Author: Alex Evans

Creating a Legacy Post-Women’s World Cup

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On 2nd September 2019

In Community, News & Views, Sport

FIFA Women's World Cup Logo. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.

It’s been over two months since the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 captured the nation’s attention with some thrilling games; the tournament didn’t fall short of goals with 146 in total, and England’s semi-final v USA had us on the edge of our seats.

Viewership for that game was at a record of 11.7 million, making it the UK’s most-watched women’s football game of all time, and the most-watched programme of 2019 so far. So how do we create a legacy post-World Cup?

History

In the early 20th century, women’s football was very popular and grew in popularity as men went to war. The famous Dick Kerr Ladies played St Helen’s Ladies on Boxing Day in 1920, attracting over 53,000 spectators to Everton’s Goodison Park with thousands of fans watching from outside. Higher attendance figures than most football clubs today!

Dick Kerr Ladies. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.

However, in 1921 the FA decided it would implement a ban on female participation in the sport. Football was considered to be unsuitable for women and they believed it should not be encouraged. Luckily, views began to change in the 1960s, with the Women’s Football Association (WFA) being formed in 1969. The ban on women’s football was officially rescinded in 1971 by the FA after persuasion from the WFA. We have to wonder what would have happened if women’s football was never banned… Would it be more popular than the men’s game today? Would we see more equality – or even total equality – in the sport?

England wasn’t the only country to ban the sport either, with bans in Norway (1931), France (1932), Brazil (1941), and West Germany (1955). In contrast, in 1972 the USA added legislation (named Title IX) that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that received federal funding. In other words, when it came to football (or soccer) in school, men and women were awarded equal rights. This is probably why the USA are such powerhouses of women’s football today! However, they still can’t get equal pay from the US Soccer Federation.

On the rise again…

England Women's Football Team. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.

Since the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991, football has seen steady growth amongst women across the world. With an average of 150,000 female players competing in the affiliated league and cup competitions in England alone. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement and growth.

Referee Stephanie Frappart also took charge of the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, making her the first woman to take charge of a major men’s UEFA cup final.

The game has come on a long way in many ways, in terms of the Womens’ World Cup which we all watched this summer and showed how much respect the women’s game is getting. We’re trying to make strides and there’s a long way to go but [the cup final] will be a huge moment because it’s one more step in the right direction.

Stephanie Frappart

Furthermore, the FA Women’s Championship started last weekend and the FA WSL returns this weekend with a massive game. Manchester City and newly-promoted Manchester United will battle it out for their first three points of the season at the Etihad Stadium. Tickets for all WSL and Championship games can be found here.

So how do we get more young females involved in football?

Maybe we should start by giving them the opportunity that was once taken away from them? Or maybe we could just make all women’s football more accessible to watch.

Well, The FA may have done just that! They recently announced that all 132 WSL games and select Championship games would be streamed live via their app. This is a massive step which will hopefully increase the viewership of women’s football. However, some don’t agree with the move, stating that it will lower stadium attendances.

Female involvement doesn’t have to stop at the participation level. Roles in football go beyond playing; coaches, referees, administrators, pundits, volunteers all contribute to the success of the sport too.

Women and girls from some ethnic communities are unaware of the opportunities which exist and there are cultural, religious and social norms to overcome.

Organisations we work with that are making a difference:

We work with a number of organisations that sit at the forefront of football and are making a real impact when it comes to female participation. Some of these organisations include the Liverpool FC Foundation and the Manchester Football Association.

Liverpool FC Foundation. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.

You can read our blogs about the LFC Foundation below:
– Why Liverpool FC Foundation are using TeamKinetic volunteer software.
– A day volunteering at Liverpool FC Foundation.
– The Liverpool FC Foundation’s impact on volunteers with a disability.

Manchester FA. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.

TeamKinetic caught up with Katherine Jones from the Manchester FA to talk about some of the work they do around the city to impact women’s football.

This is what she had to say…

What is being done at your organisation to ensure women’s football continues to grow, and what things could be done to improve this?

