Author: Steve Hall Page 2 of 3

Volunteer management – Making or breaking organisations!

By

On 24th October 2018

In News & Views

Before volunteers even start to offer their time and energy, it’s important to understand how the law applies to volunteers. In this piece, we will look at the legal and managerial considerations you will need to think about in order to manage your volunteers effectively. It is vital to have a policy and good practice in place for effective volunteer management. Some examples of this will be discussed throughout the article.

Expenses policy

Good organisations have an expenses policy to cover volunteers for any additional costs or travel. Expecting a volunteer to cover their costs can be difficult for people who have a low income as it hinders their ability to regularly volunteer. Expenses that are reasonable, and within the organisation’s budget, should be reimbursed. Some of these include:

  • Travel costs – whether it be in your own vehicle or public transport
  • Meals and refreshments during volunteering
  • Additional equipment e.g protective clothing

This is just a brief example of some of the most common expenses volunteers claim. All organisations are different and have different policies in place. However, these expenses must be incurred during the time of volunteering and volunteers should avoid additional costs.

There are guidelines and help out there on how organisations should have an expenses policy. The NCVO provide support and guidance to help you understand your legal rights and obligations when managing volunteers.

Induction policy

A good induction can be the make or break of a volunteer programme. Volunteers come with a great amount of enthusiasm and motivation but without a structured induction process, the enthusiasm can soon fade away.

Volunteers need the right training for the jobs that are required of them. Some volunteering opportunities require a great demand for skill and knowledge and volunteers need the right training and induction process in order to understand what is expected of them.

For example, volunteering roles, such as a marketing lead on a big organisation event, involve a great understanding of the organisation’s brand and goals. As qualified as the volunteer may be, without an induction, they will not be as effective in their role. Even if opportunities don’t require a high demand for skill and understanding, it is still important to induct the volunteer. Some things to include in an induction process are…

  • Your organisation’s policies and procedures.
  • Background to the organisation’s ethos and structure
  • Voicing concerns and how to deal with complaints
  • The role and responsibilities of the opportunity

TeamKinetic helps volunteer managers simplify this process by providing them with an organisation specific website. This gives the manager the freedom to provide as much information as they want for the volunteer. Such as a full description of their job roles and background to the organisation and organisation policies. However, it is important to try and always organise a one-to-one with a volunteer so they feel well-inducted and welcomed to the organisation.

Support

Empathy is key when working with volunteers, to manage and retain your helpers, volunteer managers must always ask themselves ‘how would I feel about this if I was the volunteer?’

Many times volunteers are thrown into tasks with little or no support and understanding of their role’s outcomes or objectives. Volunteer managers should aim to :

  • Provide the volunteer with a well-defined induction process.
  • Send out regular newsletters and information that is necessary to the volunteer.
  • Deal with concerns or problems volunteers have early on.
  • Assess training needs and facilitate personal development

TeamKinetic supports this by allowing organisations to have their own bespoke website that provides these features. Volunteer managers are able to communicate with volunteers easily through the site and have regular one-to-one contact with them.

How TeamKinetic can help?

The volunteer management system allows managers to upload documents such as the induction process, so volunteers have a greater understanding of what is expected of them. additionally, the system allows managers to group the volunteers on experience from the application process. This allows the manager to identify opportunities that are ideal for the volunteer when they first start.

Volunteers can receive regular email updates and newsletters on what is going on in the organisation, this could include upcoming events or volunteering opportunities. Managers can also provide additional information to volunteers regarding opportunities that have been changed on the system.

Finally, support can be given to volunteers on the system by giving the volunteer access to voice their concerns through a private opportunity chat room. After opportunity volunteers are able to leave feedback which allows managers to review any concerns the volunteer may have and arrange a phone call or meeting. Volunteer managers can facilitate personal development by notifying volunteers on upcoming training events that can be created as opportunities for the volunteer to book onto.

Volunteer management

Risk management

The voluntary sector is now working at a higher standard and organisations are expected to have regular risk management in place for the benefit of the volunteer and organisation. Evaluating and managing the risks in your organisation ensures that there is a reduced chance of incidents occurring while volunteers are working.
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has provided a 7 step guide on how to manage the risks of your voluntary organisation.

