Author: Rolf Herbert Page 16 of 18

The modern volunteer coordinator is facing their latest industry challenge. Triggered by a political interest in big society, social action and volunteering, the third sector is finding a growing inclusion of volunteer management software and volunteer KPIs in tenders, bids and strategies.

This is causing a stir within the third sector as many volunteer coordinators are using the same methods as their predecessor, using extensive filing systems, paperwork and only a telegram or notice board to communicate with volunteers.

Without understanding or knowing the benefits of a management system, it is understandable that some still believe that you don’t need volunteer management software. Well, we’re here to refute some of the common reasons why organisations think they don’t need volunteer management software.

1. Volunteer management software is too expensive

The cost of any new system is often expected to come with a hefty price tag. But volunteer management software is designed for the third sector in mind, with the vendor understanding the limited resources available in the third sector. Thankfully, free versions of volunteer management software are available, with higher functionality available at a paid premium.

Additionally, going out and purchasing new volunteer management software may not be your only option. Your nonprofit might be able to find volunteer management tools in your existing fundraising software or nonprofit CRM.

Before looking into third-party options, see if your vendor offers upgrades or expansions with the management capabilities you need.

Your fundraising software many even offer partnerships with leading volunteer management software, so that all your information easily integrates with each other.

Not only will this help you save on costs (most vendors provide discounted rates to nonprofits that are already using their tools), but it also keeps all your information in one place.

That way, you can update donor and volunteer profiles in one centralized location without the hassle of transferring data.

2. [insert basic database or spreadsheet software] is “fit for purpose”

Many organisations believe that the current piece of software used in their organisation, such as Microsoft Excel or Access, is perfectly capable of managing volunteers.

Just as an organisation avoids using Excel for its accounts, instead of using specialist software, the same should be done for volunteer management. Using the wrong software can unknowingly be very limiting and time-consuming.

Using volunteer management software, not only reduces the workload for the volunteer coordinator and spreads the workload across all users, it improves communication, creates easier reports and provides more opportunities to recognise volunteers’ efforts.

3. My organisation would not benefit from learning more about its volunteers

Using volunteer management software can provide a much more detailed understanding of the volunteers interacting with an organisation. With volunteer profiles, you’ll not only be able to see basic information about your volunteers like name, location and age but also key information that can tailor your volunteer outreach, including:

 

• Opportunities that a volunteer participated in, which gives you insight into what events that person wants to donate their time to.

• How many hours a supporter has volunteered, which can be used to determine if a supporter qualifies for a volunteer grant from their employer.

• Donors that have volunteered for the first time, which reveals that a donor is becoming more involved in your nonprofit.

 

Having all this data can help you learn about what volunteer opportunities your supporters will enjoy, as well as ways to improve the volunteer experience.

Organisations can learn a lot from volunteer management including complex insight such as common search terminology, conversion rates and geographical reports.

4. If a Volunteer is looking for an opportunity they will get in touch

There are some organisations that believe if volunteers want to find an opportunity they will take the initiative themselves to contact the organisation and find out about the opportunities available.

However, without a central coordinating destination, the effort involved in discovering who to contact and how to contact them can easily dissuade volunteers from bothering. The use of an online solution provides a crucial channel of communication between the volunteer and opportunities provider.

Volunteer management software allows your organisation to post volunteer opportunities that interested volunteers can access and register for anywhere with internet access. Plus, it allows you to maintain communications with volunteers via email and social media, which can be sent and posted automatically, thereby attracting more individuals to support the cause.

5. My organisation does not see the benefit of recognising and rewarding volunteers

It can prove challenging when managing a large workforce to make sure each volunteer receives a personal “thank you”. But, no matter how difficult, showing volunteers that you appreciate their support is vital to your nonprofit’s success.

When you tell you volunteers “thank you”, you’re telling them that their hard work is important and impacting your mission in a positive way.

Volunteer management software enables the organisation to acknowledge volunteers through email, text and social media platforms.

Additionally, the use of HourTrade vouchers, an exchange of volunteered hours for a coaching badge, for example, is one method of rewarding a volunteer. It further enhances the recognition of volunteers by setting up achievement badges, which the provider can allocate to reflect the number of hours volunteered. These small gestures are just the start of how volunteer management software is capable of helping to recognise, reward and motivate volunteers, which is crucial in developing a strong workforce.

For more ways to show volunteers you care, check out ReCharity’s 7 tips for thanking volunteers.

For many organisations, the idea of introducing a new system seems a strange concept, especially when the method they are using is coping or the above reasons have been expressed. Hopefully, this article challenges some of those beliefs and encourages some further exploration into the use of volunteer management software.

If that is the case, then please feel free to speak with TeamKinetic, an experienced provider in this field.  In the past eight years, we have transformed the management of volunteers in Hospital Trusts, Sports Organisations, Local Authorities and Universities by providing our volunteer management software.

If you would be interested in discussing how TeamKinetic can help your organisation please call 0161 914 5757 or email chris@teamkinetic.co.uk or to book a free demonstration of the software visit: teamkinetic.co.uk

My wife is a vet and has been organising donation stations at her practices for dog food, blankets, toys, and jackets that we hope to distribute to homeless charities and volunteer organisations over Christmas and New Year. For people sleeping rough their dog is more than a pet and is often their source of heat, love and protection and they form incredibly strong bonds.

We sorted and delivered our first drop today to a great charity in Manchester, LifeShare. They provide a safe space for the homeless of Manchester, providing hot food, clothing, hygiene products and most importantly a warm place to talk and get together. They had plenty of space and other charities will be able to access the dog supplies throughout the Christmas period.

If you have ever wondered what 100kg of dry dog food, 200 tins, 16 jumpers, 40 jackets and 35 blankets looks like;

Thank you LifeShare and all your volunteers for your hard work throughout the year and thank you to all the customers and staff of Wright and Morten vets for their generosity.

If you think you might be able to give some of your time to help the homeless of Manchester please do get in touch with LifeShare via their website. Hopefully they’ll be getting so many volunteers in 2018 that they will need to use our free volunteer management software =).

Today is International VolunteersDay, aptly falling between November’s #IWill campaign and December’s celebration of the Sport Personality Awards, including the Unsung Hero Award.  I thought this would be a good opportunity to share my personal experience in volunteering and social action.

‘My social action started in my school days, raising money for various causes and through coaching at my Boxing Club. Today, I continue to coach at the Boxing Club I founded at my University and regularly find opportunities to take part in volunteering and social action. This activity has helped me develop as an individual and is an important part of my life’

I wanted to begin by considering the impact of the Step Up To Serve and the #IWill campaigns these initiative has contributed towards increasing meaningful social youth action involving 42% of the youth population. The campaign’s purpose is to develop the skills, character and life opportunities for those aged between ten and twenty, whilst also providing benefits to communities, causes and social issues. This to me is essentially what all volunteering achieves, but it’s the focus on young people that resonates with me.

I hope that sharing my story can help others to relate and feel inspired to begin or get back into volunteering.

The first time I was involved in delivering social action was seven years ago when I was a disproportionally lanky thirteen-year-old.  I decided to run a fundraiser to support the Stroke Association, a charity that had recently become close my heart.  As it was to be run at our school I needed something that would capture students’ attention, open their wallets and encourage them to donate to charity instead of their grumbling stomachs at lunchtime.

I decided the best way was to fulfil both of their needs was by running a charity cake store at lunchtime. I visited a local cafe which was renowned for their tasty cookies and sweet treats. I successfully managed to secure several trays of freshly baked cookies to be collected on the morning of the event.

The day of the event and my team kitted out with tops sent by the charity and branded balloons, stood by our stall ready for the lunchtime bell. Needless to say, the cookies sold out, within just ten minutes! We had made around £50 to donate to the charity. Even though it was only a small amount I remember feeling proud when I sent the money to them. I knew it would contribute towards the larger impact the Stroke Association were making in helping people, like me, whose lives had been affected by a stroke.

It was at this time that I began coaching at my local boxing club. I had been training there for a little while, mainly because my older brother used to go.  I had several amateur fights lined up when I was forced to stop, indefinitely, by the doctor. I decided not to give up on the sport but to carry on my development in a new direction. I began coaching others, both older and younger. From teaching simple footwork, to taking pads and setting up drills, I began coaching twice every week and went on to gain my coaching badge qualification.

Coaching provided a new channel to focus my energy. It helped develop my character and confidence tremendously; I learnt the importance of communication, how to earn respect and how to motivate others. For the club it helped to have an extra pair of hands, allowing the trainers to spend more time focusing on individual boxers. It really was a win-win as it kept me involved and engaged in the club and a sport that I loved.

When I returned to contact sport eighteen months later, and throughout the rest of my teenage years, I continued to be involved in various forms of social action -mainly through fundraising and coaching.

In college, I found that students’ wallets were still only accessible through their stomachs. Thankfully, running Krispy Kreme’s ‘Raising Dough’ was the perfect way to convince them otherwise and to support charity.

At university I found many opportunities and causes I felt urged to support. The first was for Toby’s Gift, a charity set up following the passing of Toby Hart who donated his organs to save four other lives.  As part of a team, we ran a pub quiz off the beaten track in Dyffryn, North Wales.  The event was a hit as we raised £450.  Everyone there was so generous and supportive of our cause, which only helped to enhance the sense of fulfilment that we had from running the event.

Unfortunately, not everything was so smooth in my first year at university.   As the hopes of joining a largely integrated boxing club within the university fell short as there wasn’t one! There were no coaches, no equipment and no facilities for even those who had an interest in joining a boxing club.

I set about the next year convincing the Student Union to invest in equipment, allocate facilities, and promote the club ready for the next academic year and to find a coach.

Sadly, trying to find a coach to commit to the time slot we had available was challenging. I decided to step up and take charge of coaching the club myself. A club that had no members, an empty studio room and 25 pairs of new gloves with 5 sets of pads. Knowing the challenge at hand, I infiltrated as many student social hotspots to create awareness and interest for the new club.

Over the next few weeks the attendance grew to a consistent 30 members a week We would frequently exceed the capacity of the room as we welcomed new members to try it out.  I coached the club each week, drilling them on technique, fitness and skill. This was helping them to lead a better life and for some was the only form of physical activity they participated in during the week. The club is now in its second year and has grown to have two sessions a week, one of which I continue to coach.

The club also created a social platform for students to meet like-minded individuals, make friends and have a sense of belonging. Together we created a community that shares their experiences, interests and passions. On a personal level, I enjoyed every moment of the 270 hours I spent in the first year volunteering and developing the club. My experience and passion for volunteering was a key speaking point at interviews for placement and helped me secure employment.

These experiences have been invaluable to me. They built my confidence, taught me how to communicate, work with a team and helped me to develop leadership, planning and organisational skills.  At the time I never fully appreciated the benefits of my experiences. Now, on reflection, I realise just how much they have helped to shape me into the confident individuals I am today.

As I now fall into the top bracket of youth social action and am on placement working fulltime, I am considering how I am can continue to support various causes and increase my impact on the world.

I hope to keep pursuing exciting fundraising opportunities and to amplify the impact my coaching has on the lives of others.  I also want to explore new opportunities and to consider how I can use my skills to benefit others when I return to university, after my placement, and in the long term.

I invite you to join me and make a commitment to challenge yourself and help others through social action. You could start your own Krispy Kreme ‘Raising Dough’ or find out how you can help my favourite charities Stroke Association and Toby’s Gift

I thank you all for reading and welcome any feedback or comments, and invite you to share some of your own stories and experiences.

James Carr