Migrating onto SiteWorks

SiteWorks is the volunteer-led website platform for u3as, to replace SiteBuilder. Three u3a members who have been involved in the process of migrating their u3a website onto SiteWorks discuss what the experience was like for them.

Cheryl, Stokesley and District u3a

I joined u3a around two years ago because I wanted to join the Advanced French class and French for Fun. Stokesley and District u3a is excellent. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly.  I also joined the German group but realised that my German just wasn't going to come back to me without a lot of work. So instead I introduced an Intermediate Spanish Group that has proved very popular. At the end of August, I will be introducing a new activity group, called Friday Fun and Games, which will give members the opportunity to meet for a chat whilst playing games they know and learning new ones.

As a member I received an email asking if anyone wanted to help out with managing the Site Builder Website, alongside Website Manager, Stephen Rabone. As I had had some Website experience many years ago, I offered to help. Steve trained me in the use of Sitebuilder but warned me that we would soon be moving to a new system, SiteWorks, and at this point he wanted to take a backseat. I agreed I would lead the migration process and manage the new website. He, thankfully, agreed to continue to support me in the background.

The Committee basically gave me free rein when it came to the Website and that made a big difference to the speed with which we were able to go live. I was quite amazed to be trusted with such a responsibility!

I found the process surprisingly easy. My migrator, Ian from Hunstanton & District was excellent. Always at the end of the phone and if he couldn't answer my query, he would go away and work it out and get back to me. He also gave me so many tips that made the new website look so much better than it would have. I also found the Siteworks team very helpful, especially SiteWorks volunteer Pam who always responded quickly to requests for help. During and after the Migration process you just feel so supported.

I've basically learnt from scratch how to use WordPress and Siteworks. Every time someone asks me to do something on the Website, I improve my skills. I enjoy the challenge of doing the more tricky stuff, especially as I know that if I get totally stuck there is always someone to ask for help.

My biggest tip would be, just get on with it. Don't spend hours on Local because at the end of the day you learn as you go. I think Ian and I went from beginning to Going live in around 8 days. This is because I didn't work page by page through the Instruction Manual, but just looked up the bits I needed, as I needed them. I saw and still see the Stokesley and District Website as a work in progress. At the beginning, I just wanted it to be good enough to go live and since it did, I am constantly trying to improve it.

Bob, Colne Valley u3a

I joined u3a in 2019, two years after I retired. I am Group Leader for our Walking in London Group and have been on theatre trips.

At our AGM in October 2023, I was elected IT Secretary/Webmaster. I received an email from the SiteWorks team advising Site Builder was to be shut down and my u3a had not registered to migrate to SiteWorks. I started the process immediately by registering, asking our Secretary to agree to the T’s and C’s then booking on the training.

The training is thorough but I do not consider myself proficient in WordPress yet. It is a steep learning curve. I have found it great fun learning and experimenting in Local.

I do have a background in IT so I probably had a head start. I am a complete beginner and novice with WordPress but I do learn quickly. Creativity is not my strength so I get help in that regard. I can implement good ideas.

My tips for others starting their SiteWorks journey would be:

• Don’t be over ambitious at the start of the process. Take your time, learn at your own pace. It’s not a competition.
• Look at sites developed by other u3a’s – steal their ideas with pride.
• Involve your own committee and any other u3a member to get help and ideas how you want your site to look.
• Decide on the purpose of your front page – is to attract new members or communicate with existing members. It can’t be both.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The SiteWorks team and your migrator are there to support you.
• Don’t look for perfection straight away. Get the basics in place, go live then constantly improve and update the site.
  
  

Felicity, Prudhoe u3a

I’ve been a member for 6 years and I’m currently Chair of our u3a. I belong to quite a few groups! Walking, Crafts, Discussion group. I host a book group and enjoy being a member of the Lunch group. Recently I joined the Bridge and gardening groups. I was also at u3a Festival 24 last month and above you can see a picture of me in my flower crown.

I had set up our original website with Sitebuilder back in 2021 to replace what had been a very basic website. I’m no expert on websites, but managed to set this up over the summer and it went live in September.

When I heard that migration to SiteWorks was essential to replace Sitebuilder, I asked members for volunteers to take this on or work as a team. However, when no volunteers came forward, I decided to have a go myself.

The development process has been a challenge and hard work, but the whole process has been incredibly well supported.

To start with I talked to others in network meetings; talked to everyone I could think of to find out as much as I could. Funnily enough it was sitting next to a regional member (unknown!) at a “Celebration of Music Day” in June, who asked me about SiteWorks and we got chatting……she turned out to be a trainer and she encouraged me to get signed up. Thanks to Pam, a SiteWorks volunteer from Bishop Auckland and District u3a, I did just that and haven’t looked back.

It’s been a steep learning curve, but the initial training session and the Manual you are given is very comprehensive and means I’ve been able to get to grips on a “dummy site” using part of our original site. As well as that, a weekly zoom drop-in session was available to ask questions and listen to others in the same position ask questions, which was very useful. Lots of useful YouTube links and the help desk on the SiteWorks website were also provided.

With a Migrator assigned to you when nearly ready to move the original website across to the new platform, I was delighted to see how much better our site looks now. My migrator, Frances, has been working closely with me to improve and correct errors along the way.

I've learnt how to improve a website layout to catch public attention, using plugins and blocks to arrange information and photos in an eye catching way. Also how to arrange photos into galleries and slide shows, as well as link buttons to navigate the website easily. I’m no expert on media, but SiteWorks really does make it easy to “look impressive “.

I'd say to other u3as, don’t be put off by the Manual- it looks daunting, but is really easy to find your way to the section you need. If that doesn’t help, there is always someone to ask. The level of support is amazing. Although it’s useful to see what other u3a SiteWorks websites look like, don’t think yours has to be perfect. Small steps to achieve the look that’s right for your u3a is much better.