New blog: Supporting the Network in a time of change, update your centre details, Network survey

Online Centres Network News Bulletin

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Thursday 21 May 2020

Hello <<First Name>>

Many of our Online Centres have moved their support online due to the current situation and to reflect these changes we’ve updated our Find a centre map to ensure the public has an up-to-date picture of the organisations providing support in their area. If you are still offering support to people in your community, we’d like to hear from you so we can make sure you feature on the public-facing map. You can review or change your centre’s information at any time by logging into the Online Centres Network website, click on ‘Your centres’ then ‘Centre details’.

As an organisation, we are continually looking to better understand how we can support Online Centres and their wider operations. Our research team has created a survey to understand how you're working with local businesses or organisations to help provide training to a range of employees. It would be great if you could take 5 minutes to complete the survey. Your input really helps us to learn about the current needs of the network and identify ways in which we can help you further.

Best wishes
Helen Milner OBE
Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation

Update your details

New blog from Good Things Foundation Membership Manager, Esther Oddy

JOINING THE NETWORK: SUPPORT IN A TIME OF CHANGE

In her latest blog, Membership Manager at Good Things Foundation, Esther Oddy chats about the benefits of joining the Network and how new centres can get the most out of their membership.

“The growth in our membership reflects the current spotlight on the crucial role of being online.”

Esther tells us why induction calls by the Network Specialists are important to centres to ensure they are making use of the benefits of their membership. From training webinars to funding opportunities and events, we provide a range of resources to support Online Centres.

Take a read

Supporting individuals remotely: how to set up an online cooking club

We’ve heard some fantastic stories about how staff at community centres and libraries have been finding ways to substitute face-to-face support that is valued by many of the people that they regularly help.

To help our centres, we’re working with partners to create a series of easy-to-follow guides for delivering digital skills support remotely. The second in the series comes from Stephanie Lees-Pinson, Training & Employment Lead, and Elizabeth Tonks-Leeke, Digital Inclusion Mentor, both from The Intact Centre in Preston. The team found a creative way to keep their popular ‘Thrifty Kitchen’ cooking club running in the virtual world.

View the guide here

IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR YOUR CENTRE

We’ve recently added a COVID-19 grants tab to our UK funding database which includes lots of potential funding opportunities for your organisation. You’ll find all the guidance needed to use our funding database effectively on the first tab of the spreadsheet.

Our resources page - updated regularly - is a great way to find the latest support for running your organisation online, helping your learners, managing your health and wellbeing and finding funding opportunities. We’re also signposting to what we’ve added each day on social media.

All contacts in the Online Centres Network agree to receive the weekly newsletters when they sign up to join the network but if you think you shouldn't have received this email, then please let us know at hello@goodthingsfoundation.org or unsubscribe below.