Identifying where work processes could be digitised, adapted or improved
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Written by Bob Malpiedi, Development and Strategy Lead, Chilli Studios
Chilli Studios is a charity which was set up in 2004 to support people with mental health challenges by providing them with opportunities for creative activities as well as practical and emotional support.
Based in a studio at the Blackfriars Centre near Byker Bridge in Newcastle, we provide a creative service in many disciplines from multimedia to ceramics and lots in between. We have around 1,000 registered members and provide activities to around 300 people a year at any one time and as well as the creative activities, we also stage exhibitions, organise trips out and provide support.
I had heard about Digital Pathfinders from the Connected Voices organisation and thought it would be useful to see how they could help us in our digital activities and as an organisation.
The first thing they did was to carry out an audit of our IT and digital facilities. While they were doing that, I was offered the chance to apply for funds from the Lloyds Foundation towards refurbishing our IT equipment so the Digital Pathfinders audit worked really well in identifying where we could improve things and how the funds could be best used.
We asked Digital Pathfinders to help us identify the best options and they also helped us look at elements around our own work processes as an organisation, such as using Google Drive, improving our website and other digital information and the software options to improve areas such as cyber security.
It was an important process to ensure that we moved forward as an organisation. It gave us a clear pathway to develop our digital work without fear of us making the wrong choices. We also now employ an apprentice for our digital marketing and Digital Pathfinders work with her to help develop her skills.
I found the people we worked with at Digital Pathfinders very easy-going and good to work with. We are quite different from a lot of private sector organisations in the way we operate, but Digital Pathfinders appreciated the creative sector and worked well with us despite the more unusual working environment. They really understood us and offered us in-depth knowledge, support and advice that we felt comfortable was impartial and not sales-based.
If you would like to learn more about the Digital Pathfinders programme and how our Digital Adoption Specialists can help your organisation, please get in touch at: hello@digitalpathfinders.uk
"I couldn’t say anything other than positive things about the work Digital Pathfinders did with us. They were always able to give us advice and direction whatever it was we asked them about and they were open to helping us."
