The Doncaster Cyber Readiness Programme was officially launched at the Creative, Digital & Tech Forum (CDT Forum) held at XP School, bringing together local businesses, digital leaders, and support organisations to focus on one of the most pressing challenges facing SMEs today – cyber security.
The programme, created and delivered by Holistic IT in partnership with the City of Doncaster Council, the Advanced Employment Hub, and Business Doncaster, and is fully funded for eligible Doncaster-based organisations.
Why the Doncaster Cyber Readiness Programme Exists
Cyber threats continue to rise, but many small and medium-sized organisations are still unsure where to start. Guidance can often feel overly technical, generic, or focused on selling products rather than building understanding.
The Doncaster Cyber Readiness Programme was created to address this gap.
Its aim is to develop a Cyber Champion within each participating organisation – someone who understands the basics of cyber security, knows what good practice looks like, and can maintain their organisation’s cyber posture over time.
Rather than focusing on theory alone, the programme concentrates on practical, real-world actions that businesses can implement immediately.
What the Programme Covers
Across a structured series of guided sessions, participants will receive step-by-step support covering the core areas of cyber security, including:
- Understanding what systems, users and data are in scope
- Firewalls, routers and securing network infrastructure
- Secure configuration of devices and services
- Managing access, passwords and multi-factor authentication
- Protecting against malware and common attack methods
- Keeping systems up to date and securely patched
- Backup strategies, incident response and recovery
- Preparing for and completing a Cyber Essentials assessment
Each session is delivered in plain English, with examples drawn from real SMEs, and supported by checklists and templates that participants can take away and use within their own organisation.
Built Around Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials has been chosen as the foundation of the programme because it provides a clear, nationally recognised baseline for good cyber security.
By the end of the programme, participants will not only understand the five Cyber Essentials controls, but also how to maintain them on an ongoing basis – helping cyber security become part of day-to-day business operations rather than a one-off exercise.
Fully Funded, Limited Availability
The Doncaster Cyber Readiness Programme is fully funded, removing cost as a barrier for local organisations that want to improve their cyber resilience.
Places are limited, and interest has already increased following the launch at the CDT Forum.
How to Register Your Interest
Doncaster-based organisations who would like to take part or learn more about the programme can register their interest by contacting:
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