AI Charity Academy
Practical AI training for charity professionals
An online practical training programme helping charity professionals understand AI, explore its potential, and use it responsibly.
AI is quickly changing how our organisations work, but for many charities the AI conversation can feel confusing, crowded, or difficult to translate into everyday practice.
Media Trust’s AI Charity Academy is a practical four-week online programme designed to help charity professionals cut through the noise. You’ll build the confidence and skills to understand where AI could support your work, explore the risks and responsibilities involved, and develop practical ways to use it in your organisation.
Buy tickets for our first cohort hereWhat is the AI Charity Academy?
The AI Charity Academy is a four-week online learning programme designed specifically for charity professionals who want to understand and use AI in a practical, responsible way. The programme includes two live online sessions per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, combining practical workshops and expert masterclasses.
In 2025, Media Trust delivered AI training to 125 charities through a series of online bootcamps combining expert-led workshops, self-paced learning and peer collaboration. The response from the sector showed a strong demand for practical AI guidance:
- Confidence in using AI tools rose from 31% to 85%
- Participant satisfaction averaged 4.8/5
- 100% said they would recommend the training
The AI Charity Academy builds on the insights from these bootcamps to deliver a deeper learning experience, helping charities move from curiosity to confident, informed use of AI.
Without a doubt I now have a much clearer idea of how I and our team could use AI to improve our efficiency, communications and fundraising. The pace and length of course was just right, and the external support perfect.
Norma Corkish, Trustee, Hale Community & Youth Centre
What you’ll learn at our AI Academy
The course content is centred around five core modules:
Introduction to AI
An overview of the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including machine learning and generative AI, alongside an introduction to key tools and their practical use cases.
Effective prompting
Focused on how to get the best results from generative AI tools, including proven prompting frameworks and hands-on exercises to bring the theory to life.
AI in action
Exploring real-world examples of how charities are already using AI in practice, alongside guidance on optimising content for AI-driven search.
Using AI responsibly
Exploring the ethical considerations of AI, with guidance on managing data bias, mitigating environmental impact, and prioritising responsible use in practice.
Futureproofing
Providing participants with practical tools, strategies, and implementation plans to stay ahead of the ‘AI curve’ and drive impact in their organisations.
When does the programme begin?
The programme kicks off on Tuesday 5th May and runs until Thursday 28th May.
All sessions will be delivered online on Zoom.
Buy tickets for our first cohort hereKey dates
The programme runs online on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A full schedule will be shared during onboarding.
Week 1
- Tuesday 5 May, 09:30-12:30am: Workshop – The fundamentals of AI
- Thursday 7 May, 10:00-11:30am: Masterclass – Charity case study and Q&A
Week 2
- Tuesday 12 May, 09:30-12:30am: Workshop – Effective prompting
- Thursday 14 May, 10:00-11:30am: Masterclass – Optimising for AI driven search
Week 3
- Tuesday 19 May, 09:30-12:30am: Workshop – Using AI responsibly
- Thursday 21 May, 10:00-11:30am: Masterclass – Environmental impact: Can AI be used sustainably? (TBC)
Week 4
- Tuesday 26 May, 10:00-11:30am: Masterclass – Microsoft Co Pilot 101 – Learn how to use Copilot effectively and get the most out of its features
- Thursday 28 May, 10:00-11:30am: Workshop – Creating an AI action plan
This AI Bootcamp has been fantastic. It's the introduction to the world of AI that I was waiting for!
Sophie Branscombe, Governance Consultant, Thames Festival Trust
Who should attend our AI Academy?
The AI Charity Academy is designed specifically for charity professionals. It welcomes third sector staff across all roles and experience levels who want to build practical AI skills that you can apply in your day-to-day work.
Whether you work in communications, fundraising, service delivery, operations, leadership, or administration, this programme will help you understand how AI can support your priorities.
By the end of the programme, you’ll have the confidence to make informed decisions about using AI and the practical skills to integrate it into your role, whatever your starting point.
Programmes costs
We work hard to keep our training accessible for charities of different sizes and capacity. The AI Charity Academy is priced to reflect the depth and insight of the programme, while working to remain affordable for organisations across the sector.
- Small sized charities (annual turnover of £1M or less): £150
- Medium to large sized charities (annual turnover of over £1M): £200
I was pretty much a complete beginner. I'm now feeling more confident to start using various AI tools so support my work in a small charity. All the trainers were excellent and the content engaging.
Emily Hynes, Volunteer, Cardinal Hume Centre
Any questions?
If you’d like to find out more about the AI Charity Academy before applying, we’d be happy to help.
Whether you’re unsure if the programme is right for your role, want to understand the time commitment, or have questions about accessibility or eligibility, our team can talk you through the details.
Contact Mike at miker@mediatrust.org for more information.
Buy your ticket todayOur Corporate Partners
We enjoy outstanding support from the media industry. Our partners include:
