Age UK Oxfordshire

Age UK Oxfordshire had been wanting to roll out Microsoft Teams for a while. The pandemic left them needing to do it as soon as possible.  

They engaged with Hable and tasked us with helping them get the most out of the platform. Focusing on how to deliver effective meetings whilst working remotely. As well as making these meetings more accessible and inclusive. 

We ran a number of training sessions focusing on exactly that. Ensuring the content was tailored to what the charity needed to be able to continue operating during the pandemic.  

“This period has opened up a lot of thought processes and opportunities for re-evaluating how we work. It’s highlighted how much can be done remotely, and in instances where someone might have driven 20-30 miles across the county for a meeting, there will now be more consideration given to it being done over a quick Teams call instead.”  

– Sarah Jackson, HR Manager, Age UK Oxfordshire  

Alongside the employee piece, Age UK Oxfordshire also had some challenges in being able to support their clients during the pandemic. With varying care needs, technical knowledge and access to devices all being obstacles.  

We designed some bespoke sessions to give the Age UK Oxfordshire team the skills needed to continue delivering their amazing work within the community. As a result they’ve been able to offer face-to-face interactions via Teams instead of faceless phone calls. Small things like this made a massive difference during lockdown.  

By understanding the accessibility capabilities within Microsoft Teams, the staff at Age UK Oxfordshire were able to encourage more participation from the older people they support. For example, switching on closed captions, using very simple or blurred backgrounds.  

It has been very rewarding and encouraging to see how simple interactions, such as a video call, can significantly impact someone’s wellbeing and quality of life. This project has proved one thing: tech really does have the power to change lives. And enable charities to continue to deliver on their mission.