Target Audience
This workshop is suitable for learners who have completed a Canva beginner-level course or who already use Canva regularly and wish to advance their skills.
Workshop Content
This workshop provides an in-depth exploration of Canva’s intermediate and advanced features, focusing on branding, content planning, and professional design workflows. Participants will develop practical skills in maintaining brand consistency, applying colour and typography principles, creating engaging video and presentation content, and producing documents at scale using bulk design tools. The course also introduces accessibility features to ensure designs are inclusive and user-friendly. Throughout the training, learners will leverage Canva’s AI tools to streamline content creation and enhance creativity, equipping them with the skills needed to produce high-quality designs across multiple platforms is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.
Topics covered during the workshop include:
- Canva Branding Kit
- Canva Colour Wheel
- Canva Content Planner
- Linking Canva account to social media accounts
- Typography and Text Apps
- Creating and Editing Videos
- Creating Presentation
- Document Design
- Creating Emails/Newsletters
- Bulk Create Design
- Canva Translate
- Accessibility Features
- Canva AI Tools
- Canva AI 2.0 (or newest version)
- Magic Write
- Magic Studio
- Magic Media
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
Anyone seeking practical tips for using AI with Excel files.
Outline
In this short course the following will be covered:
- Overview of using AI with your Excel file
- Analysing data
- Explaining formulas
- Creating formulas to do something
- Guidelines on writing the prompts to help do this including how to save the prompts to use again
Methodology
- Delivered virtually via Zoom.
- GiraffePad will be the platform used to hold the Zoom link/training materials/recording.
Target Audience
For current or aspiring leaders and managers in not-for-profit organisations e.g. Board officers, CEOs/Managers, team leaders, project managers.
Outline
Section 1: The strategic environment for high performance
· Setting clear vision and objectives for the organisation
· Effective leadership and team development and management
Section 2: Managing performance
· Understanding performance management
· Being clear on what and who we are measuring
· Setting and agreeing performance indicators
· Monitoring performance
Section 3: Communications and conversations
· Dealing with motivation
· What makes for good communications
· How to plan and manage for performance improvement
· Structuring the performance conversation
· Giving feedback
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
Individuals or organisations interested/involved in setting up and running a small non-profit organisation, or supporting others doing the same.
Outline
This online course will be delivered over 2 weekly Zoom sessions as per the details below. For privacy reasons, these sessions will not be recorded, so please make sure to attend both sessions if possible.
Module 1: (Tues 24 November, 10am – 1pm)
Establishment of a Group
- Setting up a community group
- Deciding on the Legal Structure
- Writing Your Constitution
- Recruiting Volunteers
Running of the Group
- Committee Roles
- Running a Meeting
- Agendas/Minutes
Module 2: (Tues 1 December, 10am – 1pm)
Making Decisions
- Conflict of Interest
- Code of Conduct
- Communication with members of group
Legal Duties
- Regulatory Responsibilities
- Charity/Tax & Bank Accounts
- Succession Planning
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
Anyone seeking hands-on training and practical tips for integrating Copilot Chat with Microsoft 365 apps, an essential resource for anyone looking to optimise their workflows and stay ahead with Microsoft’s latest AI tool. Copilot Chat is free with a Microsoft Business 365 subscription, i.e. an Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint annual subscription, but not a home or family subscription. The session does not include training on the paid Copilot licence for Copilot within Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Outline
This course provides hands-on training with Copilot Chat, demonstrating its core capabilities such as information retrieval, document drafting, and project management support. Participants will learn how to:
- Create drafts for documents like policies, procedures and guidelines
- Create outlines for PowerPoint presentations
- Create images in different styles and sizes for social media and PowerPoint presentations
- Create summaries and action items from the transcript of a Teams meeting
- Use ready made Microsoft Agents to help you work smarter with Copilot
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Microsoft Teams. This session will be recorded and the recording will be circulated to participants on completion.
Target Audience
For everyone dedicated to an Irish charity – whether you are a valued staff member, a manager, a CEO, or a voluntary charity trustee – a clear understanding of Protected Disclosures is fundamental. It underpins good governance, builds public trust, and ensures full compliance with vital whistleblower legislation.
Join us for this essential online introduction, providing clear insights into Protected Disclosures within the unique context of Irish charities.
Outline
- The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (as amended): Grasp its direct relevance and applicability to your role and your charity’s operations.
- Key Definitions: Clearly identify what constitutes “relevant wrongdoing” and who is considered a “worker” under the Act.
- Disclosure Channels: Learn about the proper procedures for making and receiving disclosures, both internally and externally.
- Whistleblower Protections: Understand the crucial safeguards in place for individuals who speak up.
- Charity Obligations: Discover the fundamental responsibilities of charities in developing effective policies, establishing reporting channels, and supporting those who make disclosures.
- Best Practices: Explore strategies to cultivate a robust “speak up” culture that benefits your entire organisation.
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
All people working in the non-profit sector.
Outline
How do you move from launching your strategic plan to ensuring effective implementation? This workshop will bring a mix of theory, best practice and practical steps on how to implement. You don’t have to have a shiny strategic plan to attend – this workshop will support people interested in how to turn words into positive outcomes.
This workshop will break down the steps to implement your organisation’s strategic plan effectively. Participants will be given best practice examples to illustrate how each implementation step can be approached. Participants can, if they wish, bring their Strategic Plan with them to use for group work.
This workshop introduces essential internal planning and reporting framework that will help align your work and your organisation’s work with its strategic goals. Applicable to all levels in an organisation i.e., anyone who is passionate about maximising their productivity and focusing their work will have something to gain by coming along.
Methodology
In person, Carmichael Centre, Dublin 7.
Target Audience
CEOs, Finance Managers and Board Members of Charities.
Outline
- Overview of Charities (Amendment) Act 2024
- Introduction to Charities SORP 2026
- Overview of FRS 102 Charities SORP and reporting framework
- Structure and content of Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts
- Fund accounting and types of charity funds
- Income and expenditure recognition (including grants and donations)
- Reserves policy and financial governance expectations
- Preparing for transition to the new SORP in 2026
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
Board Members, Directors, Trustees and Managers and anyone else involved in the preparation of Annual Reports.
Outline
The aim of this session is to understand the preparation of the Annual Report from the perspective of the Board Members, Directors, Trustees and staff.
This course covers the basics of what a good Annual Report should include and focuses on how to use the annual report as a way of showing the public, your members and funders how good your organisation is. This course is aimed at smaller organisations, particularly those with income of less than €100,000.
Methodology
Delivered virtually via Zoom.
Target Audience
For small and medium sized non-profit organisations, community, voluntary, charitable & social enterprise registered in the Republic of Ireland. Board members and managers: people with responsibility for human resources.
Aim
To assist participants in being able to deal with situations that may cause anxiety, discomfort or stress.
Outline
Difficult situations are inevitable, and can occur without warning, or, in some organisations, regularly. Having a strategy prepared which helps us to respond rather than react will help both parties achieve a satisfactory (win-win) outcome. The session will be highly interactive, with group work and pairs exercises designed to enable participants maximise their learning.
Duration 10am – 4.00pm
Methodology
In-person, Carmichael Centre, Dublin 7.