A Tech4Good South West Future, a year of progress and a call for support
It’s October 2023 and a deepening sense of energy and momentum from aspiring changemakers across the region, a post Covid commitment to doing more, to giving back, to collaboration. A vibrant and successful tech sector here in the South West pretty much leading the way across the UK, has also raised deeper questions about how we can and should contribute to building a thriving and resilient society.
Designing a future
We started with a passionate group of ambassadors and volunteers, convening at events and online to share stories and aspirations for a future where digital skills and more technology-driven solutions address community challenges.
A successful crowdfunding campaign to become a Community Interest Company (CIC) felt like the most honest and transparent way to validate our mission. It was a nail-biting few weeks, and the waiting game felt deeply personal at times. I know many of the early supporters have backed the work we, and I, have delivered in the past, and I was deeply conscious of the need to bring fresh ambition and validation to whether a deeper commitment to Tech4Good South West was both wanted and needed. The crowdfunder brought in initial sponsors who shared our ambition. Their support underscored the need for action, and we’ve worked hard to deliver.
Creating culture and ambition
We’ve always been deeply committed to creating a self-sustaining community that thrives on collective action and self-organisation. Building this takes time, patience and hard work. While I’ve been a consistent human presence since Tech4Good South West’s inception, our ever-growing team of passionate individuals, including core team members, event volunteers, and ambassadors, is the driving force behind our progress.
We’ve found advocates and supporters within regional networks and ecosystems that lift us up, and champion our ambition, and have our backs. Our responsibility as a core team is to hold the reins of design and governance until we reach a tipping point where the community can fully self-sustain.
Where we stand today
This year, we’ve done so much: incorporating as a CIC, establishing operational foundations, and creating models for generating income. Our events are increasingly well-attended, bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, and the energy is truly inspiring.
However, challenges remain. Our access to income is limited, and we’re still operating as a volunteer-led organisation. This limits our ability to scale our impact and creates vulnerability in our capacity to deliver on our ambition.
We’ve worked hard to build a brand, design engaging and thoughtful events, bring our voice and experience into other communities, and build the foundations for products and services that will deliver real impact.
What we need
To achieve our vision, we need support from the wider community;
Tech Sector Members: Join us, align with our manifesto and foundational principles and champion inclusive, ethical and responsible tech development.
Collaborative Regional Ecosystem: Share your skills and experience from the business community, networks and academia.
VCSE Sector Members: Advocate for community-centred design and bring the needs of the community to tech initiatives.
Tech for Good Entrepreneurs: Bring your ideas, experience, and needs to create solutions that tackle social problems and improve community well-being.
Sponsors: Support our mission and invest in a hopeful, changemaker community that believes in the power of technology for positive change.
Together we can do this, we leave no-one behind, and we can create a thriving future across the South West.
