What our team training covers
Training is built for the day-to-day tasks that keep a non-profit moving. We show staff how to send and organise mail, share calendars properly, work in shared folders and keep contacts tidy across devices. The aim is simple: fewer missed messages, fewer duplicate files and less time spent asking the same question twice.
For many organisations, the main pressure points are not technical at all. It is volunteers joining mid-year, trustees using different phones, and staff in branch offices needing the same information at the same time. We cover those routines in plain language, with examples that fit South African operating conditions and budget limits.
- Mailbox use, folders and filters
- Shared calendar viewing and booking
- Document access, editing and version control
- Mobile setup for Android and iPhone
- Basic security habits, including passwords and phishing checks
- Simple admin tasks for nominated staff
How the sessions are structured
Sessions can be held for a small leadership team, a full office, or grouped by role. We usually start with the people who manage communication, then move to the wider team once the main rules are set. That keeps the training practical and avoids overloading staff with features they will not use.
Each session is paced to suit the group. We can split training into shorter blocks if the team is balancing client work, travel between branches or intermittent power cuts. Where needed, we also provide follow-up sessions for staff who were on leave, joined later or need a refresher after the first month.
- Intro session for managers and admins
- Staff session for everyday use
- Role-based session for finance, projects or fundraising teams
- Refresher session after rollout
- Q and A for branch users and remote workers
What is included in the training package
Our training package can be aligned to your mail setup, calendar rules and document structure. We do not arrive with generic slides and leave it there. The content follows your own naming rules, user roles and approval steps, so staff leave with instructions that match the system they will actually use.
Typical inclusions cover group calendars, delegated access, shared folders, file naming, mobile sync and how to handle common mistakes like sending to the wrong contact list or overwriting a document. If your organisation uses a board pack, project register or donor reporting folder, we will show the team how to keep those organised without creating extra admin.
- Custom training notes for your organisation
- Live demonstration using your account structure
- Practical exercises for sending, sharing and editing
- Security guidance for shared devices and public Wi-Fi
- Post-session questions handled by our support team
Process from booking to handover
The process starts with a short check on how your staff are set up, how many users need training and which features are essential. We then agree the format, the time slots and whether the session should be online or on-site in Cape Town. For multi-office teams, we can schedule the same content across different branches over a few days.
Before the session, we confirm the user list and any access changes needed. On the day, we take staff through the basics at a steady pace and test the key functions as we go. After training, we hand over a short action list so your team knows what to use straight away and what can be reviewed later.
- Step 1: needs check and training scope
- Step 2: schedule and user confirmation
- Step 3: live session with demonstrations
- Step 4: practice tasks and questions
- Step 5: post-training handover and follow-up
Turnaround, pricing and maintenance intervals
Turnaround depends on the size of the team and the level of change needed before training starts. Small groups can often be scheduled within a few working days, while larger organisations with multiple branches may need a longer lead time. If your staff are moving from another mail system, we will coordinate training around the migration date so the lessons land at the right moment.
Pricing is quoted according to the number of users, the number of sessions, the amount of custom material required and whether remote or on-site support is needed. We keep the approach straightforward so non-profits can budget properly, with no interest in charging for things you do not need. For organisations with changing teams, maintenance training can be booked monthly, quarterly or twice a year.
Most clients choose a short refresher after the first few weeks, then another review after major staff changes or when new calendars, folders or permissions are added. That keeps the system usable for the long term and helps new users settle in faster.
Who runs the training and where we support it
Training is coordinated from our Observatory base in Cape Town and supported by our wider team, including Thandeka Maseko, Willem van Rensburg, Mpolokeng Tau, Amogelang Mkhwanazi, Muneeb Jacobs and Onalenna Ramaboa. The team works with non-profit organisations across South Africa, from local offices in Cape Town and Stellenbosch to regional groups in Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Bloemfontein.
We understand the day-to-day realities of smaller budgets, shared logins that should be retired, and staff who need clear instructions they can use without constant hand-holding. Good training saves time later, especially where several people need access but only a few should manage settings.
- Observatory Support
- Cape Town Support
- Johannesburg Support
- Durban Support
- Pretoria Support
- Bloemfontein Support
Key facts
| Training formats | Online sessions or on-site sessions in Cape Town, arranged for single teams or multiple branches |
|---|---|
| Group size | Ideal for 3 to 25 staff per session, with larger groups split into smaller sessions |
| Session length | 60 to 120 minutes depending on user experience and the number of tools covered |
| Coverage | Mail, shared calendars, document collaboration, mobile access, security basics and admin tasks |
| Turnaround | Usually within a few working days after the scope and user list are confirmed |
| Maintenance interval | Monthly, quarterly, or twice yearly refresher sessions, plus follow-up after staff changes or migrations |
