The Curve

One phishing email. One click. One charity offline. Could it happen to you? Cyber attacks aren’t just a “tech problem” - they’re a growing threat to the services, trust, and people our charities protect. 💔 And the reality is: the third sector is a prime target. Why? ⚡ Limited budgets ⚡ Stretched staff ⚡ Sensitive data criminals want That’s why we’re hosting: 🛡️ Be Ready, Stay Resilient: Cyber Incident Response for Charities 📅 14 October, 11:00–12:30 (GMT) FREE 👨💻 With Laurance Dine, Serenity Cyber Alliance CIC 🔗 Registration link in comments What you’ll take away: ✅ A ready-to-use incident response plan (template included) ✅ Low-cost, practical steps to stay safe ✅ Know-how to respond if ransomware, phishing or data breaches strike ✅ Peace of mind that you’re protecting your mission & the people you serve This isn’t about complicated tech. It’s about resilience, trust, and keeping your charity’s vital work going. 🌍 👉 Book your free place now 👉 Tag a colleague who should join too! Because when charities are resilient, communities are resilient. 💪

🤖 AI isn’t about replacing people. It’s about freeing up time, sharpening decisions, and uncovering opportunities your charity can’t see yet. Most charities we speak to either: 1️⃣ Assume AI is too technical or expensive. 2️⃣ Or think it’s only useful for writing faster social posts. Both miss the bigger picture. AI can already help with fundraising insight, service design, governance, and everyday admin - if you know where to start. Event details: 📅 Tuesday 8th October, 11:00am–12:30pm 🎤 Speakers: David Scurr (CAST Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology) & Ross McCulloch (Third Sector Lab) 📍 Online, free 🔗 Registration link in comments What you’ll take away: ✅ A clear, no-jargon explainer of AI and what it means for charities ✅ Real examples from CAST’s AI experiments - successes and lessons learned ✅ Free tools and templates you can start using straight away ✅ A chance to explore how AI might solve your own challenges AI is moving fast. Charities that start experimenting now will be better placed to protect capacity, improve decision-making, and deliver greater impact. 💬 Know someone in your team who’s curious (or sceptical) about AI? Tag them, this event will give them practical answers!

⚡ Cyber attacks against UK charities are rising fast — is your organisation ready? - 3 in 10 charities suffered a cyber breach last year - 86% of those involved phishing - Fewer than 1 in 4 have an incident response plan A single breach could cost you time, money and donor trust. Our upcoming workshop with Laurance Dine from Serenity Cyber Alliance CIC is designed to help you by: 🔍 Learning how to recognise and prevent phishing, ransomware & social engineering 🛡 Taking low-cost, practical steps to protect your organisation and service users 📄 Providing a free incident response plan template you can put into action immediately! 👉 Free to attend - register now: https://lnkd.in/eBN5eWCB

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The Charity Digital Skills Report 2025 found that 𝟳𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. But look a little closer: • Only a small minority have an organisation-wide approach.    • Most are testing AI informally - to help with admin, drafting documents, or desk research.    • Concerns about ethics, data security, and losing the “human touch” remain some of the top barriers. This mix of curiosity and hesitation tells us one thing: 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆! That’s exactly what our next Curve workshop is all about: 𝗔𝗜 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗧𝗿𝘆! 📌 What you’ll get from this 90-minute session- • 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 explained in plain English: Ross McCulloch (Third Sector Lab) will break down what AI is, what it isn’t, and the simple, practical ways charities can get started.    • 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: David Scurr (CAST Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology) will share examples from CAST’s library of charity AI experiments, explaining what’s working, what hasn’t, and what you can adapt.    • 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: practical steps to test AI in small, low-risk ways that fit your mission.    • 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: free guides, templates and toolkits to take learning back to your team.    • 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗤&𝗔: bring your questions, hesitations, and ideas to explore with peers. This session is for anyone who’s curious but cautious, eager to learn from others, and ready to take manageable steps towards understanding AI. 📅 8th October, 11am - 12:30pm  📍 Online — free to attend  👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/emUn8rcy

Struggling with how to show up on LinkedIn without the cringe? Join us for The Curve: LinkedIn Training – Embracing the 'Ick' with comms expert Adam Driver on 12 May at 11 am on Zoom. Discover how to optimise your profile, create content with confidence, and get LinkedIn working for you – all in a relaxed, interactive session. 📝 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/es8UQXXW #TheCurve #LinkedInTraining #DigitalConfidence #ThirdSectorLab

Planning a website for your charity? Join our practical workshop designed to help charities navigate website projects with confidence. 📅 4th April 2025 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eiav6AMr Led by Ross McCulloch, Robyn Barclay & Jenn Hood, this session will cover: ✅ Key steps in planning & launching a website ✅ Working with providers & managing costs ✅ SEO, content design, user testing & cybersecurity Sign up today! #CharityWebsites #NonProfit #DigitalStrategy #ThirdSector

Back by popular demand! Our Managing Tasks with Microsoft Planner workshop returns on 20th February with new updates for 2025! Led by David Massey, this session will help charities and non-profits make the most of Teams, Planner, Tasks, and To-Do. If your organisation uses Microsoft 365, don’t miss this chance to boost your productivity! 📅 20th February  🎟 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eDf3Euu8 #DigitalSkills #CharitySector #MicrosoftPlanner #TheCurve

Join us for the next Curve session, Social Media Strategy for Impact and Engagement, led by our founder, Ross McCulloch. This interactive session is designed to help charities align their social media efforts with organisational goals. Learn how to develop a strategy, create protective policies, and optimise platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. 🗓 Date: 6th February 2025 ⏰ Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm 💻 Register here: https://shorturl.at/IdeYL Spaces are limited, sign up now!

Join Visibility Scotland for an essential training session on creating inclusive communication for individuals with visual impairments and disabilities. 🌟What You’ll Learn: - Tips for screen reader-friendly documents - Tools to enhance digital accessibility - Practical steps for inclusive communication - Insights into types of vision impairment and related challenges Led by Adam Lodge, Visibility Scotland’s experienced Training and Development Worker. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask your questions and learn from a seasoned professional. 📅 Date: 23rd January 2025 🔗 Register here: https://shorturl.at/MvMVI