  1. Identify the risks – evaluate what the risks to your organisation’s strategies and goals.
  2. Analyse risk – once analysing risks it is important to consider the possibility of it happening and the impact it could have on your organisation.
  3. Prioritise – determine which risks bring the biggest threat to your organisation because managing the most serious risks is important.
  4. Determine the appetite for risks – managers should determine the risk they are willing to accept in pursuing their objectives. Each objective will bring about a different risk appetite.
  5. Reduce and control risks – Charities should control risks to a stand and that they are happy with.
  6. Give assurance – Once the key risks have been identified, assessed and are subject to controls, it’s important to make that these controls are being performed as expected.
  7.  Monitor and review risks – Recording risks is important as it allows you to revisit and evaluate at different dates.

These guidelines have been tested and tried and are a great tool for reducing risks for your volunteers. Managing risks can save your organisation time and money and keep everyone safer and overall contribute to good volunteer management.

Supervising

Understanding what goes on within your organisation is key for developing both volunteers and the organisation. That is why it is a key responsibility for volunteer managers to supervise their volunteers and keep a record of their development and the risks that may occur.

TeamKinetic helps organisations keep up-to-date with their volunteers and monitor progression. The system gives the volunteer freedom to create their own profile and join opportunities individually. Permitting the volunteer manager to spend more time developing the organisation’s objectives and less time inputting data manually.

When supervising volunteers, what should you cover?

  • Ensure the volunteer’s relationship with staff, volunteers, and anyone they work with is going well. This can be done through regular communication and providing feedback when possible.
  • Inform the volunteer of any training that would benefit their development, when opportunities arise. TeamKinetics volunteer management software allows you to create upcoming training events as opportunities that volunteers can join.
  •  Allow volunteers the ability to provide personal feedback after they have completed an opportunity. TeamKinetic assists by giving volunteers the privilege to leave feedback on the opportunity they have signed up to on the portal.
  •  Provide volunteers with feedback, this goes a long way into making them feel valued and aiding their development. Similarly, managers can also leave feedback on the opportunity provided.

Meridian Swift author of “Is Making Volunteers Likable Our Objective?” writing in volunteerplaintalk, explores the importance of managing and addressing volunteer behaviour for the benefit of the volunteer, organisation and the volunteer manager. Meridian addresses the need to communicate the mission focus in order to get the best out of everyone.

One important point that Meridian made was “Ditch the idea that volunteers will stay because you’re nice to them”. Volunteers put their time and effort into helping, so they want their work to be meaningful and impactful. Therefore, when managing volunteers it is important to always provide the volunteer with opportunities that will benefit them and the organisation.

How to simply manage volunteers?

TeamKinetic provides volunteer management software for organisations that allow them to carry out these tasks without investing all their time into supervising volunteers and focusing more on their development. The simplicity of the system enables volunteers to get volunteering with little or no intervention required by the managers and coordinators.

Volunteers have the ability to add information, feedback, and check their progress on their own volunteer profiles. This is made visible to the volunteer manager, who can keep track of each volunteers progression. The TeamKinetic volunteer management software is designed to make volunteering simple and easy for everyone.

Find out how TeamKinetic has helped organisations simplify their management process and reduced time spent on micromanaging volunteers.

For more information on the Volunteer Management Software visit our website or contact one of our team members on – 01619145747

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

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Building a volunteer management website that is more inclusive for all volunteers

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On 21st September 2018

In News & Views

TeamKinetic believe that everyone should be provided with equal opportunities when signing up for volunteering roles and that opportunities are made equally accessible to individuals with and without a disability by volunteer managers. 

volunteers in a circle

Why is it important for volunteer managers to provide individuals with a disability the opportunity to have access to a variety of volunteering roles?

  • People with a disability, want role models who understand their issues.  Looking up to significant others, that also have a disability, inspires the next generation to want to get involved.
  • Volunteering with or without a disability offers a real opportunity to enhance skills, build confidence, develop as a leader and gain work experience.
  • Some of the finest friendships are made through volunteering, it provides a fantastic way to build relationships, reduce social isolation and create community.

Here at TeamKinetic, we think people with a disability or long-term illness should have access to as many choices and opportunities as non-disabled people.  The TeamKinetic volunteer system allows volunteers to make informed decisions about the opportunities they wish to take advantage of.

