Volition – Leeds Older People’s Forum (Forum Central) is a well-established charity and membership organisation that supports older people, community groups and voluntary sector organisations across Leeds. Through advocacy, partnership working and sector leadership, the organisation helps improve wellbeing, strengthen communities and support the delivery of essential services. Technology plays a critical role in facilitating communication, collaboration, stakeholder engagement and operational efficiency across the organisation and its wider network.
Volition – Leeds Older People’s Forum (Forum Central) was reviewing its IT support arrangements after identifying the need for a more strategic and proactive technology partner. While existing support services successfully maintained daily operations, the organisation wanted to gain greater value from its IT provider through ongoing technology guidance, future planning and access to specialist expertise.
The organisation operates within a mixed technology environment that includes both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 alongside endpoint security solutions and a diverse range of user devices. As digital services become increasingly important to service delivery and stakeholder engagement, leadership wanted reassurance that the technology environment could continue to support future growth while remaining secure, resilient and cost-effective.
Alongside enhancing support services, the organisation aimed to strengthen its cyber security posture, improve organisational resilience and gain access to expert advice covering emerging technologies, compliance considerations and best practice guidance relevant to charities and membership organisations. The objective was to establish a trusted technology partnership capable of supporting both current operational requirements and future strategic goals.
Our onboarding process began with a detailed assessment of the existing technology landscape, including Google Workspace services, Microsoft 365 licensing, device management processes, endpoint security controls and organisational support requirements.
Following this review, a tailored managed IT support framework was introduced to provide a single, coordinated support model covering unlimited remote and onsite assistance, user onboarding, device provisioning, troubleshooting and ongoing technology management. This ensured staff could access consistent support while reducing the administrative burden associated with managing technology internally.
Recognising that the organisation relies on both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, we adopted a technology-neutral approach focused on supporting existing systems while helping leadership evaluate future opportunities and maximise returns from current investments. Existing Microsoft 365 licences were reviewed to identify opportunities for improved utilisation, enhanced collaboration and greater productivity through the adoption of available tools and services.
Cyber security was identified as a key strategic priority throughout the engagement. Security assessments and ongoing reviews were incorporated into the support programme to provide visibility of existing controls and identify opportunities for future improvement. Recommendations focused on practical measures such as enhancing security policies, strengthening user awareness, improving device security and aligning technology controls with recognised best practices.
To support long-term organisational development, regular technology review meetings and strategic planning discussions were established. These sessions provide leadership with access to technical expertise, enabling technology decisions to be aligned with organisational priorities, operational requirements and future growth plans.
The onboarding process also included the deployment and validation of remote monitoring, management and support tools. This improved visibility across the technology estate, enabled faster issue resolution and helped maintain a secure and stable operating environment for users across the organisation.
By combining responsive day-to-day support with ongoing strategic consultancy, Volition – Leeds Older People’s Forum (Forum Central) gained access to an IT service that functions as a genuine extension of its internal team.
Volition – Leeds Older People’s Forum (Forum Central) gained an IT support service designed around partnership, collaboration and continuous improvement. Staff now benefit from reliable and responsive technical assistance supported by clear support processes and proactive communication.
Leadership teams have access to strategic guidance that helps inform technology investment decisions, improve operational efficiency and support future planning. Greater visibility of the technology estate has provided a stronger foundation for managing risk, improving resilience and identifying opportunities for future enhancement.
The introduction of a consultative support model has shifted technology discussions away from purely reactive issue resolution towards long-term planning, service improvement and risk reduction. The organisation is now better placed to assess new technologies, increase the value derived from existing Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace services, and support future digital transformation initiatives.
Cyber security awareness and planning have also been strengthened through regular reviews and expert recommendations, helping the organisation build resilience against evolving threats while maintaining practical and sustainable controls.
Most importantly, the organisation now has a trusted technology partner that supports both operational delivery and future strategic ambitions. This provides confidence that technology will continue to enable collaboration, support staff productivity and help the organisation deliver positive outcomes for the communities it serves.
- Proactive IT support partnership aligned with organisational objectives
- Unlimited remote and onsite support services
- Improved visibility of technology assets, devices and services
- Expert support across Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments
- Strategic technology guidance beyond traditional break-fix support
- Greater value and adoption from existing Microsoft 365 investments
- Enhanced cyber security awareness, planning and governance
