Barnardo's finds a home for Cisco's WebEx

Children's charity uses videoconferencing system to train new starters

UK children’s charity Barnardo’s has introduced Cisco’s WebEx Enterprise Edition

UK children’s charity Barnardo’s has introduced Cisco’s WebEx Enterprise Edition videoconferencing solution to help improve IT training for its staff.

Barnardo's head office is based in Essex, and it has another nine regional offices across the UK, each with its own set of local activities.

Lisa Johnson, information services learning and development manager, said: “We needed a solution that would be able to reduce our dependence on travel and allow us to reach more people in less time."

Barnardo’s was looking for a web conferencing solution that supported distance learning.

Having evaluated several tools, including Windows Live Meeting and Citrix GoToMeeting, it chose WebEx Enterprise Edition.

The organisation had been introduced to the product by Cisilion, a Cisco partner that had previously provided a range of Cisco hardware to Barnardo’s.

In addition to offering specific tools for online meetings and online training sessions, WebEx also provides an audio conference service which could replace the company’s existing conference call system.

Johnson said the WebEx implementation has made IT training at the charity much more efficient, with 50 per cent of all classes now taking place using the system.

The technology is also used by Johnson's Information Services team for regular catch-up meetings.

Johnson said that productivity has been boosted too: “WebEx means fewer hours on the road and more in the office, so naturally we can achieve more."

Going forward, Johnson said Webex could be used as a fundraising or marketing tool via online events.

For now though, Barnardo’s is focused on continuing the success of the IT training operation and further increasing staff efficiency.