Training isn’t optional: Empowerment means long-term sustainability

We see this time and again: a great platform is only as good as the people behind it. And when training is overlooked, sustainability suffers. Not because the tech fails, but because the people meant to use it are unsure, unsupported, or left out of the process entirely.

Here’s what we’ve learned.

Training isn’t a nice-to-have

Without training, you’re handing someone a powerful tool and hoping for the best. That’s risky - especially in organisations where staff are stretched, roles evolve quickly, and digital responsibilities land on people who weren’t specifically hired for them.

If you want your website to do its job, your team needs to know how to do theirs.

Empowerment doesn’t happen passively

You don’t empower people by telling them they’re empowered.

You do it by making space. By giving them tools. And by helping them build the confidence to use them.

That means clear, practical training. Not one-size-fits-all manuals. (Definitely) Not a rushed handover call. And not just training the person with “IT” in their title. You need to train the people who will actually be using the system (especially the ones managing content, running campaigns, or keeping things updated day-to-day), and do it in a way that makes sense to them.

Training builds confidence, not just competence

When someone knows what they’re doing, they don’t just avoid mistakes. They see possibilities.

Training helps people understand how the system works and, more importantly, it helps them see how they fit into it. That’s what sparks ownership. And ownership is what drives evolution.

Confident editors are the reason some websites stay alive, responsive, and relevant, while others stall the minute the launch party’s over.

Sustainability is more about people than about tech

The most sustainable sites are the ones with strong teams behind them.

We see this every day.

JET Education Services, the Dullah Omar Institute, and the Democracy Development Programme all have excellent editors.

These are the people who know their systems, understand their audiences, and keep things current. That’s not luck. It’s the result of clear training, good processes, and a shared understanding that content matters.

Don’t outsource your sustainability

Support partners (like Juizi) can offer a lot. But we can’t be there every day.

Your website should never grind to a halt just because someone’s on leave or a handover got missed. When you build internal capability (and support it with ongoing training) you:

• Reduce your dependency on external help
• Retain knowledge even when staff move on
• Grow future leaders from inside your team

That’s sustainability. And it’s the kind that lasts.

Final thought

Training isn’t just about teaching someone to click the right buttons.

It’s about showing them that they belong here. That this work matters. That they have the tools and the trust to make things happen.

And that’s how long-term change begins. With capable people, backed by confident choices, keeping the fire going even in the cold.

Want to chat about how we can help you help your team? Message me on here or schedule a chat with me on our website. We love talking about Plone and showing people how to work with it.