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Media Trust Digital Spring School

19 Apr 07 May

Monday 19 April 2021 - Friday 7 May 2021 09:00 - 16:30

If ever there was a case for why charities are #NeverMoreNeeded, it is now. Covid-19 not only changed life as we know it, it also brought home the importance of charities and the crucial role they play in society. Charities not only stepped up to the immense challenges put before them but rose above them through delivering vital information to beneficiaries, moving services online, innovating events and fundraising in a virtual world.

Now more than ever, it is vital that charities embrace digital, and the myriad opportunities that it presents. As well as to future-proof operations. At this critical time, it’s so important that charities tell their story well, grow and engage their audiences online and mobilise them to take action and support their cause.

Media Trust’s Digital Spring School is a free, three-week online programme where you’ll learn how to inspire, engage and mobilise your audience.

We’ll be partnering with digital and charity experts to provide specialist training and mentoring – helping you to supercharge your comms.

Programme outline

Live virtual training

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning of each week of the programme, there will be a 90-minute workshop. This will be delivered by a digital expert on the digital communications theme of the week, with the opportunity to ask questions after.

Digital mentoring

Every Thursday afternoon of each week of the programme, you will be invited to meet in small groups for a group mentoring session, between 60-90 minutes, led by a digital mentor. These sessions will allow you to explore the week’s topic in more detail, process your learning, share your challenges and get advice relating to your specific charity or cause. This is also a unique opportunity to network and share ideas with other charity professionals working within the same area.

Learning resources

All participants will have access to free guides, pre-recorded webinars, toolkits and other resources to build your learning throughout, and beyond, Digital Spring School. Please note that for some of the training sessions you will be set a homework task. This is to be completed in your own time and will help you process and apply your learning in the context of your own organisation.

Wellbeing activities

Each week, you will gain exclusive access to live virtual wellbeing activities, such as desk-based yoga and breathwork classes to help you feel refreshed and energised.

Week by week themes

The programme will run across three weeks with each week covering a different theme:

Week 1: Inspire (19 - 23 April)

This week focuses on the art of storytelling. Learn creative ways to tell your story, through video content and writing compelling copy.

Week 2: Engage (26 - 30 April)

This week will teach you how to use data and platform analytics to understand your audience. We’ll also uncover powerful social media tools to grow your audience.

Week 3: Mobilise (3 – 7 May)

The final week is about mobilising your audience to take action. Whether that’s donating to your cause, fundraising or campaigning on important issues.

Programme schedule

Monday

Resources relating to the week’s learning topics sent for home study

Tuesday

Live virtual training 10-11.30am

Wednesday

Virtual wellness activity 12:30-1pm

Thursday

Live virtual training 10-11.30am and group digital mentoring 2-3:30pm

Who should apply?

This year’s programme will focus on organisations working in Work & Learning and Online Safety. The opportunity is open to 60 small and medium charities across the UK who work in one or both of these areas:

Work & Learning

If your organisation:

  • Supports young people or adults into training, education or employment.
  • Provides support for people and families at risk of or experiencing poverty caused by unemployment.
  • Campaigns for and supports people on low wages and insecure work and contracts.

Online Safety

If your organisation:

  • Provides information or training on staying safe online to the public. This may include children, schools or parents.
  • Promotes the safe and responsible use of technology, the internet and social media.
  • Provides information, guidance or support on issues including online gambling, pornography, privacy, data and digital wellbeing.

Applications are prioritised from charities who work in areas of the UK that face high levels of unemployment and that did not attend Media Trust’s Digital Summer School last August.

This programme is designed for charity professionals, volunteers or trustees who: 

  • Have responsibility for the day-to-day management of their charity’s digital communications.
  • Have a good understanding of how social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and websites work (this is not a beginner course).
  • Have the support of senior leadership to innovate the way your charity uses digital to engage your audience.
  • Are passionate about learning new strategies and ideas to strengthen your digital communications and help your charity stand out online.
  • Can dedicate 5 hours a week over three weeks between 19 April – 7 May

Each week of the programme is designed to build on the previous week. Participants will gain from the continuity of working with the same group members for peer-to-peer learning and support in their small group mentoring sessions. Therefore, individual participants need to commit to attending the full three-week programme. Where this isn’t possible because of holidays, caring responsibilities and/or heavy workloads because of reduced teams, you can nominate another colleague from your organisation to attend in your place.

Applications are now closed. 

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