AI and Marketing: Advanced skills for charities

Part of Media Trust’s AI Charity Academy

A free, practical online programme helping charities use advanced AI tools and techniques to strengthen their marketing and communications.

AI tools are developing quickly, creating new possibilities for charity marketing and communications. More advanced tools can help charities tackle complex campaigns, reach audiences in new ways and build stronger relationships with volunteers. But understanding where these tools can add value to your work, and how to use them responsibly, is just as important as knowing what they can do.

Our AI and Marketing: Advanced Skills training is a free, practical three-week online programme designed to help charities move beyond the basics. You’ll explore AI assistants and agentic AI and learn how they can support everyday marketing and communications tasks, alongside practical sessions on AI search, innovation, and responsible use.

Through hands-on workshops and expert-led masterclasses, you’ll explore what’s possible, try out new tools and techniques, and identify practical ways to consider advanced AI usage in your own work.

Apply now

What does the training involve?

This free three-week online learning programme will be delivered via Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 17 November to 3 December. Sessions will focus on real marketing and communications use cases, giving you the opportunity to explore new approaches and put what you learn into practice.

What you’ll learn

By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to:

Explain how AI assistants and agentic AI work and explore how they can support more complex marketing and communications tasks.
Use AI assistants to support practical marketing and communications tasks, from research and planning to content development and creation.
Use AI to support your brand and marketing, while maintaining consistency and strengthening your creative approach.
Optimise content for AI-driven search and discovery, helping your charity stay visible as the way people find information changes.
Apply AI responsibly and thoughtfully, understanding the risks, limitations and considerations involved.

Key dates

The programme will run online on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Tuesday 17 November to Thursday 3 December.

A full schedule will be shared during onboarding.

Week 1

Tuesday 17 November, 09:30 – 11:30: Intro to AI for brand and marketing
Thursday 19 November, 09:30 – 11:30: Intro to Agentic AI and AI assistants

Week 2

Tuesday 24 November, 09:30 – 11:30: Optimising for AI driven search
Thursday 26 November, 09:30 – 12:30: Building AI Assistants for Marketing and Comms

Week 3

Tuesday 1 December, 09:30 – 11:30: TBC
Thursday 3 December, 09:30 – 11:30: TBC
Thursday 3 December, 14:00 – 15:30: Drop in Q&A

Who should apply?

If you’ve already got a basic understanding of generative AI and want to explore what comes next, this programme is for you.

The content is particularly suited to people who are already experimenting with tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini and want to explore how AI can support more complex tasks and workflows.

The programme is designed for charity professionals who are responsible for, or regularly contribute to, marketing and communications and want to develop their practical understanding of more advanced AI tools and techniques.

Some sessions will include live, hands-on exercises, so you’ll need access to at least one generative AI tool.

There are 35 places available. Priority will be given to charities with an annual income of £1 million or less, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to apply

Please apply via our online application form. Applications will close at 11:59am on Friday 13 November 2026.

Apply here

Any questions?

If you’d like to find out more about the course before applying, we’d be happy to help. 

Whether you’re unsure if it 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. 

FAQs

Is the programme free?

Yes. Thanks to funding from Amazon, the programme is free to attend.

Can more than one person from each charity attend?

As places are limited, we can offer one place per charity.

Priority will be given to charities with an annual income of £1 million or less, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Do I need previous experience using AI?

Yes. This is an intermediate programme and is designed for people who already have a basic understanding of generative AI and have experimented with tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini.

The programme will focus on taking your existing knowledge further and exploring more advanced ways of working with AI.

Will the programme involve practical exercises?

Yes. The programme is designed to be practical, with opportunities to explore tools and techniques during the live sessions.

You’ll be encouraged to apply what you’re learning to your own marketing and communications work rather than simply listening to presentations.

Do I need a paid ChatGPT or other AI account?

No. A free account with at least one generative AI tool, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, will be sufficient for the practical sessions.

Some activities may explore features that are only available on paid plans, but these won’t be essential to participate in the programme.

Who from our organisation should take part?

We’d recommend people who are directly involved in your charity’s marketing and communications, or who regularly contribute to this work.

You don’t need to have “marketing” or “communications” in your job title. The most important thing is that you’ll be able to apply the learning to real work within your organisation.

How much time will I need to commit?

You’ll need to attend the live sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 17 November and 3 December.

We’d also recommend setting aside some time between sessions to try out what you’ve learned and consider how it could apply to your own work.

Is the programme suitable for large charities?

Yes. The programme is open to charities of different sizes, although priority will be given to organisations with an annual income of £1 million or less.

What will I have at the end of the programme?

The aim is to leave you with a stronger understanding of what’s possible with AI and some practical ideas you can take back into your organisation.

You’ll have explored new tools and approaches, considered how they could support your marketing and communications, and developed a clearer sense of where more advanced AI could add value to your work.

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