Microsoft 365 and Copilot Digital Skills Programme for Hospices
A Microsoft‑funded programme to grow digital skills in the hospice sector
Backed by Microsoft’s commitment to nonprofit digital empowerment, this sector‑wide initiative makes practical Microsoft 365 and Copilot skills accessible to UK hospices with minimal risk. The content and learning community are funded by Microsoft, while hospices contribute only minimal onboarding fees and licences.
Created specifically with the hospice sector in mind, the programme focuses on hands-on, role-relevant learning that helps staff spend less time on admin and more time supporting patients, families, and communities.
A national opportunity for UK hospices
This programme brings together up to 200 UK hospices in a shared learning environment, providing access to:
- A central Microsoft Teams hub for collaboration, learning, and peer support
- A structured learning pathway covering Microsoft 365 core skills and Copilot
- Practical, real-world sessions designed for clinical, frontline, retail, fundraising, and operational teams
- A supportive community that makes digital change feel achievable and relevant
Many hospices are at an early stage of their digital journey. This programme meets organisations where they are, helping staff build confidence first then capability and value.
What is the Digital Skills Programme?
The Microsoft 365 and Copilot Digital Skills Programme empowers hospice staff to become confident, capable users of Microsoft 365 and Copilot, while also supporting the development of local digital champions who can help colleagues along the way.
Participants don’t need to be technical experts. The programme is designed for people who want to:
Learn through practical, hands-on sessions
Feel more confident using everyday Microsoft tools
Reduce frustration and manual work
Apply Copilot in safe, appropriate, and meaningful ways
What’s included (Microsoft-funded)
- 12 month programme, funded by Microsoft and delivered by 365Tribe
- Unlimited attendees per hospice
- Live interactive sessions, on-demand resources, and ongoing support
- A central Microsoft Teams hub for all participating hospices
- Learning focused on Microsoft 365 skills and Copilot adoption
- Delivered using the Microsoft 365 tool stack, modelling best practice
Our Digital Champions programme has helped colleagues to develop their skills at a pace that suits them. The content is easy to understand and in bite-sized chunks, webinars are engaging and interactive. The 365Tribe team know their stuff and are easy to work with. We've been particularly impressed with how flexible their approach is, helping us to tailor the programme to our specific needs.
Copilot licensing and support
As part of the programme, hospices are supported to introduce Microsoft Copilot in a way that is practical, responsible, and appropriate for their teams.
To receive this training for free, hospices are asked to purchase a minimum of 20 Microsoft Copilot licences, which can be done through Smartdesc, a charity-sector Microsoft licensing partner working in collaboration with 365Tribe and Hospice UK. Licenses will be at the full charity rate, there will also be a small onboarding fee payable to 365Tribe to welcome users to the programme
Through this partnership, hospices benefit from:
Licensing is handled separately from the programme delivery, ensuring transparency and flexibility as adoption grows.
Hospice investment
Participation in the programme requires:
- £250 + VAT one-off onboarding fee per hospice
- Flat fee
- Unlimited staff included
- Covers onboarding, setup, and ongoing support
- Purchase a minimum of 20 Microsoft Copilot licenses via Smartdesc who can also carry out a free Microsoft license review to ensure all your licenses are optimised for charity rates or from your existing MSP. (full instructions will be provided and we are happy to help answer any questions you might have).
Why this matters
This Microsoft-funded programme offers a unique opportunity to:
- Support digital inclusion across the UK hospice sector
- Enable responsible Copilot adoption in frontline environments
- Reduce administrative burden and free up time for care
- Align with AI for Good, healthcare impact, and frontline transformation priorities
It’s a low-risk, high-impact way for hospices to build digital skills together.
Hospice Digital Skills Programme – FAQ
- Yes! The 20-licence guideline ensures participants can put the training into practice.
- The programme is very hands-on, so licences help staff fully engage.
- No, if you already have licences, there’s no need to purchase more.
- No, you can continue with your current supplier for other Microsoft licenses
- Smartdesc can also carry out a free Microsoft license review to ensure all your licenses are optimised for charity rates
- We’re happy to support smaller hospices too!
- Please get in touch at waffle@365trbe.co.uk to discuss options.
- Help hospices work smarter, operate efficiently, and provide a better working environment.
- Any investment is aimed at long-term benefits for staff and the organisation.
Next steps
We’d love to talk through the programme and explore how your hospice could get involved.
Get in touch to request the full proposal or arrange a conversation
We’re excited about the potential to support hospices, together.