality of training – Too many of us have been on second rate training courses or to boring seminars where we learnt nothing and wasted our time. It's important that organisations are aware of high quality training, that they can source good trainers and that they can sort the good from the bad. The more bad or ineffective training we undertake, the less will there will be to get training. As clients, we're responsible for spending some time finding the right training for the right member of staff.

Training types, e-learning and informal experiences

There are plenty of solutions to the training conundrum. Formal training courses won't suit everyone. If you really don't have time to leave the office there are other solutions. It's important there are a wide range of high quality training opportunities, from strategic skills through basic software training, e-learning and informal experiences. You could go on courses, learn from books, use e-learning, share experiences and skills with colleagues over a 15 minute break or even pick up advice and skills through an informal chat during a conference. Rethink how you think about training and you'll be surprised what opportunities there are.

Deconstructing the issues

So what are the typical issues in a voluntary organisation and how do we address them?

  • No time – People are busy and always will be. However effectively you run an organisation in the voluntary sector, people will rarely have free time. You can give them free time by making them more effective – 'borrow a few hours' now and the training benefits will give you many more hours in the future (you'll typically get a day's investment back in two months
  • No money - Budgets are always tight but can you afford staff to be ineffective and achieve less than they could? In a big enough organisation you may be employing more staff than you need simply because some of them are less effective. If you can get 4 or 5% improvement in what you do through training, isn't that worth a couple of hundred pounds? How many extra people could you help with that sort of money?
  • Doesn't make any difference – Some training simply doesn't work. It may be the wrong trainer, the wrong opportunity for the individuals learning style or the wrong time. Plan training - it doesn't take very long but makes a huge difference. Make sure training is undertaken when there's least pressure from other activities and time to embed the learning. Know why you want to do it, what impact you expect and measure it!
  • Lack of leadership – A senior manager who doesn't believe in training has a negative impact on the whole organisation's approach to training. Attitude is important. Believe in the difference it makes and demonstrate this across the staff team. A key part of this lies with the trustees and senior management team leading from the front.
  • Lack of planning and strategy – Random ad hoc training has limited impact. You need to carry out training needs analysis for every member of staff and identify potential solutions. Make it part of your ICT strategy and personal development plans.
  • Lack of evaluation of impact – Organisations which don't measure impact rarely carry out development activities consistently. Adopt a structured process around training and staff development, know what you want to get out of it and measure the impact. Know what works, why and you'll be more motivated to do it again (and have the evidence to show funders and decision makers).
  • Trained staff move on – Staff who are well trained and well qualified have better opportunities and many organisations fear training staff who then move on to better paid or resourced posts elsewhere. It can happen but experience shows staff tend to stay within the voluntary sector and rarely move simply because of a better salary. If you need to train staff then you need to do it, regardless of the potential consequences of them moving. It's likely you will also benefit from staff joining you who've had their training experiences elsewhere.

What we need to do about IT training as a sector

There are solutions to these problems. It won't be easy and it won't change the sector overnight but it can be done.

  • Make a clear case for the impact of training on the individual, the organisation and its beneficiaries (rather than just one of the three)
  • Demonstrate the different opportunities (e.g. classroom, accredited, e-learning, informal, train the trainer) for IT training and different sources of support taking into account learning styles, needs and locations.
  • Provide more examples of the impact of successful training on different types of organisations. Make the stories more real and human – it needs to be about impact on beneficiaries as well as time savings and cost savings.
  • Provide more help with monitoring the impact of training and support organisations in ensuring the training they do support and fund is as effective as possible.
  • Encourage funders to provide financial support for training (time, course fees and travel where necessary).
  • Ensure high quality training is accessible, available when needed and appropriate to needs.

What can YOU do?

Even when free training is available, and even when that training is highly regarded by the attendees, getting people to attend is difficult and time consuming. People express needs but aren't so great at turning up to the events as the day to day pressure of the job gets in the way.

As individuals, we need to stop accepting we can cope without the necessary skills and confidence and send a clear message to our managers that this is hurting not just us but the people we're here to help.

As managers of organisations, we need to adopt the right attitude, take a firm leadership approach and find the time, money and resources to support our staff with training and the time to make the best use of their experience.

As training providers, we need to get better at demonstrating benefits and impacts on the beneficiaries of our client organisations as well as the financial bottom line. We need to demonstrate how our training makes an impact and how individuals and their organisations can best measure that impact. Above all, we need to deliver high quality training that makes the right impact in the right location at the right time at the right price.

  • ICT training matters.
  • Make it part of your organisational and staff development plan and see it through
  • Attitude and leadership make the difference
  • Do it right and you'll get the benefit and make more impact for the work you already do
  • If you want happier, more productive staff working better as a team, to increase your outputs and outcomes, reduce staff turnover and make your organisation more effective, you need to take ICT training seriously.
  • So what are you waiting for? If you still need some advice and guidance on what to do next, check out our IT Training Action Plan. Go do it!

Do you agree or disagree?

What should be done about ICT training in the voluntary sector? Discuss in the ICT Hub cafe.

Resources

About the author

Simon Davey is an ICT consultant who regulars presents seminars and delivers training to voluntary organisations. More at www.preponderate.net/training.htm

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