What is Rural Service Support?
Rural Service Support (RSSupport) is delivered in partnership by a consortium of national organisations led by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC). Recognising that decisions arising from the Post Office Network Change programme may change the way post office counter services are provided for certain communities, RSSupport is designed to help rural communities work together as one in their transition towards the alternative ways that the service needs of local residents and businesses can be met in the light of those decisions.

Access to the RSSupport service is provided online through ‘widgets’ deployed on host websites that are strategically positioned to touch rural communities, i.e. infrastructure VCOs, RCCs and networks that are providing umbrella services to rural communities. The widget provides direct access to ruralnet|uk’s ExpertsOnline service.

What is ExpertsOnline?… an online searchable Question and Answer service operated and managed by ruralnet|uk. After 5+ years of delivering ExpertsOnline, we redeveloped the service to maximise the opportunities of the latest developments in web-based technology. ExpertsOnline is now delivered on a Web 2.0 platform which means a browser based user interface and a service that is significantly more accessible. Every question asked is directed to a relevant specialist who will normally provide and answer the next working day. All questions and answers as published on the site and can be comprehensively searched by any registered user. We currently have the following specialist forums: Business Planning; Community Engagement; Computers & Communications; Employment issues; Finance Management; Grant Funding; Legal Issues; Rural Services; Board Recruitment. (www.expertsonline.org.uk/about)

Why would you want a widget?
The widget - a user interface embedded within a host site - enables the RSSupport services to be deployed locally within existing infrastructure and service support organizations, making it more convenient for users by proving direct access to the service, rather than having to go to other 3rd party domains or loading proprietary software to access services - the widget acts as a portable web based access point. The widget is dynamic and complements existing content and services, adding value to the host site by offering access to additional services for their network/service users. As the service provider, ruralnet|uk are able to develop and offer a strong and dynamic service in which users can ask questions they want answered as well as benefiting from the cross-pollination of ideas and resources being stimulated and generated by users in a variety of community sectors, networks and geographic localities. The widget puts all of this resource at your users’ finger-tips within your domain.

RSSupport Widget
The RSSupport widget can be seen ‘live’ at

ruralnet|uk (right side-bar)
Commission for Rural Communities (bottom of post)
Essex Rural Partnership (bottom left side)
Bedfordshire Rural Affaires Forum (bottom centre)
Rural Focus (right side-bar)
ViRSA (centre click-bar)

RSSupport incorporates the ExpertsOnline question and answer service and it is completely separate from the Post Office Ltd consultation process.

Key features of the RSSupport service are:

• A panel of real people with specialist expertise who will interpret and understand users questions, and reply usually within 24 hours (or by the next working day)
• A searchable archive of past questions and answers
• Useful resources including sample policies, templates, tools and guidelines
• A forum where a large number of practitioners and policy makers can engage and exchange ideas, knowledge and experience
• Facilitation and policing of the system by a nationally recognised/ experienced organisation
• Online Newsletter

Under the RSSupport initiative, which is aimed directly at rural communities, there is no cost to qualifying host sites or your users, just a simple update to your website, with some additional code which we can provide you with. Users can register FREE using the online registration process, which is accessed from the widget.

For more information email rssupport@ruralnet.org.uk

Rural Service Support (RSSupport) is an initiative led by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) working in partnership with a consortium of national organisations including the Post Office.

The way post office services are delivered in some rural areas is under review and decisions that may change the way post office counter services are provided for certain communities may result. Post Offices play a vital role in rural life, providing access to services and often acting as the social hub for a village. Over the next year or so around 1,250 rural Post Offices are set to close across the country with the possibility of up to 500 of these being replaced through ways of providing an alternative service known as ‘Outreach’ .

RSSupport incorporates ruralnet|uk’s Experts Online question and answer service and is designed to help rural communities work together as one in their transition towards the alternative ways that the service needs of local residents and businesses can be met in the light of those decisions. The service will provide national and local organisations which support local communities with on-line access to experts who can help them plan for the future, including looking at alternative ways of meeting the services needs of rural residents and businesses.

For more information about Rural Service Support and to register go to: www.expertsonline.org.uk/rssupport

Key features of the RSSupport service are:

• A panel of real people with specialist expertise who will interpret and understand users questions, and reply usually within 24 hours (or by the next working day)
• A searchable archive of past questions and answers
• Useful resources including sample policies, templates, tools and guidelines
• A forum where practitioners and policy makers can engage and exchange ideas, knowledge and experience
• Online Newsletter

Access to the service is FREE but requires users to complete a few quick and easy questions to register.

Please note - RSS Support aims to offer advice and signpost support to all contributors, however there will be occasions where we will be unable to provide an exact fit to your requirements.

Additional information:

Rural Service Support is completely separate from the Post Office Ltd consultation process. Any queries you may have with regards that process should addressed with Post Office Ltd.

Commenting on the introduction of Rural Service Support, Dr. Stuart Burgess Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities and the government s Rural Advocate said, “I am delighted to be supporting this vitally important initiative. Post Offices play a crucially important role in the economic and social fabric of rural areas. There are already successful examples around the country of Post Office services being provided in places such as pubs and community halls, as well as in village shops. Rural Service Support will help a wide range of organisations to assist communities through periods of change in provision. I hope as many organisations as possible from around the country will use the system ? the more it is used the more valuable it will be in serving the needs of rural communities” .

The project will continue to at least October 2008 and will aim to signpost organisations to solutions that may help them identify alternative ways of providing services for their communities.

Organisations supporting Rural Service Support include: Action for Market Towns, Action with Communities in Rural England, Commission for Rural Communities, Post Office Ltd, Postwatch, Local Government Association, National Association of Local Councils, Pub is the Hub, ruralnet|uk and the Village Retail Services Association.

Information about the Commission for Rural Communities and its work can be found in its current Annual Review at: www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/publications/annualreview20062007