# Small voluntary organisations’ use of tech in response to Covid crisis explored in report

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/06/01/small-voluntary-organisations-use-of-tech-in-response-to-covid-crisis-explored-in-report/
- Published: 2021-06-01T09:02:00+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**A report showing how small voluntary organisations are using technology to respond
to Covid-19 is published today, from the Institute for Voluntary Action Research(
IVAR) in partnership with CAST.**

The report, _[Response to change: How small voluntary organisations are using tech](https://www.ivar.org.uk/publication/response-to-change/)_
provides insight into how four small voluntary organisations (SVOs), Integrate, 
Chilli Studios, RASASC and Saving Lives, responded to change and supported communities
during the pandemic by using tech, and what their peers and funders can learn about
its role in the sector.

It also aims to support SVOs thinking about what they need to do to embed it within
their organisation, whilst also providing starting points for funders to think about
for updating their approach to funding digital and tech in the future.

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The three key themes are:

 1. Covid-19 has forced small voluntary organisations to respond to change by using
    tech.
 2. Everything now includes a digital or tech element – and many SVOs are leading the
    way.
 3. We know digital is not always inclusive – how can we start to change that?

Through the four case studies, the [IVAR](https://www.ivar.org.uk/) and [CAST](https://www.wearecast.org.uk/)
report explores a range of topics – such as blended service
models; responding to
user needs and repurposing existing tech – and advises on what the next stepsmay
be for small voluntary organisations inspired by these examples. There is also a
supporting webpage.

Annie Caffyn, Senior Researcher at IVAR and Ellie Hale, Capacity and Communities
lead at
CAST, commented:

> “We believe these granular insights into how small voluntary organisations have
> embraced
>  digital tech over the last 18 months complement broader work on how 
> digital tools and approaches are used by the sector. We hope this supports both
> voluntary organisations’ and funders’ thinking about the role of technology – 
> for their own organisations and the sector as a whole.”

This report is a follow up study from another joint project between IVAR and CAST:_
[Start Somewhere](https://www.ivar.org.uk/research-report/start-somewhere/)_, which
is the basis of the Response to Change research.

It will be promoted via the hashtag #ResponseToChange with IVAR and CAST asking 
small charities to share their stories by tweeting over the next three weeks about
how they have used technology during Covid-19.

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