Project ODYSSEY:

Strengthening Charity IT Through Military – Civilian Collaboration

by WO2 (SSM) Laura Hughes

and

SSgt Katie Costello

Project ODYSSEY is a mentorship initiative delivered through the Royal Corps of Signals that pairs serving soldiers with experienced civilian IT professionals to support charities in improving their technology capabilities. The programme provides an opportunity for soldiers to broaden their understanding of IT delivery in civilian organisations while giving charities access to professional expertise they might otherwise struggle to afford. Support delivered through ODYSSEY generally falls into three categories: advisory, review, and delivery, depending on the charity’s needs and the expertise of the mentorship pair.

Financially, the mentoring scheme costs £800. Serving personnel who contribute voluntarily to the Royal Signals Charity (RSC) through the One Day Pay (ODP) scheme receive £700 funding from the charity, leaving a personal contribution of £150 payable at the application stage to demonstrate commitment. Upon successful completion of a project, £50 of this contribution is refunded. Personnel not enrolled in ODP must pay the full £800 directly to Charity Information and Technology Association (CITA). All costs related to mentoring activities are negotiated with the charity being supported. Given the significant investment of RSC funds, mentees are expected to complete their programmes unless prevented by operational or compassionate reasons. Continued financial support for the scheme depends on the successful completion of previous participants.

Link to full article.