On 19 September, we brought together dozens of digital pioneers in Glasgow to share inspiration and experiences, and to shape a new shared vision for using digital well in our organisations. We celebrated wins, looked at where organisations can go next with digital, and explored the steps we need to get there.

On this page we’ve brought together content from the day – recordings from our main sessions, and speaker slide decks for our breakout workshops. For some of the workshops, you can access related online content.

The Digital Now

John Fitzgerald from SCVO kicked off the day with a look at our ‘Digital Now’ – the inspiring digital change we’ve seen from lots of organisations in the most challenging circumstances. We've come a long way since the 'digital duct tape' of 2020 and 2021, where everyone pivoted rapidly to online tools for team collaboration and service delivery. And the past 12 months have seen a host of AI-based tools reach millions of users.

Fireside Chat: Tackling the Tough Challenges of Creating and Embedding a Digital Strategy

We all became much more digital during the pandemic – switching to remote delivery of services, meeting on Zoom, working from home. But does that mean digital is done? Digital isn’t just about knowing how to unmute yourself on Zoom, or moving your files into the cloud. It’s a vital, strategic context that is continually evolving. Maddie Stark hosts Brani Milosevic, Tariq Ali and Jamie Trout for a wide-ranging discussion of how to navigate the challenges of building and implementing a digital strategy.

Workshop: Unblocking digital transformation in charities with the Charity Change Collective

In this session we explored some of the common factors getting in the way of the crucial digital change we know charities want and need, alongside suggestions on how to tackle those blockers. As part of the Charity Change Collective, Julie Wilson-Dodd, Brani Milosevic and Ross McCulloch have been gathering insights from charities on the barriers that frustrate them the most, and will bring solutions to these to life with some inspiring examples of change from the sector.

The Real Cost of Digital – how to make good capability affordable

John Fitzgerald ran an interactive discussion based on SCVO’s new guide to saving money on digital and technology. By making canny investments, and focusing on what really matters, you can use digital to significantly grow your capability without breaking the bank. Read more in our in-depth guide.

How to manage a successful website project

Rachel Boyd and Maddie Stark led an interactive workshop on how to manage a website project successfully. A good website can make it much easier for people to discover your organisation and engage with your work. Managing a website project can feel complex and overwhelming. This workshop covered the key roles and steps you need to think about to make sure your new website project runs smoothly. Read more in our in-depth guide.

Raising Cyber Awareness within your Organisation: Cyber & Fraud Centre Scotland

This workshop highlighted why it is important to develop a positive cyber security culture within your organisation and learn about free resources available to support in improving cyber awareness across your staff and volunteers. For a toolkit and resources to help you build a positive cyber culture in your organisation, see this guide on the National Cyber Security Centre Website.

Avoiding an Udder Disaster: Waterstons

This workshop involved trying out a board game called Udder Disaster, where players attempt to successfully navigate the challenges of running a dairy farm, to help understand the key components of business resilience.

How are cyber criminals using Artificial Intelligence?: Digital Skills Education

Learn how generative AI tools are being used by cyber criminals to create convincing emails and realistic images, along with simple steps to help protect yourself, staff/volunteers and beneficiaries. Free resources and guidance are available on the Digital Skills Education website.

Building collaboration culture in hybrid teams

It's often said that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’, but how has hybrid working impacted on on culture and behaviour in organisations? Have we adapted how we support staff and volunteers when working in new ways? David McNeill shared experiences from SCVO and reflects on the challenges and opportunities related to hybrid working.

10 Quick Ways to Embed User-Centered Design in your Charity

Ross McCulloch of Third Sector Lab led an interactive workshop on user-centred design (PowerPoint slides download). Whether it’s improving a service, rethinking a process or doing user-testing. This isn’t about grand theories—it's about making a real difference with quick, actionable steps that fit your day-to-day work. Perfect for charity professionals looking to make a bigger impact, fast.

“I don’t buy Nestle but I use Google and I need to do something about it”

Dare to rethink how we engage with technology? Join our fireside chat as we uncover the bold steps one trailblazing organisation has taken to become digitally ethical, detangling themselves from Big Tech and better understanding their relationship with digital. Discover the actionable strategies you can implement today to revolutionise your own practices. Sabrina Logan and Cavan Convery from Neon Digital Arts. See Neon’s roadmap for detangling themselves from Big Tech.

What Next - wrapping up the day

John Fitzgerald gave a short talk on ‘Digital Next – your post-AI digital strategy’ and John, Maddie and Alison finished the event by reflecting on key themes from all the discussions.

SCVO's new digital strategy playbook

In this session, we introduced SCVO's new digital strategy playbook. This is a pilot of a new resource that's designed to help you guide strategic conversations around digital in your team. We've produced this because we believe that good digital strategies start with honest conversations across the organisation. You can download the digital strategy playbook here [PDF download]. And you can check out this blog post for more of our thinking on what you need in a good digital strategy.

Speaker profiles

Tariq Ali

Tariq has over 20 years of experience in the charity and social enterprise sectors, both in Scotland and nationally. Currently serving as the Digital & IT Services Manager at One Parent Families Scotland, Tariq specialises in leading digital transformation efforts to enhance operational efficiency and impact. With a strong background in technology and non-profit management, Tariq has worked in the past with SCVO and Senscot amongst others to drive positive change and deliver innovative solutions.

Rachel Boyd

Rachel is SCVO’s Content Design Manager. Her role involves supporting all shapes and sizes of organisations in the voluntary sector, with setting up, governance and day-to-day running. Rachel has previously worked as Head of Content at Mind, and in equality and human rights advice. Her focus is on understanding user needs and journeys, and empowering people with the information they need.

