# Joe Saxton on benefits to charities of the Internet

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/1999/07/21/joe-saxton-benefits-charities-internet/
- Published: 1999-07-21T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Joe Saxton, director of communications at the Royal National Institute for Deaf 
People, writes about the Internet in the 22 July issue of ThirdSector. “My life 
has changed dramatically over the last year. I have become a 50 e-mails a day man,”
he says. Joe explains why the Internet is significant to charities. “The real benefit
to charities is that many of these technologies allow them to compete on a more 
level playing field than before.”

 

 

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Joe Saxton, director of communications at the Royal National Institute for Deaf 
People, writes about the Internet in the 22 July issue of ThirdSector. “My life 
has changed dramatically over the last year. I have become a 50 e-mails a day man,”
he says. Joe explains why the Internet is significant to charities. “The real benefit
to charities is that many of these technologies allow them to compete on a more 
level playing field than before.”

 

 

 

 

However, Saxton points out that the biggest hindrance to charities’ effective use
of the Internet is the lack of technological staff. “The biggest problem for many
charities is not spotting the technological opportunities but being able to attract
and retain the staff to bring them to reality.” This is largely true, but it could
be argued that it is not the technological skills that are lacking but the very 
ability to spot the technological opportunities. Using the Internet to fundraise,
for example, requires little technical skill: instead it requires fundraising expertise
and personal experience of using the Internet. Charities would do well to ensure
they provide such access and experience to their staff.

 

 

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