At the 2023 AGM & National Conference in Coventry we have launched three new member services. For each service there is a summary below, a link to more information and a handout attached. There is no obligation to use any of these services if you don’t feel they are right for your organisation, but for those for whom they would be useful they will be provided inclusive of the current membership fee.
The three new services are:
MyTN
In 2023 being able to be found on the internet has never been more important. More and more people with sight loss are using the internet, but just as importantly friends, relatives, carers, ECLOs, opticians, GPs all use the internet to find services for their loved ones and those they care for. If your TN doesn’t show up there, a lot of people won’t know it exists.
However, at TNF we know only too well how many members struggle to find volunteers with the skills necessary to create and maintain a website.
MyTN provides a simple website for members included in your annual subscription. We will look after all the technical requirements, you look after what it says.
Additionally, following on from January’s workshop, we cannot over-stress the importance of having contact details which belong to the organisation rather than a volunteer. The MyTN service offers email addresses too which don’t change when a volunteer leaves.
More details can be found at: https://tnf.org.uk/members/how-we-help/mytn-by-tnf/
TalkPhone
Quite simply this service allows listeners to access your content via a telephone call. Why would they want to do that?
The answer is in two parts; for those who normally receive a postal delivery, and those who don’t qualify for that.
Those who normally receive a postal delivery might benefit from this service when there is a postal strike, when they are in hospital or respite care, on holiday or staying with family. They can still keep up with your service with a phone call.
For those who don’t qualify, if your TN is one which aims to serve all those who cannot access print (sighted or not) then up until now the only way to do that for those who don’t qualify for Articles for the Blind post is via the internet. However, whilst internet use is on the rise, it is far from universal but far more people have a way of making a telephone call.
TalkPhone provides (free of charge to members) a telephone number in your local dialling code which listeners can call at the same price as a local call. It supports, track and folder skipping along with independent bookmarks for each folder. PIN protection is available for TNs concerned about unregistered listeners.
More details can be found at: https://tnf.org.uk/members/how-we-help/talkphone-by-tnf/
Studio in the Cloud
A replacement or upgrade to the previous “Studio in a Suitcase” offering, Studio in the Cloud offers a recording solution for TNs struggling to find or fund a dedicated studio or who would benefit from being able to record remotely. It allows a TN to work with fewer specialist audio engineers or equipment. All that’s required is a device with a microphone which can connect to the internet. A smartphone, tablet, iPad, or a computer.
Again, there is no cost for member TNs, but there are some size limits on what is possible.
More details may be found at: https://tnf.org.uk/members/how-we-help/studio-in-the-cloud/