Support a new national listening project by Do it Now Now on AI, lived experience and the future of charity and community support.

Do it Now Now are developing a report called AI, Lived Experience and the Economics of Charity Work, exploring how artificial intelligence is changing the way charities, social enterprises, grassroots groups and local voluntary sector organisations work.

The study is not only about how organisations are using AI to save time, write funding applications or reduce administration. It is also about something we believe needs much more attention:

What does AI do to the trust between organisations and the people they support?

As AI becomes more common in service delivery, fundraising, communications, reporting and decision-making, we want to understand how local organisations and service users feel about its use. This includes questions about dignity, consent, disclosure, fairness, access to support and what should always remain human-led.

There are two survey routes:

1. For organisations
   For charities, social enterprises, community groups, mutual aid groups, grassroots organisations, trustees, staff, volunteers and community organisers.
   
   
2. For service users
   For people across the country who receive or have received support from charities, community groups, social enterprises or voluntary sector services.

The service-user survey is especially important. We want to hear directly from people about how AI should, and should not, affect the support they receive. Their views will help shape practical recommendations for the sector.

Survey link

As part of the project, we would also like to invite participating organisations to a roundtable discussion once the findings have been analysed. This will be one of our first learning events linked to the research, giving local infrastructure organisations an opportunity to reflect on what the findings mean for their members, communities and future support needs.

Please share onwards with your networks - we would be grateful if you could:

• share the survey with local charities, community groups and voluntary sector organisations;
• invite services to share the service-user survey with people they support, where appropriate;
• encourage responses from organisations and communities whose voices are often missing from national conversations about AI;
• let us know if you would like to be involved in the follow-up roundtable.

You do not need to be an AI expert to take part. We are interested in real experiences, concerns, hopes and boundaries.

The future of AI in the charity and community sector should not be shaped only by large institutions, funders or technology companies. It should be shaped by local organisations, grassroots groups and the people whose lives are most affected by these tools.

doitnownow.com