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.

YHA

“It’s no longer good enough as a Chief Executive to say: ‘I don’t do digital’.”

James-Blake

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.

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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.

The Code in 7 Weeks

If you want to help your charity use digital to increase its impact, persuade your leadership team to support digital or understand how your charity can follow best practice, why not sign up to a weekly e-mail for the next 7 weeks to help you get started with the Code?

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“Like any organisation, charities can learn a lot about what they do, who they serve and the impact they have, by drawing on their data."

Giselle

Giselle Cory

Executive Director, DataKind UK and Code Champion

“It’s no longer good enough as a Chief Executive to say:
‘I don’t do digital’.”

James-Blake

James Blake

CEO, YHA (England and Wales) and Code Champion