ReachOut UK is a national charity delivering programmes that support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Operating across London and Manchester, the organisation works with a distributed workforce and a network of trustees. Collaboration, data protection, and secure access to information are essential to supporting its delivery teams and maintaining regulatory and funding obligations.
ReachOut UK initiated a review of its IT services to address concerns around cost efficiency, service transparency, and long‑term sustainability. Following changes to its incumbent provider, the organisation experienced rising costs and reduced clarity around what was included within its support agreement. Services that were previously considered standard began attracting additional charges, making budgeting and planning more difficult.
Alongside these commercial challenges, ReachOut faced operational inefficiencies within its Microsoft 365 environment, particularly around SharePoint structure and permissions. Inconsistent access controls affected collaboration and increased administrative overhead. With a hybrid workforce and growing reliance on cloud tools, the organisation required greater confidence in its security posture, device management, and licensing strategy. The review aimed to identify a managed IT service that could deliver predictable costs, improved governance, and better alignment between technology, security, and organisational goals.
Qlic IT implemented a proactive managed support model tailored to the needs of a growing charity with a distributed workforce. The engagement began with a structured onboarding process designed to transition services without disruption. During this phase, a full review of Microsoft 365 licensing, security controls, and backup arrangements was carried out, resulting in a best practice analysis and clear optimisation roadmap.
The solution focused on consolidating and strengthening the Microsoft ecosystem. Microsoft 365 Business Premium licensing was introduced to improve value and simplify the security stack, alongside Microsoft Defender for enhanced email and endpoint protection. Microsoft Intune was fully configured to provide centralised management of laptops and mobile devices, enabling consistent policy enforcement, secure onboarding and streamlined offboarding.
A dedicated SharePoint project addressed structural and permissions challenges, establishing standardised site layouts and access controls aligned to teams and functions. Qlic IT also assumed responsibility for day‑to‑day helpdesk support, third‑party vendor management, patching, and cybersecurity awareness training, ensuring continued alignment with Cyber Essentials requirements. Regular account reviews now provide ReachOut UK with ongoing strategic guidance around licensing, refresh planning, and future technology initiatives.
ReachOut UK now benefits from a transparent, fixed‑cost IT support model that provides clarity and predictability for budgeting. By consolidating security and management tools within Microsoft 365, the organisation has reduced reliance on overlapping third‑party services while improving overall protection and governance.
The introduction of Intune has delivered consistent device management across the hybrid workforce, improving compliance and reducing manual administration. A restructured SharePoint environment has significantly improved usability, ensuring staff can collaborate efficiently while maintaining appropriate access controls. Helpdesk responsiveness and user experience have improved through unlimited UK‑based support, allowing staff to focus on service delivery rather than technical issues.
Regular strategic reviews ensure that technology decisions remain aligned with organisational priorities, supporting sustainable growth and future change. Overall, ReachOut UK has achieved stronger security, improved operational efficiency, and better value from its IT investment.
- Predictable, fixed‑cost managed IT support
- Improved Microsoft 365 licensing efficiency and value
- Centralised device management through Microsoft Intune
- Enhanced security and Cyber Essentials alignment
- Clear, consistent SharePoint structure and permissions
- Improved staff experience and reduced administrative overhead