Katherine gave me a long list of great things the Manchester FA is doing to ensure the growth of the women’s game! The full list is as follows:

  • Work with leagues to ensure that suitable playing pathways exist, promoting the transition from youth to adult football.
  • Work with clubs to support them to develop a full pathway (U7-Open age) for female players to access football.
  • Run celebration events to enhance and celebrate the female game.
  • Raise the profile of the game through focussed promotion (Women’s World Cup, Women’s Euros, Olympic games).
  • Support clubs and organisations to run the FA Wildcats programme as the main engagement programme for 5-11-year-old girls.
  • Work with the local school sports organisers to facilitate and support girls football programmes across Oldham, Tameside, Trafford, Manchester and Salford.
  • Deliver a monthly further education football and futsal offer.
  • Drive and develop a monthly futsal offer for girls in the U8-U16 age group.
  • Deliver a recreational female football opportunity on a weekly basis.
  • Create a full pathway from casual entry-level participation, to our highest placed amateur teams within the regional league structure.
  • Support players performing well within grassroots football to access the Regional Talent Club pathway (Manchester City & Manchester United Girls RTC’s).
  • Support female referees and coaches along with officials working within the female game.

Have you seen higher success rates in any particular approaches so far?

“We’ve seen a lot of success across the board, to be honest, Wildcats is our flagship entry-level programme to engage new girls within football, and this has seen lots of success in bolstering mini soccer (5-11) participation. The programme has been rolled out across clubs and providers and we have 33 centres currently running across Manchester, which provides an opportunity for girls to access football, within a short travelling distance regardless of where they live within Manchester.”

Have you experienced any pushback from clubs/leagues around Manchester?

“We haven’t seen any pushback really, because the vast majority of people now understand the emphasis and importance of facilitating football opportunities for female players, and people are much more engaged with female football at the top level, so they appreciate the technical ability level that female players can reach.”

Why is it important to get more women involved in football/football volunteering?

“The importance of these opportunities and the role models involved in the game is significant to inspire the next generation of female football, and to ensure that the game continually grows as the first choice sport for women in England.”

I would like to thank Katherine for her time, answering my questions gave great insight into all the amazing work the Manchester FA do!

The importance of female volunteers in women’s football

Britain's first female Muslim football referee. Women's football, volunteering, women in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management system, volunteer management software uk, volunteer software.
Britain’s first female Muslim football referee

Football is the most popular sport in the world! Played by millions of people each day, but it simply wouldn’t be possible without volunteers.

There isn’t a football game or competition that doesn’t involve at least one volunteer. It goes without saying, volunteers are an integral part of sports success. This plays an even bigger role in women’s football!

The increase of female participation in football calls for more volunteers to ensure the game continues to expand and grow. By having more regular female volunteers, young girls getting involved in football/football-related activities can receive the support they deserve.

How volunteers can help football

There are a number of roles and activities volunteers can get involved in to help:

Volunteer with your local club

Most local clubs are always in need of volunteers to help out with a variety of roles on offer; from running social media accounts to being a fixture secretary.

Become a first aider

Every week teams play and every week someone gets injured, so there is always a desire for first aiders. St John Ambulance and British Red Cross run first aid training courses.

Become a coach

What better way to inspire the next generation of talented female footballers than to be the one coaching them? There are a number of ways of getting started and its a great way to challenge yourself.

How we can help

TeamKinetic helps to build better volunteer communities by providing great tools for volunteer managers that save time, make a better impact and improve insight. Our goal is to make volunteering easy for everyone no matter what. But don’t take our word for it, why not check out our customer reviews.

For more information on how TeamKinetic can assist with your volunteer management and getting the best out of all your volunteers visit our website, or contact us on – 0161 914 5757

Is Volunteering Too White and Wealthy?

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On 12th August 2019

In Community, News & Views

Those who stand to benefit the most from volunteering are less likely to be involved.

Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the NCVO

We previously looked into the demographics of volunteers and why women volunteer more than men. However, there are many factors affecting the ratio of volunteers to non-volunteers. This blog will look into the impact of socioeconomic status and ethnicity on an individual’s likelihood to volunteer. Addressing the question: Is Volunteering Too White and Wealthy?

I want to start this blog by saying I am white. Therefore, I can’t speak for the experiences of BAME volunteers but I can help draw attention to them. It has been said that standing by and letting discrimination happen is as bad as actively discriminating against people yourself.

The Facts and Figures

Socio-economic Analysis

People from less deprived areas are more likely to volunteer. Demographic analysis of volunteering, socioeconomic, race, volunteer management,
How often people volunteer, based on the deprivation level of the area in which they live.

The graph above shows us that people in deprived areas are volunteering, just not as much as those from the least deprived areas. Interestingly, the level of informal volunteering is much more similar across the levels of deprivation. Perhaps this suggests that those from lower socio-economic backgrounds do volunteer, they just prefer to give help directly, not through mediation by formal organisations. As a result, maybe we need to reach out to these types of people more and show them how useful online volunteer hubs can be to find new and exciting opportunities.

NCVO’s Time Well Spent report highlights that people from higher socio-economic groups were more likely to be recent volunteers than those from lower socio-economic groups (44% vs. 30%). 40% of those from lower socio-economic backgrounds say they have never volunteered in their lives. The instant thought here is that the people from working-class backgrounds must spend their time working to earn money and find they have no time to volunteer. Right?

Well think again; it’s actually people who are unemployed that have the lowest volunteering rates. 42% of people not working note they have never volunteered in their lives. The highest volunteering rates are found in those who have part-time jobs. 53% of those who worked less than 8 hours per week had recently volunteered, and 41% of part-timers who work 8 – 29 hours per week had volunteered recently at the time of the report.

A person’s socio-economic status also appears to affect what type of voluntary work they do. Those who would identify as working-class are less likely to be in leadership/organisational roles than those of higher or middle class. 23% vs. 15% for leadership roles. 42% vs. 33% for organisational roles.

Furthermore, the level of education a person possesses also appears to impact volunteering rates. The higher the education, the more likely a person is to volunteer.

Educated are more likely to volunteer - 48% vs. 20%. Demographic analysis of volunteering, socioeconomic, race, volunteer management,

Not Enough Ethnic Diversity

The proportion of recent, frequent, and non-volunteers by ethnicity, diversity in volunteering, volunteer management, volunteering,
The proportion of recent, frequent, and non-volunteers by ethnicity.

NCVO’s report appears to show that participation isn’t too affected by ethnicity. However, looking at the sample size, we can see that only 464 were from BAME backgrounds while 9,606 were white. As a result, it is heavily suggested that the likelihood of volunteering is affected by an individual’s race.

Unfortunately, BAME volunteers were more likely to report negative volunteering experiences, including feeling unappreciated and excluded. For example, they were less likely to feel they belonged in the organisation they volunteered for than white volunteers (77% vs 85%). Shockingly, research by CharityJob showed that 54% of BAME voluntary workers reported discrimination based on their ethnicity.

I’m Asian and Muslim. I have come across people while working who have shown outright dislike of me from the onset and other more subtle forms of discrimination.

Furthermore, people from BAME backgrounds were less likely to say they planned to volunteer in future (73% vs 81%).

How Can Volunteer Managers Fix This?

So is volunteering too white and wealthy? Well, it’s clear that something is creating this lack of diversity in volunteering numbers. But what can volunteer managers do about it? Perhaps the most fundamental thing would be to check that you offer a wide range of opportunities, suitable for a variety of people.

Let’s look at important factors to consider:

  • Location – maybe there are people out there who would like to volunteer but don’t have any opportunities near enough to them and can’t afford to travel. Some sites even give people the opportunity to volunteer from home.
  • Skills Needed/Accessibility – making opportunities that are accessible and require no specific skills are likely to attract a wider and more diverse range of volunteers.
  • Flexibility – many people may not have the time to commit to regular opportunities. If you can communicate with potential volunteers and arrange a time and date that suits them, you may be more likely to increase the diversity of your volunteers.

It has also been suggested that the demographic gaps would close if more employers let staff take time off to do voluntary work, or organised company-wide volunteering schemes.

This Doesn’t Just Affect The Volunteers

It’s important to note that the lack of diversity isn’t just within the actual volunteers themselves, but also with the volunteer managers and organisation higher-ups.

Here are some quotes from BAME candidates going for volunteer management roles:

I have never seen a black female in senior management in a charity and I have been working in the sector for over ten years. As a result I feel unconscious bias which reduces my promotion opportunities.

Race discrimination may be subjective. However, it’s very real. In my personal experience, I believe that on several occasions I have been passed over for promotion to people with less experience, knowledge and competence for white colleagues.

Visible diversity within organisations matters to candidates:

CharityJob's survey found that knowing that diversity is a focus for the organisation is very important. Volunteers, volunteer management, volunteer management software

Overall, we can assume that by listening to your volunteers talk about their volunteering experiences, changes can be made. This could make your volunteering roles more attractive to a wider number of people, and increase diversity.

Britain’s volunteer community is clearly tilted towards people who are white and middle-class, it’s about time that changed to become more inclusive.

How Can TeamKinetic Help?

TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software can help you analyse the demographics of your volunteers, including their ethnicity. This can give you great insight into who your volunteering opportunities are attracting – or not attracting. Our software ensures volunteers and providers both give feedback about every opportunity completed. Therefore, any problems faced (such as discrimination) can be dealt with swiftly.

Want to read more content like this? Check out our blog on understanding volunteer demographics to fill empty roles.

For more information on volunteer management software, contact us.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

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Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

Do You Have Pride in Volunteering?

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On 24th July 2019

In Community, News & Views

Manchester Pride Parade, volunteering, pride volunteers, LGBT, volunteer management
Manchester Pride Parade

Pride season is in full swing and many events across the UK have already run smoothly thanks to the work of thousands of volunteers. However, it’s not over yet as we look ahead to one of the biggest Pride events in England: Manchester Pride. The festival is taking place over the August bank holiday weekend – as it does every year. There are plenty of activities to get involved with. This year, these activities are spread across Deansgate, Gay Village, and Mayfield.

This year’s festival takes place from the 23rd to the 26th of August and is still looking for volunteers. They plan to have 300 volunteers, covering a range of roles including:
– Stewards
– Fundraisers
– Parade Troupe
– Green Team
– Superbia Weekend

Why Volunteer at Manchester Pride?

Like most voluntary work, you will be given a new opportunity to enhance your social skills, meet new people, and give back to the community. You don’t have to be part of the LGBT+ community to be a pride volunteer – it’s open to anybody and everybody!

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, volunteers will receive a range of benefits, such as free entry to the festival. This includes the live Saturday and Sunday acts such as Ariana Grande and Years & Years (if you’re over 18)! This may be especially effective as an incentive after Manchester Pride ticket prices increased heavily for 2019.

(Note: you must be over 16 to volunteer at Manchester Pride.)

We are currently looking through volunteer applications so if you’d like to apply we’d recommend doing it as soon as you can.

Manchester Pride (23/07/2019)

Find out more from Manchester Pride themselves:

Lack of Pride in Volunteering

Sometimes we forget the importance of volunteers. Tens of thousands of people attend Manchester Pride every year, making the work of volunteers all the more important. Without them, the event probably wouldn’t be able to go ahead. In fact, Isle of Wight’s 2019 Pride was cancelled due to a lack of volunteers. Later, thanks to community help, it was announced that the festival would return. This situation may highlight the lack of awareness around volunteering and it’s necessity for public events like these. Pride events are incredibly special to a range of people worldwide and depend on the generosity of volunteers to run efficiently.

Can’t Volunteer at Manchester Pride?

Even though pride season is coming to an end, there are still a large number of volunteering opportunities you can get involved with this summer across the country. If you’re under 16 or can’t get to Manchester but still interested in volunteering for LGBT organisations or events, check out more places to find opportunities here and here. Alternatively, you can search for volunteering near you through the Do-it site for a wide variety of opportunities.

For more information about TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software, visit our website or call us on 0161 914 5757

Why Do Women Volunteer More Than Men?

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On 10th July 2019

In News & Views

A group of female volunteers. Women in volunteering. Volunteer management.

Recent data from Time Well Spent shows that there are more women in volunteering than men. Taking a closer look at the data might tell us why.

  • NCVO’s demographic analysis shows that 40% of women have volunteered in 2017/18 compared to 35% of men. Furthermore, 23% of women had volunteered in the month before data collection, but only 21% of men had.
  • Similarly, the Office for National Statistics found that although participation rates for men and women were similar (41% and 42% respectively), the time each gender spent volunteering was very different. Women, on average, spent 15.7 minutes per day volunteering while men only spent 11.3 minutes per day in voluntary work.
  • TeamKinetic’s data supports this analysis with 60% of registered volunteers identifying as female and 40% as male from a total of 100,000 volunteers.

These discrepancies suggest that either something is preventing men from spending more time volunteering, or something is pushing women to volunteer more.

A Way To Make New Friends?

The NCVO report mentioned that women viewed the social aspect of volunteering as a motivation to sign up. 23% of women joined to make new friends/meet new people in comparison to the 18% of men who signed up for the same reason. As a consequence of volunteering, women reported that they felt more confident (76%) than men (71%). Interestingly, female efforts to make new friends appeared to have been more successful than their male counterparts’. Women reported fewer instances of conflict or tension compared to men (25% vs 32%).

Aside from the social side, volunteering can also have a significant positive impact on mental health for both sexes.

Young People Planning For Their Futures

I spoke to some of my peers who have volunteered in the past. The majority of them either did it to gain work experience of some sort, or because their friends were doing it. In today’s job market, experience is vital. At least two-thirds of employers are looking for graduates with relevant work experience.

I volunteered at a local charity shop a few years ago to gain work experience and because my friend worked there. I had a great time and it definitely helped me get a job afterwards.

MMU Student, Lois.

If using volunteer work to gain relevant work experience is a trend amongst young people, perhaps the gender differences in volunteering rates will become level soon. However, we must also acknowledge the various other factors that affect volunteer rates such as age, socio-economic status, and race.

Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

Infographic: Women in volunteering are less likely to represent the organisation they volunteer for than men.

Despite the majority of volunteers being female, there are still some aspects of volunteering that may be letting these hard-working women down. Many women (62%) don’t believe they can have much impact on the organisations they volunteer for. Men are more confident in this area, with 70% of them believing they can make a significant influence on organisations. A reason for this could be the higher ratio of men to women in representative roles. Research suggests that women are more likely to help at an event rather than go to meetings on behalf of the organisation like male volunteers.

This behaviour could be seen as stereotypical and may be due to outdated societal norms. These norms are being broken down. Men and women are becoming more equal. As a result, the expected stereotypes are fading away, but it is happening too slowly.

Flexibility First?

Stereotypes do not appear to affect the number of women in volunteering roles. So why do they volunteer?

Data suggests that flexible roles attract female volunteers. This can refer to the organisation being flexible themselves, or the volunteering opportunities they are offering. For example, perhaps the sessions are one-offs or aren’t set to certain times/days of each week. The want for flexibility may be driven by a range of factors such as family, work, or social commitments. Organisations and volunteer managers should recognise the needs of their volunteers to get the most out of them.

Let’s Flip The Question

We’ve asked why there are more women in volunteering than men, but why are there fewer men in volunteering? What’s stopping them?

Societal norms could be blamed; the conditioning of men to be the main provider may make them think they have no time for volunteering, or even that it’s a waste of time! In the past, a lack of male-focused roles may have been to blame. Nowadays there are a large variety of roles available on a range of websites, such as universities, councils, and sports clubs.

Research from 2016 suggested that male volunteers needed something specific to ‘hook’ them into volunteer work. They’d be likely to work with an organisation they already had a connection to. On the other hand, women appear to volunteer for social reasons and to help the community.

Curious About Your Own Volunteers?

TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software can help you analyse the demographics of your volunteers, e.g. the ratio of male to female volunteers. This can give you great insight into who your volunteering opportunities are attracting.

Find out how TeamKinetic can work with you to recruit, manage, and retain your student volunteers by visiting our website or calling us on 0161 914 5757.

You can also find us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. We share and create content suitable for anyone interested in volunteering!

Check out our blogs on Women in Sport and Creating a Legacy Post-Women’s World Cup for more content like this.

Introducing TeamKinetic: Alex – Rising To New Challenges

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On 3rd July 2019

In News & Views

How My Marketing Journey Began

Marketing was never something I thought about properly until year 10 in school when I chose business studies as one of my GCSE options. Marketing was a big part of the subject and I loved it. Studying it in depth throughout GCSE and A Levels made me realise that I had secretly always had a love for marketing, even when I didn’t know exactly what it was. The ability of adverts, a simple 2-minute video, to make people feel emotions they couldn’t even experience in some 2-hour films was amazing to me. Basically, I’m talking about every John Lewis Christmas advert ever!

The bear and hare from John Lewis' 2013 Christmas advertisement.
The bear and the hare from the 2013 John Lewis Christmas advert.

Getting Into Volunteering

I grew up with quite a big family. Having three separate households of aunts/uncles/cousins on one road, you could say that we were quite close! This strong family presence shaped me as a person and introduced me to my first volunteering experiences. My grandad and uncle were both pastors at our local church and once I was old enough, I started to help around a lot more.

My first proper role came on the annual church holiday where members of churches across the UK would come together for a week. I volunteered to help run a class for kids aged 4 – 7. This involved helping to plan and carry out activities for them, ensuring they all had fun and that everything ran smoothly. Although it was a lot of fun, it was also challenging as I had no experience looking after a group of children of this size prior to the event. I certainly had no experience trying to sort out the drama that somehow arises between such young children! On the whole, it was a valuable experience for me as I had proper responsibility over a group of children and could help to positively shape their holiday experience.

Social Media Surprises

Let’s go back to summer in 2016 for a minute. Most people were out enjoying the sunny weather after breaking up from school for the holidays while I was stuck in bed, feeling ill, binge-watching The Great British Bake Off. Sounds like a boring way to spend part of your summer but it actually changed my life a little bit. After watching endless episodes of the show, I decided, in my boredom, to create a Twitter account based on the things contestants say but taken out of context. No Context Bake Off was born – an account that now has around 116k followers and has highlighted to me how quickly things can spread on social media.

No Context Bake Off Twitter page. Social Media.
Screenshot of the No Context Bake Off Twitter account.

Volunteering Numbers On The Rise

Back to the present day now! I sit here reflecting on an incredible holiday in France watching the Women’s World Cup with a true appreciation for the volunteer work that has contributed to the success of the tournament so far. I remember sitting in PSG’s Parc Des Princes stadium for the USA v Chile game as the announcer told us that there were 2,500 volunteers for the World Cup that year. This is an increase on the 2,000 that were at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada. I hope it’s a figure that increases further at the 2023 Women’s World Cup too.

Volunteers at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019. Volunteering in football.
Volunteers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019.

Although I am yet to sign up to any opportunities, I did sign up to the MMU Sport volunteering page after I joined the women’s football team in my first year at university. Little did I know I’d be embarking on a placement year at the company who runs the page!

On a Personal Note…

My biggest regret of the past few years is not throwing myself into volunteering opportunities. I was too nervous to do things alone and because of that, I’ve probably missed countless chances to do something of value and really grow as a person. This regret is fuelling my willingness to learn and grow over the course of this placement. Hopefully, I’ll put myself forward for volunteer work in the near future.

I’m excited to start at TeamKinetic and get some proper hands-on experience in marketing. It will also give me a chance to learn more about volunteering and volunteer management. If like me you have a sudden urge to do some voluntary work, you should head over to TryVolunteering to find an opportunity that works for you!

For more information on volunteer management software visit our website or contact one of our team members on – 01619145747

Why volunteering was the best decision I ever made

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On 4th June 2019

In Community, Events and Conferences, News & Views

Quite the title! But very true.

If you had previously read my introduction blog, you will know that I’m a big advocate for volunteering, regardless of what sector you work in.

volunteering, sports, volunteer management, TeamKinetic, Better Impact, Volunteer management software
Volunteering at the HSBC UK national cycling centre

For me, volunteering is not just about giving up a few hours a week. It’s all about the changes you can be responsible for an organisation or a local community, the benefits you receive and the opportunities volunteering leads to.

Before coming to university, I worked in the third sector, and I knew I always had a passion for the music and events industry. I just did not have the experience or a way into the local industry. Through volunteering for charity events and volunteering at registration desks for music networking events, I was able to build a great set of connections.

This not only led to helping out at events for smaller companies such as Indy Man Beer Festival and Off the Record music conference but also to help land me some amazing jobs with my volunteer experiences.

So for anyone who hasn’t volunteered before, here are my top 5 reasons to start!

You get to meet new people!

Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet people who you may not have crossed path with otherwise and can act as really great networking tools.

You may end up meeting other volunteers working in the job or industry you want to be in, or just cracking people you can stay in touch with and become friends with.

You’ll be giving back to the community

Many volunteering opportunities are linked to community causes: such as Manchester Cares; volunteering for local hospitals or even volunteering for Scouts!

Some of these local causes often have little or no funding, so giving a few hours a week to help the running of these services can be crucial. It can be a great opportunity to give back to the people who need it most!

It is an easy way to develop your skills

Volunteering is a sure fire way to develop new skills and enhance the ones you already possess. There are several volunteering roles available, so it’s best to look at ones which really suit your personality and skill set.

I have often seen volunteer marketing roles for charities which are a great way to build your experience and knowledge without committing to a full-time role in that field. It doesn’t have to be all professional, volunteering is a great way to build confidence and softer skills like communication and teamwork.

Its actually good for your health!

Studies have shown that volunteering is a good way to lower stress levels, help combat depression, provide a sense of purpose and to even encourage happiness.

The more volunteering you do, the more benefits you’ll experience; but don’t think that this needs to be constant dedication or a long-term commitment. Volunteering should always fit around your life and schedule, and remember it’s ok to have a day off every once in a while!

You can gain a new perspective of life

From my own personal experience, I have met wonderful people from all walks of life. More often than not, these people have completely different journeys to mine; by learning about their lives I have been able to see the world quite differently.

Whether you volunteer locally or abroad for a good cause, there’s always a strong chance you will meet someone who will change your opinion and view of the world.

Festival, volunteering, music, volunteer management software, volunteer system, volunteer manager, Better Impact, TeamKinetic
Working at download festival

So, if you’re thinking of volunteering and unsure where to start, check out a few of the websites below.

Best of luck with your volunteering journeys,

El x

For more information on how TeamKinetic can assist with your volunteer management and getting the best out of all your volunteers visit their website or contact them on – 0161 914 5757

Elham Afzal Introduction volunteer blog

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On 30th May 2019

In News & Views

volunteer, volunteer ,management software, volunteering, events, sports
El Volunteering

My name is Elham Afzal (I go by El), and I’ll be guest blogging for TeamKinetic talking about my volunteer experience, and some of my career and professional life. As you will probably be seeing a few posts from me, I thought I would introduce myself and give you a feel of who I am and my journey.

About me

Currently, I am a 2nd Year Events Management student at Manchester Metropolitan University. Alongside my studies, I work as a: Course Rep support staff for the MMU Union; a Social Media Assistant for Research in Arts and Humanities at MMU; as well as a Venue Operations Manager (Student Staff) for the local Manchester Academy Music Venue.

So I am quite a busy bee, as you can imagine! However, I worked full time before coming to university to gain my Bachelor’s degree so having free time was quite a strange transition and why I’ve been keeping myself busy the last couple of years.

What volunteering means to me

Volunteering has always been part of my schedule, pre- and during university life! I have volunteered for Manchester Futsal (for just under 2 years now); Manchester Cares and British University Taekwondo League; as well as heaps of other sports and events related volunteering such as the GB Taekwondo championships.

Futsal, volunteer, volunteer system, TeamKinetic, volunteer management software, Better Impact
Futsal team photo

Being a volunteer has really helped build and develop my personal and professional skill set, as well as giving me great networking opportunities and the opportunity to enhance my CV. I’m not just saying that as well. My latest job opportunities have mentioned in my interviews the fact that the volunteering has built up a more well-rounded character, and helped me build on my industry knowledge.

Impact volunteering has had on me

My favourite thing about volunteering is that it a great introduction to an industry or job role that you may have never considered before. I have notoriously been rubbish with sports.

In year 9 I was kicked out of mandatory PE because my asthma was so uncontrolled, and I have always HATED any kind of exercise growing up, just because I could never do it.

Volunteering with sports at university has completely changed my perspective. I’ve not only been volunteering predominantly with sports teams (BUTL UK Taekwondo and Manchester Futsal as the main groups) but even joined the universities taekwondo team last year in September 2018, and I can proudly say I am loving being part of the team.

