Learning for Life is a North East charity that works with adults who have a wide range of complex needs and disabilities. The aim is simple: help people build independence, confidence, and the life skills they need to thrive. As the organisation expanded across different sites, it became clear that the IT systems in place were no longer fit for purpose and became the source of issues for the wider team.
We first spoke with Marie Matthewson, Director of Operations, when their existing setup started to create more problems than it solved. SharePoint had been implemented by their previous supplier, and while originally suitable for the scale of organisation, as Learning for Life expanded, it was impacting critical business functionality.
“As we grew, the problems just grew with us. We were getting syncing issues, duplicate files, and sometimes we couldn’t even access what we needed. It was affecting everything we did, and the staff were getting more and more frustrated.” – Marie Matthewson, Learning for Life
The Challenge
As Learning for Life grew, the outdated systems they had in place quickly became unsuitable for their needs. The original file structure was now slowing them down. Staff were struggling to access files when they needed them, information was getting duplicated and core business functionality was being impacted across both locations.
As the number of minor issues increased, it became a major problem for both the wider team and Marie to deal with on a daily basis. Tutors couldn’t access key resources, managers found themselves dealing with complaints and the support team were logging ticket after ticket. Instead of concentrating on the learners, too much time was being lost trying to keep the IT working from one day to the next.
The Solution
Smart IT were appointed to carry out a full review of the organisation’s requirements and identify the core issues with the current system. Once the root cause was clear, they worked with Marie and her team to put a proper structure in place. SharePoint was reorganised and Microsoft Teams was introduced as the hub for collaboration across the two business locations.
This solution was implemented alongside a tailored support plan to ensure the team were trained on best practice with the new systems and software, as well as how this would help support them with day to day tasks moving forward. Training sessions were run on-site, backed up by detailed step-by-step guides so staff had resources to refer back to. Managers were given extra support to help their teams, and Smart IT engineers were always on hand for questions. The first few days of the rollout weren’t easy, there were teething problems. But with clear guidance and support on hand, initial issues were quickly resolved. Within a couple of days, the solution was implemented smoothly and the team were beginning to feel much more confident using it.
The Result
Learning for Life now has a tailored IT solution that is suitable for their team, as well as being futureproofed for further company growth and expansion. Staff no longer lose time to syncing errors, managers aren’t tied up with endless complaints, and Marie can finally focus on the most important part of her role — supporting learners.
“My life is so much easier. I’m not constantly dealing with IT problems, the managers are happier, and the staff can just get on with their jobs. It means I can focus more on the learners, which is what it’s all about for us.” – Marie Matthewson, Learning for Life
Marie also highlighted how supportive the Smart IT team had been throughout the process:
“They kept their promises, put in the hours, and made sure everything works the way it should. The staff who came on-site were brilliant, so supportive, and nothing was too much trouble.” – Marie Matthewson, Learning for Life
With the right systems now in place, Learning for Life has a solid platform to keep growing and continue delivering life-changing education for the people who need it most.
To find out more about how Smart IT can provide tailored solutions for your business, contact us today.
