CAST - Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology
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techforgoodcast.bsky.social
CAST - Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology
@techforgoodcast.bsky.social
UK charity. Providing free courses, resources and networking opportunities to help charities and social impact organisations harness the full power of digital and AI. Also working with funders to create an environment of support. See www.wearecast.org.uk.
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The CAST team will be taking a break from 24th December, returning on 5th January.

If you need to get in touch during the holiday period, please email hello@wearecast.org.uk, as this will be monitored periodically.

Happy holidays to all 🩵
Happy New Year to all our CAST friends - hope 2026 is wonderful for you! 🩵
January 1, 2026 at 12:36 PM
🆕 AI for Grantmakers group: three perspectives

Two years on from the first meeting of the AI for Grantmakers group, we spoke to Dan Sutch (CAST), Alex Parker (IVAR) and Brian Yim Lim (Barts Charity), about the purpose of the group, the way it's evolved and the value it brings 👉 buff.ly/OzDTkz
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December 30, 2025 at 12:08 PM
👀 Our new AI survey is live!

We’re gathering your views and needs so we can shape support for the year ahead.

Your feedback has already led to our AI courses, experiments library & resource hub: help us build what comes next.

Please take 10 mins to complete the anonymous survey 👉 buff.ly/fsvJaZr
December 29, 2025 at 10:02 AM
This graphic shows a snapshot of our impact over the past year - but, as ever, it would have been impossible to achieve this in isolation: we'd like to thank all the wonderful charities, partners, digital specialists & funders we've worked with this year.

More about our impact 👉 buff.ly/FLcs5vG
December 24, 2025 at 11:58 AM
The CAST team will be taking a break from 24th December, returning on 5th January.

If you need to get in touch during the holiday period, please email hello@wearecast.org.uk, as this will be monitored periodically.

Happy holidays to all 🩵
December 23, 2025 at 12:17 PM
👀 Our new AI survey is live!

We’re gathering your views and needs so we can shape support for the year ahead.

Your feedback has already led to our AI courses, experiments library & resource hub: help us build what comes next.

Please take 10 mins to complete the anonymous survey 👉 buff.ly/fsvJaZr
December 18, 2025 at 9:15 PM
💡 Exploring ‘Worthwhile AI'

At CAST, we use the term 'Worthwhile AI' to ensure our AI usage aligns with our values, & to help shape AI that is ‘worthwhile’ for all.

Check out our new Q&A, in which CAST's Director Dan Sutch outlines the term 👉 buff.ly/cWLxHrA - & please let us know your thoughts!
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December 16, 2025 at 10:39 AM
🗂️ AI library: new content!

We’ve just added four new experiments to our AI library, with RSPCA Coventry & District, British Red Cross, Street Support Network & SCVO sharing how they used #AI #tools including ChatGPT, Copilot & Calendly.

Check out these and 30+ other experiments 👉 buff.ly/GFZP45O
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December 15, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by CAST - Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology
VocTech Activate opens 6 January 2026

£30k to £60k grants available for innovative ideas using tech to improve learning for work

Step 1: Check if your project is eligible using our checker
Step 2: Book an online workshop to help prepare your application

Start here: ufi.co.uk/grant-fundin...
November 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
We're delighted to be working with @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk, @lbfew.bsky.social & a host of other partners on the 'Investing in the Power of Civil Society' pilot.

It will explore a new model of tailored support for charities, to help them build resilience, adapt to change & thrive 👉 buff.ly/AKeGl0Q
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December 11, 2025 at 3:21 PM
🆕 Newsletter out today! Featuring:

👀 Our new AI survey!
💡 Exploring 'Worthwhile AI'
🗂️ AI library: new content!
🆕 AI for Grantmakers: three perspectives
📑 CAST at 10: Impact report
📩 IVAR on AI and funding applications
💻 Optimising for AI search: a guide for charities

And more! 👉 buff.ly/70FLlpp
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December 11, 2025 at 9:55 AM
📑 CAST at 10: Impact & next steps.

Our new report explores not just the ‘who, what, how & why’ of our activities with charities, funders & support organisations - but also illustrates the impact that this has had, & highlights opportunities for getting involved as we move forward 👉 buff.ly/FplPiv2
December 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM
👀 Our new AI survey is live!

