IWA volunteers use a range of tools to stay connected, organise activities, and share information. Following on from the Autumn 2025 IT Webinar series, we’ve produced a series of nine guidance notes to help you to use the right tool for the right job, safely and professionally. Here’s an overview (click the title to go to each guide):

IWA Volunteer Guide to Personal Data

What is personal data? How can we protect it and still fulfil our duties? What are our obligations under GDPR? Here are some guidelines.

IWA Volunteer Guide on Using Personal Email for IWA Business

If you don’t have an @waterways.org.uk or wrg.org.uk account, here are some guidelines on using personal email. It’s our legal responsibility to keep IWA’s data secure.

IWA Volunteer Guide on BYOD: Using your own Hardware for IWA Business

Most volunteers will use their own computers, laptops, tablets or phones to transact IWA business. This arrangement is called Bring Your Own Device or BYOD. There is a data risk, but this risk can be managed. These guidelines will help keep personal data safe, protect IWA and protect you.

IWA Volunteer Guide to Using WhatsApp for IWA Business

WhatsApp can be a helpful tool for keeping volunteers connected and coordinating day-to-day activities. However, because it involves personal data and informal communication, volunteers must use it responsibly. This guide explains how to use WhatsApp safely and professionally.

IWA Volunteer Guide to Website Resources

The IWA website provides easy access to a wide range of resources, including the public Document Library, the Restoration Hub and the Volunteer Hub. 

IWA Volunteer Guide on Using OneDrive

OneDrive is a secure cloud storage system made available through your Microsoft 365 account. It lets you store, access, and share files safely from almost any device anywhere. Using OneDrive keeps information protected and allows everyone to work from the latest version of a document. This guide explains the basics so you can use OneDrive confidently and responsibly.

IWA Volunteer Guide on Using SharePoint

SharePoint is the secure online workspace for groups within IWA and contains a library of shared documents. SharePoint sites are like websites with access limited to the group they have been set up for. For example, IWA’s trustees and some national committees have their own SharePoint sites. A site for your group or committee can be set up on request. This guide explains the basics so volunteers can use SharePoint confidently and safely.

Accessing your IWA account and the Authenticator App

This guide explains how to access your @waterways.org.uk or @wrg.org.uk email account and how to access Microsoft 365 software (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc). It also explains how to set up and use Authenticator, which you will need for two-factor authentication to access both your e-mails and all the other M365 software.

Power Automate – Guide to Setting up Email Alerts when New Emails Arrive

Volunteers may have email accounts with several organisations. Power Automate enables people to receive notifications to their nominated email address whenever a new email arrives in their IWA inbox. It doesn’t forward the actual email, thereby keeping our data safe.

Finally, If you don’t yet have a waterways.org.uk or wrg.org.uk account and would like one (or if you would like the waterways.org.uk address converted to a wrg.org.uk account, or vice versa) please contact [email protected].  If you need an alias e-mail address (e.g. [email protected]) in addition to your [email protected] address, or if you need a distribution list setting up or amending, please also contact [email protected].

Do let us have some feedback to [email protected] on how useful you found these guides and whether you would like us to cover additional subjects.

Last updated: December 2025