Our thinking

A Shift Beyond

9 October, 2020

This week our friends at Shift have launched an important new programme: Beyond. Beyond helps charities and nonprofits gain the digital and design skills necessary to adapt in a crisis and continue to deliver their vital services. 

Digital capabilities have become an even bigger part of running any organisation during the pandemic. However, despite lots of hard work to ‘pivot’ to a digital approach, much of the charity sectors is still lagging behind in putting these skills into action. This year’s Charity Digital Skills Report revealed that over half of charities still don’t have a digital strategy, 66% of sector workers rate their board’s digital skills as ‘low’, and 83% say their organisation is fair to poor at digital service delivery. Critically, during the pandemic over a quarter of charities have cancelled services because either they or their users lack tech skills. 

This digital crisis in the nonprofit sector is what Beyond will address. It is a programme of design and digital training to help organisations adapt and respond in times of crisis. Access, which is free, includes inspiring talks, practical training and support from both peers and experts. The content is tailored to the needs of nonprofits, and Beyond is starting with a focus on two areas that have been particularly impacted by Covid-19: early years support and financial wellbeing.  

To join Beyond, or to share the programme with your friends and colleagues, visit their website here.

By Ben Wood