Capacitybuilders has decided the priority for investment in new work programmes on workforce development and ICT in the third sector, to begin on 1 July 2008.On 20 February the Board of Capacitybuilders made grant decisions for commissioning work at a national level for Workforce Development and ICT.

ICT

• Three year investment in regional ICT champions will be provided through NAVCA. The investment will be £300k in 2008/9 and £400k in each of the subsequent two financial years. The work will focus on ‘hands-on’ advice and networking between ICT support providers, working closely with ChangeUp consortia and other support providers.
• There will be an initial investment of £150k in 2008/9 in the work of Rural-net to continue to develop the work of appropriate net:gain centres exploring a more market based approach to local provision of ICT support for the third sector. Financial support will be available in each of the following two financial years but these will be tapered grants in recognition of the market based approach of the work.

Commenting on these grant decisions, Simon Hebditch, Chief Executive of Capacitybuilders, said:

“The Board is very glad to be able to announce these important decisions concerning our investment in workforce development the use of ICT in the third sector. All of these areas are of important to the sector.”

“Our overall aim is to bring about a real change in the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector, constantly seeking to drive up standards. These national priorities – working alongside our new national support service programme – will add significantly to these objectives.”