HumanIT Blog

2015 is quickly wrapping up, so we’re looking forward. As you know, technological advancement doesn’t follow a linear progression – but rather an exponential one.

Human IT is a new breed of IT Support.

Replacing blackboards with iPads is not a new concept.

Living in the technological age, we have already seen an amazingly quick transformation in the way technology has smoothly integrated into our everyday, how we now have a wealth of information at our fingertips, how it makes our lives easier (or harder – depending who you are) . However, technology as an enabler for social change is still in the infancy stages.  More high level Technology that goes beyond raising money, promoting a cause or sharing information. We are at the cusp of new era, where technology has the ability to make real, tangible social impact on local, national and global level. We look at 3 Australian Social Enterprises that using tech innovatively, intelligently and for good.
 
Access to information
 
Hitnet is a new exciting social enterprise that works with communities on the wrong side of the digital divide focusing on educating rural communities about physical and mental health issues. They use the term ‘evolving digital ecosystem’ and use a co-creation technique to source their content. Working with rural communities to better understand mental health and how to alleviate it from the areas.
 
The have ‘hubs’ which are like a tech kiosk, embedded wifi and access to resources in all types of multimedia that address mental health issues. There hubs are located in some of Australia's most remote areas and the content methodology maximises learning, retention and compliance through an audio-visual touch interface. This homegrown initiative is exciting and one that can be seen being implemented on a worldwide scale.
 

Creating communities
 
Hello Sunday Morning (HSM) is an innovative Not for Profit leading the conversation on Australian binge drinking culture. HSM created an app for community members to better interact with, creating a supportive and informative environment to those whose sign up for the challenge. Allowing for more progress, wider reach and essentially creating a progressive following around an issue that needs to be dealt with.
                                            
Applications are the new black, if it’s in a app it’s seen as cutting edge. However, HSM are using apps in a way that takes advantage of the 24/7 access. Because they portable and real time they have the ability to connect people at any time and therefore a great way to create and access communities. HSM has a cause that isn’t talked about on a mass level and therefore the importance of these niche communities to drive change is essential and an app is the best platform for this.
 

Reducing e-trash
 
Bright Sparks are on the other side of technology, the waste side. With  so many small electronic gadgets,“The average Melbourne household has 23 electrical and electronic items, not including white goods, and it’s more if you have kids. The national average is 22 items in the household.” - Pro Bono. The solution that Bright Sparks is implementing? Donate your broken electronics and Bright Sparks will repair it and sell it. It’s a method they label as ‘upcycling’ that reduces landfill and gets better milage from those items we take for granted.
 
At Human IT we pride ourselves on working with NFPs because we realise the back end IT work we do in NFP organisation can contribute significantly to the end game of social impact. Technology can be an enabler is many ways and it is time for NFPs to take reins and drive technology use towards social impact outcomes.

IT is an enabler. A function that contributes significantly to the overall strategic objectives of the organisation. This is an often forgotten fact, especially in smaller organisations, as IT falls by the wayside for more urgent activities.

Understanding the difference between important and less important IT activities can be difficult. Especially seeing as your IT managers days are likely filled with playing catch up to the myrid of day-to-day IT function work and maintenance issues experienced internally to your organisation. Human IT has derived what the high value and low value activites are and what should be on the top of your IT managers to do list.

We delve into more detail in our e-book!

“When you do something right, no one will be sure you’ve done anything at all”

 IT functions are the backbone of any organisation. When it is working you don’t notice it and when it’s not, all hell breaks loose.

 A deprived IT function can effect your operations, customers, investors and most importantly your beneficiaries. It is time to invest some thought into how your IT function can add more impact, so we have gone ahead and summarised the top 3 areas of upmost importance.

NFPs have the potential to use IT as a value adding service and create more of a social impact via productivity within the organisation. We go into more details in our E-Book on how to utilise IT. However, here is a case study of one NFP. Melba Support Services were struggling with their IT provider and made significant changes to improve their performance, save money and ulitmately create larger social impact.