Moving from having a digital strategy, to making digital be the overall strategy.
Case Study: YHA
The Youth Hostel Association transforms young lives through travel and adventure. Their main audience is young people who expect to be able to engage with them on their phones, in a way that is natural for them. The Charity Digital Code of Practice has supported them to use digital to do what they already do, but better, faster and cheaper.
“It’s no longer good enough as a Chief Executive to say: ‘I don’t do digital’.”
James Blake
CEO, YHA (England and Wales) and Code Champion
The Challenge
YHA has been using digital tools at a departmental level for a while, in e-commerce as well as to engage with their supporters. Like many charities, they had previously focused their digital thinking on the nuts and bolts of websites and marketing. The challenge was to ensure that they didn’t miss the bigger opportunities presented by adopting digital at the heart of the organisation.
The Solution
YHA moved from just having a digital strategy to making digital be their overall strategy. Vitally, the move to digital is endorsed right from the top. Chief Executive James Blake said:
“It’s no longer good enough as a Chief Executive to say: ‘I don’t do digital’.”
The Charity Digital Code of Practice offered YHA a clear framework and guiding principles to have the permission and confidence to invest in digital across the organisation.
The Results
With strong leadership and investment in digital, YHA have changed the way they work. For example, they have developed an app that offers one-touch giving for their supporters and receptionless check-in for their hostel guests. By making digital a core part of their business planning and decision making, they are improving things now and in the future for their guests,their supporters and their partners.