We’re gathering your views and needs so we can shape support for the year ahead.

Your feedback has already led to our AI courses, experiments library & resource hub: help us build what comes next.

Please take 10 mins to complete the anonymous survey 👉 buff.ly/fsvJaZr
December 8, 2025 at 1:38 PM
💡 Exploring ‘Worthwhile AI'

At CAST, we use the term 'Worthwhile AI' to ensure our AI usage aligns with our values, & to help shape AI that is ‘worthwhile’ for all.

Check out our new Q&A, in which CAST's Director Dan Sutch outlines the term 👉 buff.ly/cWLxHrA - & please let us know your thoughts!
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December 4, 2025 at 9:17 AM
🆕 AI for Grantmakers group: three perspectives

Two years on from the first meeting of the AI for Grantmakers group, we spoke to Dan Sutch (CAST), Alex Parker (IVAR) and Brian Yim Lim (Barts Charity), about the purpose of the group, the way it's evolved and the value it brings 👉 buff.ly/OzDTkzv
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December 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
💬 Here's what our AI course participants are saying...

Since launching our free self-serve AI course earlier this year, we've had some wonderful feedback from participants - including these responses!

Try the free AI course for yourself 👉 buff.ly/4gfaOEF
December 2, 2025 at 9:04 AM
🚀 Two free AI courses!

We've created two #free, self-serve courses: one providing an introduction to #AI, and another aimed at those people who feel they are advancing with AI, and want to support their colleagues to do the same.

Intro course 👉 buff.ly/4gfaOEF
Follow-on course 👉 buff.ly/1KSivpU
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December 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
🧪 Five ways funders are experimenting with AI.

Ellen Smyth takes a look at five ways in which funders are using AI, with content from @londonfunders.bsky.social, @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk, @healthfoundation.bsky.social, The Masonic Charitable Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

👉 buff.ly/am8u7Qs
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November 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
❓ Ask us anything! We answer your questions about CAST and AI

In order to provide timely responses to your questions about CAST and AI, we’ve set up a new webpage dedicated to your questions - and our answers.

Read our introductory blog 👉 buff.ly/J7TatxG, and access our Q&A here 👉 buff.ly/pRX7mz2
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November 25, 2025 at 9:06 AM
🆕 Library of AI experiments!

Check out our growing collection of 30+ AI experiments, shared by 18 orgs.

Topics include user research, AI policy creation, data analysis & transcription - with contributors sharing what worked well, what didn’t, and the advice they’d give to others 👉 buff.ly/GFZP45O
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November 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by CAST - Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology
Looking for comms inspiration? As this year winds down, many of us are thinking about how we can stretch our campaigns and comms further in 2026. Get inspired by what #InspiringComms Award nominees have achieved. Register to join us on 10 Dec on LinkedIn Live: https://bit.ly/3KCBCV3
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
❓ Keen to meet new charity contacts and find out how they're using digital?

☕️ Try Coffee Connections, the free service that matches you with a peer every two months for a virtual chat.

🗓️ New matches will take place next Thursday (Nov 27th); find out more & register for free today 👉 buff.ly/3FWxeuI
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November 21, 2025 at 4:47 PM
👀 Check out the latest Shared Digital Guides!

➡️ Euan's Guide on recruiting staff using Airtable
➡️ RSPCA on helping staff find info using a chatbot
➡️ Noise Solution on using GenAI to analyse video content
➡️ Citizens Advice SORT on automating case notes with AI

See all 90+ Guides 👉 buff.ly/3zIbdzS
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November 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
📊 Quick survey: Are AI summaries affecting your website traffic?

We've put together a short survey (just three multiple-choice questions) to gauge the impact that AI summaries are having on charities' web traffic. All responses are anonymous.

Access the three-question survey here 👉 buff.ly/cYs7zat
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November 19, 2025 at 10:03 AM
❓ Could you share your tips on using digital tools?

If so, we'd love to hear from you! We're sharing charities' experiences of digital tools via the Shared Digital Guides site.

It's v simple: we turn your experience into a Guide - you don't need to do any writing!

Find out more 👉 buff.ly/3K3kcNX
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November 18, 2025 at 10:47 AM