ITEM3 - Terms of reference ::

ITEM3 network - terms of reference

1. Aims and objectives

The network aims to:

Assist voluntary and community organisations to harness the benefits of ICT, including new technologies, in order to help them to deliver services and improve people's lives.
Provide a focal point for ICT work and service development in the voluntary and community sector in the East Midlands.

The network will:

Enable third sector infrastructure organisations with an interest in ICT to share best practice, gain peer support and take part in relevant learning. (Note: local infrastructure organisations are sometimes referred to as ‘local support and development organisations’.)
Raise the profile of ICT issues and ICT work in the sector. Enable workers and projects to formulate relevant responses and, if necessary, take forward issues on behalf of the ITEM3 Network.
Improve effectiveness and efficiency through sharing of resources, knowledge and expertise, including potential funding and tendering opportunities.
Provide support for organisations looking to develop ICT support projects, services or other ICT initiatives within the 3rd sector in the East Midlands. Take a lead on co-ordinating the delivery of the action plan for the regional ICT strategy for the 3rd sector.

2. Membership

Network meetings are open to those working in the third sector (including social enterprises) with an interest in seeing the sector increase and improve the way that it uses ICT. Network members might, for example, be ICT project workers or project managers; development workers or other staff members supporting frontline groups; organisations that are looking to develop, launch or promote an ICT project; or those with a strategic interest in ICT development in the sector. Those working within third sector infrastructure organisations are particularly encouraged to take part.
Representation from outside these groups (e.g. Statutory Sector Partners, Funders) is also very welcome – offering important insight, advice and networking from the respective areas. In order to facilitate any discussion that third sector members would rather not be shared outside their sector peer group, a separate forum can be convened, if necessary, after the main meeting has concluded.

3. Practical arrangements

The ITEM3 network aims to meet 4 times a year, and to take place in different parts of the region during the course of the year.
Each meeting will feature a specialist topic, together with opportunities for networking, sharing news and experiences, discussing ICT initiatives and signposting new resources.
The chair for the network will be rotated on a yearly basis, with the note taker rotated for each meeting. Notes of meetings will be taken and circulated to all network members.
These terms of reference will be reviewed at least once a year.

[Reviewed at the ITEM3 network meeting held on 5 July 2011, with this revised version issued September 2011.]