First Steps with AI for Charities
A gentle introduction to using AI tools in your charity. Start with simple, high-value use cases that anyone can try today.
This pathway is designed for charity staff who are curious about AI but unsure where to start. You do not need any technical skills - just access to Claude, ChatGPT, or similar tools.
We will begin with the simplest possible use cases: analysing feedback, asking questions about your data, and summarising notes. These tasks take minutes to try and deliver immediate value.
By the end of this pathway, you will have hands-on experience with several AI use cases and a clear sense of where AI can (and cannot) help your organisation.
Before you start
- •Access to Claude (claude.ai) or ChatGPT (chat.openai.com) - free tiers work fine
- •Some sample data to experiment with (feedback responses, a spreadsheet, meeting notes)
- •Willingness to experiment and learn by doing
What you will achieve
- ✓Confidently use AI tools for everyday work tasks
- ✓Know which tasks AI handles well vs which need human judgement
- ✓Have a portfolio of AI techniques you can share with colleagues
- ✓Be ready to explore more advanced use cases
Pathway stages
Getting Started
1-2 hours
Your first AI experiments. Low-risk, high-reward tasks you can try in 30 minutes.
Recipes in this stage
- Find Themes In Feedback Small Batch
Start here - paste some survey responses and watch AI find patterns
- Ask Questions About Your Data
Upload a spreadsheet and have a conversation about it
- Summarise Case Notes For Handovers
Quickly summarise text for colleagues
What you will be able to do
- ✓Comfortable using Claude or ChatGPT for work tasks
- ✓Understand what AI is good at (pattern finding, summarising)
- ✓Know how to phrase prompts effectively
Everyday Productivity
2-3 hours
Practical time-savers for meetings, documents, and communication.
Recipes in this stage
- Draft Meeting Minutes Automatically
Turn meeting transcripts into proper minutes
- Translate Service Information Quickly
Quick translations for service users
- Transcribe Interviews Automatically
Convert audio recordings to searchable text
What you will be able to do
- ✓Save 2-3 hours per week on routine documentation
- ✓Provide information in more languages
- ✓Create searchable records from audio
Telling Your Story
2 hours
Use AI to communicate your impact more effectively.
Recipes in this stage
- Create Social Media Content From Impact Stories
Turn one story into multiple social posts
- Turn Case Studies Into Multiple Formats
Repurpose case studies for different audiences
What you will be able to do
- ✓Create more content from the same material
- ✓Maintain consistent messaging across channels
- ✓Reach wider audiences with accessible formats