Evolve SouthWest

Unfortunately funding for the Evolve project has come to an end and COSMIC are therefore unable to continue to deliver the service. Everyone at COSMIC who has been involved with the project would like to thank the many organisations who have leant their support over the year, helping in the promotion of the service as well as through provision of resources, etc.We at COSMIC are very proud of the Evolve project and the great positive impact it had on the largely unsupported small rural voluntary and community organisations across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. However don’t just take our word for it, take a look at the testimonial and case studies sections within this site.

A very constructive day was had by all in Newquay, when the Evolve project ran their three hour workshop entitled ‘An Introduction to Website Design’
The workshop was free to small voluntary and community organisations and designed to give an introduction to the main areas of website design, ensuring organisations’ develop a clear plan to help guide them to make the right decisions and ensure that they get the most out of having a website.
The workshop was held at the fantastic Source Cafe in Newquay which during the day runs as a internet cafe, providing a ideal relaxing place to get on-line and catch up with friends.

As was mentioned earlier a constructive day was had by all, but don’t just take our word for it…

 “Very well delivered - lots of useful information - don’t feel overloaded”

“Excellent workshop - gave me a lot of new ideas and also basic mistakes I have made with my current website”

“Well presented and interesting.  Some great tips, which will make things alot easier”

“I know very little re: ICT, but you guys explained things so clearly and simply that I left feeling confident - I can tell whoever designs our website exactly what we need - Thanks” 

Evolve will be running a FREE workshop for rural voluntary and community groups in Devon, entitled “An introduction to Website Design”. The workshop will be on Thursday the 16^th March and held at The Source Cafe in Newquay.  It will be a fantastic opportunity for groups to learn all about website design and the different options available.  At lunchtime there will also be a chance to network and try out some technology equipment, including accessibility kit.

Evolve Workshop Flyer - Cornwall

For more information and to book your place contact Rob Turner on 07872666400, or use the ‘Contact us’ form on the Evolve website. 

Why struggle with predictive text (never works) and tiny buttons when sending texts to mobile workers? Use your computer instead!  

It is often the fact, especially in rural areas that mobile workers are not available on email all of the time. Even when phone contact is available, conversations may be inconvenient and haphazard, being subject to call break-up and external interferences (especially in windy rural areas) 

By downloading a free pugin for Outlook, office workers can type emails effortlessly on a normal keyboard and have them converted to SMS texts so time-critical information arrives at mobile phone-toting workers in a way they can handle and is convenient.

Organisations can also set up an account which will reduce claiming complications and provide relief for remote workers by the cost of the messages going through the organisational account. 

The texts are not free, however they are still certainly affordable (see below for breakdown):
Costing Breakdown 

Benefits:
- Links seamlessly into outlook
- Uses your existing contacts list
- Send same message to multiple phones
- Sent messages are recorded in your sent items
- Repies form mobiles users go straight into your inbox 

To try out this fantastic service for free! You can register your details for 5 free credits. 

To download the Plugin and for more information:
IntelliSoftware Outlook Plugin

Evolve will be running a FREE workshop for rural voluntary and community groups in Devon, entitled “An introduction to Website Design”. The workshop will be on Monday the 25^th February and held at COSMIC.  It will be a fantastic opportunity for groups to learn all about website design and the different options available.  At lunchtime there will also be a chance to network and try out some technology equipment, including accessibility kit.

Evolve Workshop Flyer - Devon

For more information and to book your place contact Rob Turner on 07872666400, or use the ‘Contact us’ form on the Evolve website. 

Computer Accessibility is an area that affects everybody.  Noboby should be excluded from using computers and there are simple free tools that can make all the difference to people, ensuring they can fully access the benefits technology has to offer as well as ensure that problems are not unnecessarily worsened.

‘My computer my way’ is a website that takes you simply through how to set your computer up to meet your needs. http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/myway/