AI and your charity: getting ready for what's next

AI is already changing how charities work, from drafting funding bids to answering supporter queries. The pressure to 'do something with AI' is real, but so are the risks to the trust your beneficiaries, donors and volunteers place in you. The question is not whether to engage, but how to do it well.

As part of the Sector Support programme at Community Foundation North East, we are delighted to offer this practical half-day session for charities and voluntary organisations. We will cover where AI sits in the charity sector right now, what is changing and what it means for organisations like yours. We will share real case studies of charities and people-centred organisations putting AI to use thoughtfully, and finish with hands-on training so you leave with something you can put into practice straight away.

Most charities know they need an AI policy but are not sure where to start. We will work through the questions to consider when developing an AI strategy: what guidelines do your staff and volunteers need, and what do your stakeholders and the people you serve need to know about how you are using AI? You will leave with a clear sense of the decisions to make and the order to make them in.

Every AI decision is a trust decision in disguise. This session is about making those decisions deliberately, so AI strengthens the relationships at the heart of your work rather than putting them at risk.

By the end of the session you will:
• Understand the current picture of AI in the charity sector and what is coming next
• Have a practical framework of questions for building your own AI policy and guidelines
• See how other organisations are using AI responsibly, with concrete examples
• Have tried a relevant AI tools with guidance and support

Your host will be Colette Harrison, Sector Support Manager at Community Foundation North East and this session will be facilitated by Dr Yulia Dzenkovska of Service Design North - an AI Trust and Customer Experience Specialist working with people-centred organisations across the North East.

Refreshments and pastries will be provided.

If you have any questions before booking please contact Colette: ch@communityfoundation.org.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.