1. How Information Technology can improve your
organization’s service to the community
Prepared by
Grayson J. Stedman jr.
2. Presenter
Grayson J. Stedman jr.
Work Experience
• 17+ years experience in the IT field
• Network Administration, Telecoms, Internet Technologies
• IT Manager for prominent local group of companies
• Experience Teaching
Community Service Experience
Rotary Club of Dominica Rotaract Club of Roseau
• Member: 2008 - present • Member: 2003 – 2008
• Secretary: 2010 – 2011 • President: 2005 - 2006
• Club Administration Officer: 2013 - 2014 • Vice President / Finance Director: 2006-2007
• Rotaract Liaison Officer: 2008 - 2013 • District Team Member: 2005-2007
• Club Webmaster / Social Media coordinator • District Advisor: 2008-2009
• District Webmaster: 2004 – 2008
• District Web Advisor: 2008 – present
3. Ice Breaker – Who is the Audience?
Who are you, What do you do, How proficient are in
Information Technology?
Scale of 1 - 5
4. Why is IT important?
Information technology is used for
storing, protecting, processing, securing, transmitting, receiving, and
retrieving information. In business establishments, it is used
predominantly to solve mathematical and logical problems.
Information technology helps in project management systems as well.
Firstly, planning is done, then the data is collected, sorted and
processed, and finally, results are generated. It helps managers, and
workers to inquire about a particular problem, conceive its
complexity, and generate new products and services;
thereby, improving their productivity and output.
Extracted from Buzzle:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-is-information-technology-important.html
5. How can IT help?
Information Technology can be used by an organization to
• Improve Organizational Efficiency
• Improve Storage of Information
• Enhance Communication
• Ease of Sharing Data
• Public Relations
• Others
6. Organizational Efficiency
Technology can be used to
make us more efficient and
effective if used properly.
Improper use of technology can
create more chaos than it
solves.
7. Track Membership Attendance
Use an Excel
Spreadsheet to
track membership
attendance.
Record members’
attendance
percentage and the
percentage of
members present as
each meeting.
8. Use Mail Merge to improve letter
writing
With Mail Merge you can create standardized letters and eliminate excessive
retyping. Hundreds of letters can be prepared in just a few mintues with very
little human error.
9. Post or Email Minutes and Reports
Save time at meetings by posting minutes and reports online, or emailing
them to members rather than reading them during the meeting. Save
meeting times for effective planning of projects.
10. Data Storage
Storing information digitally protects it from being misplaced, lost (provided
it is regularly backed up), or accessed by unauthorised persons. It allows it to
be easily accessed , searched, shared, and passed on.
11. Record Member Info
Keep records of membership information in a database
• Name and contact info
• Date joined
• Date of Birth
• Positions held in organization
13. Record Organizational History and
Projects
Keep records of the organization’s history
Keep records/reports of projects undertaken
14. Communication
Effect communication is essential to any organization. New forms of
technology can greatly enhance communition between members,
stakeholders and other organizations.
15. Mailing Lists and Standardized Email
Addresses
Create mailing lists for communication within the organization:
members@organization.org, planningcommittee@organization.org
Create standardized email address for regular communication with external
parties: contact@organization.org
16. Online and Mobile Communication
Use online and mobile communication tools to communicate with members
and stakeholders:
• Online Chat
• Skype
• Whatsapp
• Blackberry Messenger
• Forums
19. Evolution of Data Sharing
From Punch Cards to
Floppy Disks to Compact
Disks to USB Jump Drives
to the Cloud….
20. Cloud Storage
Cloud storage allows you to store documents online to securely access them
from any computer anyway and share them with anyone you choose to.
21. Shared Calendar
Use a shared calendar such as Google Calendar to list meetings, projects and
events
22. Online Collaboration
Online services such as TeamLabs allow groups and organizations to
collaborate on projects and perform group editing of documents.
25. Organization Website
Develop a website for your organization to:
• Inform the public of your organization and projects
• Attract and inform potential members
• Keep existing members informed of activities of the organization
• Promote sponsors through web banners
• Allow members to register for events through online forms
• Allow the public to give feedback or participate in online surveys
26. Content Management Systems
Built by a Professional, Maintained by the User. CMS websites allow the user
to very easily post updates and articles to keep the site updated. The
organization will not be at the mercy of the web developer to keep the site
updated or post minor changes.
27. Web Advertising
Keep the website updated to generate increased visit/traffic to the website
By increasing the traffic to the site you can sell advertising space, or display
banners of your existing sponsors
28. Social Media
Social Media has introduced a new level of online interaction that can be
leveraged by organizations to promote their activities and projects in ways
they could not before.
29. Facebook Pages
Facebook pages allow you to promote your organization and projects for
free. Post events and highlights and pictures of projects.
31. Twitter
Twitter allows you to post text updates of what your organization is
planning, what activities are underway, and updates of how a project is
going.
32. Feeds and Widgets
Link your website with your Facebook page or Twitter feed. It is easier and
faster to post updates to Facebook and Twitter. Widgets allow those updates
to show up on your website.
33. LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn is a social site for business professionals, but organizations can also
use it to share ideas and communicate on a professional level.
34. YouTube
Use YouTube to post videos of projects and activities, as well as post or view
training videos.
36. Picasa, Flickr
Post online photo alumbs of projects and events on Picasa or Flickr and
share with others or the public.
37. Google Maps
Use Google Maps to show where your organization meets or where a project
takes place.
38. Summary
Information Technology used correctly can improve the operations of your
organization greatly, giving you more time to plan and execute meaningful
projects.
• Improve Organizational Efficiency
• Improve Storage of Information
• Enhance Communication
• Ease of Sharing Data
• Public Relations
39. Contact Info
Grayson J. Stedman jr.
grayson.stedman.jr@hotmail.com
http://www.eclypsetech.com
Presentation Link
http://www.slideshare.net/graysonstedman/using-it-in-community-service-
17164741
