WEBSITE & MEMBERS’ RECORDS

St Ives (Cambs) u3a subscribes to two IT systems provided by the national u3a organisation.  Leaders and members often confuse these two systems. The following paragraphs explain the purpose of each but please remember they are not linked in any way, so any activity or enquiry on one does not automatically feed through to the other.

St Ives u3a website

This is where we advertise all the different activities in our u3a.  Anyone can access it, whether a u3a member or not.

• Users can send a message to a Group Leader using the blue envelope link on the group’s web page, but no personal data is published here.
• It is very important that group pages are kept up-to-date because members rely on the information being accurate.  If a meeting is cancelled, or the topic or the venue is changed, this must be shown on the page as soon as possible.
• Even if a group is full and not seeking new members, keeping the page updated with news of recent or forthcoming activities, conveys the message that St Ives u3a is an active, vibrant organisation with lots to offer potential new members.
• Each group is allocated a dedicated IT Supporter.  Your IT Supporter contact is shown on the Beacon group under ‘Details’. Unless you have undertaken to edit your own web page, please let your IT Supporter have text and/or pictures about past or future meetings so they can be added to your page.

Beacon is our membership system

It is a secure system for members who have a legitimate reason for access and have been set up with a password to log in. It allows us to communicate with all our members effectively. We encourage Group Leaders to use Beacon to:

• manage data about their group and who is a member of it
• check that all members are paid-up members of u3a
• send out group emails securely
• manage waiting lists

If you need help, or if you do not use Beacon, please let your IT Supporter know of any changes, and they will update your group’s record for you.

Training

If you wish to edit your group’s web pages, or edit your group’s membership records on Beacon, you will need a username and password and training will be provided.  Even after training, you will not be able to see or change some data.  Please discuss training with your IT Supporter.