Alison Brogan

Alison Brogan is SCVO’s Cyber Resilience Co-ordinator. She has more than 15 years' experience within cyber security, fulfilling various operational, managerial and consultancy roles across all areas of security operations. It is her passion for improving cyber resilience within Scotland that led her to join SCVO last year, where her role is to coordinate implementation of Scottish Government’s Third Sector Cyber Resilience Action Plan to support charities in becoming more cyber resilient.

Cavan Convery

Cavan is part of Neon Digital Arts. He has produced a very large number of creative projects in the arts encompassing television, publications, touring workshops and major exhibitions. He has recently returned to designing and delivering arts-based workshops in communities and schools exploiting his long-standing commitment to digital art, climate and the environment. His current focus is on improving digital literacy, access and creativity with the emphasis on the social, mental and environmental consequences our digital devices bring with them.

John Fitzgerald

John Fitzgerald leads SCVO’s digital evolution programme. He and his team have helped thousands of charities to make strategic use of digital to serve their communities and further their aims through training, bespoke one-to-one help and advice. John leads on SCVO’s digital checkup service and in-depth guides on topics such as AI. Before SCVO, John worked for over a decade in the environment and advocacy sectors, managing fundraising, communications and digital projects.

Julie Wilson-Dodd

Julie is a transformation consultant who works with charities to help them modernise and deliver more impact. Julie’s experience includes strategy, change management, technology, and service design with over 60 charities, as well as government departments, and commercial companies. In recent years Julie has been Interim Director of Services and Engagement at Blood Cancer UK and Director of Transformation at Parkinson’s UK. Julie is also the author of The New Reality.

Stew Hogg

Stew Hogg is an Associate Director at Waterstons, a leading IT consultancy. He is a Cyber Security Specialist with over 15 years of experience and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security. He has supported a range of organisations, including several charitable organisations, to establish cyber security strategies and build cyber functions to combat the evolving threat landscape. Stew is also a Head Consultant for the NCSC Cyber Consultancy Scheme and supports the Cyber First initiative.

Sabrina Logan

Sabrina Logan is an experienced Creative Producer interested in expanding accessibility to the digital arts. She has been involved in the creative and charity sector in Dundee for over a decade, building networks and creating connections.
Most recently Sabrina has been working in NEoN Digital's Radical Digital Care programming, which highlights Digital Advocacy, tech accessibility and sustainability in the Digital Arts

Ross McCulloch

Ross McCulloch is Director at Third Sector Lab – a digital agency working specifically with the charity sector. He has worked with a wide range of clients on digital strategy, service design and social media campaigns. Clients include Turning Point Scotland, Scotland’s Housing Network, The National Lottery Community Fund, Oxfam, Macmillan, Scottish Government and NHS. Ross co-facilitates SCVO’s digital senior leaders programme and is a trustee of Parenting Across Scotland. He is also the founder of Digital Trustees - a programme that aims to get more tech professionals on to charity boards. Third Sector Lab was recently named one of Big Issue Magazine’s Changemakers of the Year.

David McNeill
Is Director of Strategic Development, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. David provides strategic leadership to SCVO to support, promote and develop a confident, sustainable voluntary sector in Scotland. He is responsible for work on policy, membership and sector support services. This includes the programme to build digital skills and capability in Scotland’s third sector as well as the Connecting Scotland programme to tackle digital exclusion across the country. Before joining SCVO David was Depute Chief Executive at youth charity Young Scot. David is currently a Trustee of the Digital Xtra Fund and Recharge, an East Lothian youth work charity.

Brani Milosevic

Brani Milosevic is the founder of Digital Leadership, a transformation and mentor-coaching consultancy for nonprofits. With years of experience leading digital initiatives in major UK nonprofits and consulting for a diverse range of organisations—from health to environmental charities—Brani has developed a unique approach to digital transformation. Her methodology places humans at the centre of problem-solving and decision-making, empowering leaders, teams, and organisations to adapt effectively to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. As a seasoned strategist and coach, Brani guides nonprofits through the complexities of digital change, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Maddie Stark

Maddie Stark is a specialist in managing organisational culture and behaviour change with a focus on digital evolution. For almost 10 years Maddie has been developing and delivering training at SCVO in this area, co-facilitating SCVO’s ground-breaking Digital Senior Leaders Programme. Maddie has a strong background in supporting voluntary organisations in Scotland to embrace digital to manage and influence organisational change and culture. Maddie has also been championing the Scottish Approach to Service Design and as one of the co- founders of Digital for Good, promoting the benefits of adopting lean and agile methodologies.

Norman Stevenson

Norman Stevenson is the Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager at the Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland (CFCS). Before joining the CFCS in 2024, Norman was a Detective Chief Inspector in Police Scotland as the tactical lead for Cyber Investigations and Digital Forensics. With extensive experience in Local Policing and Serious Criminal Investigations, he focused on Cyber Threats, Responses and Investigations, seeing close working relationships with cyber partners and industry leaders across Scotland as the key to supporting all sectors from falling victim to Cybercrimes. As the CFCS Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager, Norman now works closely with CFCS partners supporting organisations with their preventative measures, and throughout all stages of a cyberattack.

Jamie Trout

Jamie Trout has been working for homelessness organisations within the digital space for over 14 years both in Australia and Scotland. As Head of Digital at Simon Community Scotland he leads on digital inclusion through the national Get Digital Scotland Programme and Get Connected projects.

Digital Skills Education

Digital Skills Education is a technology education company, teaching people the knowledge and skills to get the most out of technology – at home, in the workplace or at school. They provide short courses, learning resources and interactive training that bring digital skills to life for everyone in a fun and engaging way.