Revitalising River Kids Charities Online Presence
In July 2023, River Kids Charity Manager Jack Christine sought support from the Scottish Tech Army (STA) to enhance their website. River Kids, a Scottish charity dedicated to helping underprivileged children and families in West Lothian, had recently undergone a brand refresh and sought a more professional online presence. The goal was to create a website that would clearly communicate their services, attract corporate sponsors, and inspire community support.
A Rich History of Supporting Children in West Lothian
River Kids was co-founded in October 2005 by Wendy Simpson and Donny Hughes. Both founders believed West Lothian needed a charity to benefit disadvantaged local children and children’s groups. The first fundraising event took place on 4 November 2005, raising £700, which was distributed between St. John’s Hospital and a local child in need of specialist treatment. Over the years, River Kids has grown significantly and celebrates its 19th birthday in 2024. The name River Kids derives from its origins as part of River FM, with ‘River’ representing the River Almond, which flows through West Lothian, and ‘Kids’ representing the charity’s dedication to helping children.
The charity provides a range of services, including the provision of clothing, toys, and household items for families in need, employment opportunities for young people, financial support grants to help families with school and extracurricular expenses, and the West Lothian Toy Appeal, which distributes new toys and gifts to disadvantaged children during festive seasons.
Rebuilding the Website with STA’s Expertise
STA began by analysing the existing website and consulting with key stakeholders to identify operational challenges and align on a vision for the redesign. It became evident that a complete rebuild from the ground up was necessary. In April 2024, a team of STA volunteers, led by Eva Jastrzebska, embarked on this project using WordPress.
The team focused on four key elements for the new website:
Enhanced Awareness: The homepage now features a video capturing the essence of River Kids' mission, showcasing their impact on local communities.
Modern, User-Friendly Design: The site was rebuilt with intuitive navigation for donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, along with a mobile-responsive design to ensure accessibility for all.
Dedicated Donations Page: A separate donations section was created to engage potential contributors, offering multiple giving options such as crowdfunding, Facebook Giving, and collection cans.
Volunteer Registration: The new design also streamlined volunteer registration and communication to attract and retain supporters.
Throughout the project, the team used Figma, Notion, and Jira to plan and track progress collaboratively. Regular meetings were held with River Kids to provide updates and gather feedback, ensuring the charity's needs were met.
Looking Ahead: River Kids’ Future Goals
As River Kids looks to the future, they have outlined several objectives to expand their reach and impact. These objectives include strengthening partnerships with businesses and organisations to deliver more support to families, increasing community engagement, and continuing to grow their flagship initiative, the West Lothian Toy Appeal. By building strong relationships with local partners and corporate sponsors, River Kids is working toward making measurable changes in the lives of disadvantaged children.
The Impact of the New Website
On July 19, 2024, the new website went live, clearly outlining River Kids' positive impact on the community and offering easier navigation for users. The hope is that the revamped site will increase donations, boost volunteer sign-ups, and improve referrals while raising awareness of River Kids' mission to support underprivileged families in West Lothian.
About the Scottish Tech Army:
The Scottish Tech Army was founded in April 2020 by Edinburgh-based entrepreneurs, Alistair Forbes and Peter Jaco, to help charities and other organisations dealing with the massive impacts of Covid-19 on the economy and society. It is a volunteer-based not-for- profit community that provides impactful digital solutions to support a wide range of civil society organisations delivering social benefit. Its enduring mission is to mobilise the UK’s tech talent for good and to aggregate, amplify and augment the tech for good ecosystem in Scotland.
https://www.scottishtecharmy.org
About River Kids:
Founded in 2005, River Kids is a charity dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and families in West Lothian. Its mission is to ensure that no child goes without, providing essential goods, clothing, and toys to those in need. It also connects families with financial support through small grants and offers volunteering and work placements to help young people gain employment opportunities. By working closely with support and social care services, River Kids aims to raise living standards, alleviate stress, and create opportunities for young people to thrive.
https://riverkids.org.uk
Written by: Morag Macdonald