El x

For more information on how TeamKinetic can assist with your volunteer management and getting the best out of all your volunteers visit their website or contact them on – 0161 914 5757

Understanding volunteer demographics to fill empty roles!

By

On 12th February 2019

In News & Views, TeamKinetic Features, Volunteer Management

Many roles go unfilled… why is that? Do volunteer managers need to have a deeper understanding of volunteer demographics? Can we continue to assume that empty roles will fill up because they’re helping a good cause?

Unfilled volunteering roles

Having a good understanding of your volunteers and the roles you offer is key. Unfilled roles can have a negative impact on your volunteer management and make it difficult for tasks to be carried out.

Volunteers want to volunteer! Don’t make it difficult for them.

In many cases, unfilled roles occur when the role is just not appealing to the volunteer. This issue usually begins with how you describe the role and the commitment levels that come with it.

Roles need to be attractive to the volunteer; with a detailed description of what is required of them and positive outcomes of the role. Many organisations we work with do this well and provide quality volunteer experiences that lead to higher retention levels! 

Example of an opportunity within TeamKinetic

All volunteer managers need to prioritise roles that are crucial to the organisation because they involve tasks that drive long-term goals to be met. By prioritizing the most important roles it allows you to focus the energy and time on the areas that are most likely to have a greater impact on the organisation and its development.

Knowing your volunteer capacity and demographic

The one-size-fits-all is approach has long past its expiration date. Knowing who volunteers for you is crucial for developing relationships, providing opportunities and understanding who to target when recruiting volunteers. Volunteer trends are always changing and adapting, with volunteers being much more diverse. Here are some demographics to consider :

Age

The idea that only older people volunteer is diminishing. Today students in higher education regularly volunteer and are part of the most likely groups to volunteer. Different age groups will have a variety of skills they can utilise in their volunteer work.

Gender

The gender gap has become almost even with more men getting involved in volunteering than ever before. Women consistently volunteer in all areas, whereas men are typically more likely to volunteer in sport. It’s important to consider how your operations could be improved to create a more gender-inclusive environment for your volunteers.

Location

There are countless organisations offering ways to volunteer. This has created a great spread of opportunities contributing to better communities across the country. Within your organisation, you might consider mapping your volunteers to understand your key areas. Then you can ensure your opportunities are easily accessed by these areas.

Socio-Economic Background

However, those from lower socio-economic groups are more likely to say they have never been involved in volunteering. And those who have volunteered in the past are less likely to be in leadership or representative roles.

Studies show higher levels of austerity among communities in the north of England and the local authority spending has fallen nationally by half since 2010. The lack of resources and inequalities mean many people are excluded from taking part in certain opportunities

Research conducted by our good friends at Jump highlight that a lower proportion of volunteers come from lower SEG (42%) compared to the representation of that group in the national population (50%).

Some of the barriers faced by lower SEG to volunteer include health barriers (illness or disability), caring responsibilities, and age constraints.

More information on Jump’s work and their report on “Why is volunteering biased towards higher socio-economic groups?” can be downloaded on their website.

So how can we help you fix these problems?

TeamKinetic is centralised around providing volunteer managers with resources to create accessible, easy-to-find opportunities for their volunteers.

Our volunteer management software works to eliminate issues such as filling roles and allows for a greater understanding of your volunteer base.

Advanced Search Functionality

Volunteers can search for opportunities with our search functionality which includes searching by location, opportunity name, and categories. This allows volunteers to find the nearest opportunities available to them without searching the whole internet.

Map Volunteers & Opportunities

Volunteer managers can view the number of opportunities and volunteers through a map format. This is useful in decision-making and creating opportunities according to your volunteer demographics.

Reports and Analysis

You can gain insight into the success of your volunteer programme by evaluating your volunteer sign-ups (including those who are active and repeating), the number of opportunities you have created and other demographic information.

These functions can help with providing suitable roles and ensure opportunities are filled.

Data is only recorded if your volunteers agree to provide you with the information. GDPR frequently asked questions for TeamKinetic’s volunteer management system can also be found here.

For more information on the Volunteer Management Software visit our website or contact one of our team members on 0161 914 5747

You could also start a free 30-day trial of our system to take a look around. If it’s not for you, no problem.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

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