Youth Access
After five years of service Youth Access update their website and service directory
http://www.youthaccess.org.uk
Introduction
Youth Access is the national membership organisation for young people’s information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS). It runs training, networking and conference events, and produces regular mailings and publications. This includes the production of a Referral Directory to a range of services throughout the UK.
The challenge
Youth Access developed a set of requirements it would need in order to build a new website with extended functionality, including an online database of service providers (Service Directory). The site had to seamlessly integrate with the Service Directory, and both had to be readily updated by non-technical staff.
The solution
Our solution involved the deployment of CommonSpot Content Server, a comprehensive mid-range content management system that is ideal for projects of this size and type, and the development of a membership database to Youth Access’ exact specifications.
One of CommonSpot’s main benefits is that it is extremely easy to use, requiring the most basic skills in order to edit content on the site (if you can use a keyboard and a mouse, you can use CommonSpot). This enables business users to take ownership of the website, eliminating the IT bottlenecks and improving productivity.
The Service Directory was developed to provide a comprehensive, easy to use, searchable, online information store of all types of services available to young people (or other client groups) in a particular area. It leverages the power of MS SQL to provide an expandable membership database with advanced functionality and wide compatibility; and has been designed to allow additional features to be developed and incorporated quickly and economically.
The directory's comprehensive feature set and functionality enable Youth Access to provide their members with all the tools and options they need to maintain their listings; thus requiring minimal management and resulting in significant time savings.
Directory features include:
- Easy to use search facility with extended search parameters for members
- Members can edit their own details
- Automatic account expiry/renewal reminder generation
- Automatic mail list generation
- Communications records
- Membership renewal report generator
A pdf file generator module is also available, enabling users to save any set of search results (or even the entire database) as pdf files. This enables users to create up to date digital copies of the database for local use, and print paper copies within minutes.
The outcome
The website and directory have served Youth Access well for over five years. The flexibility and expandability of the solution has enabled us to keep updating and refining the site, with the latest redesign going live in November 2009.
“What I really enjoyed about working with Cyber Media is that they were able to stretch my imagination by suggesting features that I never even thought were possible from a website or database.
We had an understanding of how we wanted to lay out the website and what we wanted from the members’ database. Cyber Media helped us to express that in a way that worked really well in a web environment. We are delighted with the outcome.”
Dianne Aimable-Lina
Quality and Membership Officer
Youth Access