But for individuals with a disability to be able to make these choices, first, we must have a website that they can use.  Here are some of the considerations TeamKinetic has taken into account, to make sure it offers an accessible service that is useful to people with disabilities.

“The power of the Web is in its universality.
Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”

Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Website accessibility is important. The number of people accessing the internet is now over 4 billion, more than half of the world population!

Everyone wants quick and simple navigation around the websites they visit. Therefore volunteer managers that recruit individuals with a disability, should provide the individual with ways they can access the organisation’s website and what opportunities the organisation provides.

TeamKinetic has worked hard to provide a simple to use navigation for volunteers, with fast search and useful filters.  Our Focus design principals ensure we build with consistency and simplicity always in mind.

Across the sector, there is still a lack of awareness from volunteer managers in providing people with a disability full access to organisations websites. The reason we think for this is that many people have a limited understanding of how persons with disabilities use technology and therefore mistakenly consider it difficult and costly, or just don’t consider it at all.

W3C has some standards that all website developers should adhere to, these are…

Alternative text for images

Images should include equivalent alternative text (alt text) in the markup/code.

If alt text isn’t provided for images, the image information is inaccessible. For example, to people who cannot see and use a screen reader that reads aloud the information on a page, including the alt text for the visual image.

When equivalent alt text is provided, the information is available to people who are blind, as well as to people who turn off images. (for example, in areas with expensive or low bandwidth). It’s also available to technologies that cannot see images, such as search engines

Symantec Layout

We use ARIA tagging and symantic elements such as the NAV element to enclose our navigation menus so that text browsers can let the user know, and most importantly, give them the opportunity to skip areas they are not interested in. Can you imagine having to listen to every entry in an entire navigation menu everytime you opened a page!

Keyboard input

Some people cannot use a mouse, including many older users with limited fine motor control. An accessible website does not rely on the mouse; it makes all functionality available from a keyboard. Then people with disabilities can use assistive technologies that mimic the keyboard, such as speech input.

TeamKinetic can be fully navigated without the need for a mouse.

Most of the basics of accessibility are fairly easy to implement. However, if you are new to accessibility, it takes some time and effort to learn the common issues and solutions. Here are places to start:

If you’re interested in finding out more about why volunteer managers should provide more accessibility and how it can be done then follow Neil Milliken Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion for Atos a Global IT company on Twitter. Or visit the AXSCHAT website to become part of the AXSCHAT community discussions.

TeamKinetic believe that everyone should be given equal opportunities and access to a variety of volunteering opportunities to choose from. We at TeamKinetic strive to provide volunteer management software that is fully inclusive and easy to use. If you have personal experience of using our sites with assistive technology we would love to hear how we can improve. For more information about us and what we do visit our website. 

TeamKinetic’s 4th annual volunteer conference – Day 1

By

On 18th September 2018

In Events and Conferences

TeamKinetic hosted their 4th annual volunteer conference on the 11th and 12th of September in partnership with Greater Sport and the Manchester Metropolitan University.

Day 1 of the conference allowed current customers to attend the exclusive event and gain further insight into current developments and new features on the volunteer system.

TeamKinetic Logo

Introduction to customer workshop

The volunteer conference was initiated by current customers arriving at the venue where they had some time to talk among one another and grab a quick tea or coffee before the workshop masterclass by Steven Hall. Some of the TeamKinetic customer organisations present were…

The volunteer conference workshop kicked off by an introduction of the TeamKinetic itinerary and organisation, as well as an opportunity for all customers present to formally introduce themselves and their organisation.

Update Overview

After the introduction, Steven went on to discuss the update overview and explain what each update would mean to the TeamKinetic customers. This was an opportunity for our customers to get a further understanding of the changes being made, and inquire more information regarding the update. Here are some of the topics that were covered.

Weekly emails

The second overview was regarding weekly emails sent out to volunteers using the volunteer system. This was a chance for customers to highlight anything they believed was important to include in the emails received, which led to many strong suggestions.

Custom Fields

The custom field update informed the customers of the ways they could gather information from volunteers and the different ways they could store them.

Mobile App

Many customers liked the mobile app update for volunteers as it would allow them to complete things on the go, such as:

  • Join opportunities
  • Search opportunities
  • View opportunities they are on
  • Log hours
  • Leave feedback
Searching For Opportunities

Customers were able to find out more about the search options available for volunteers and how they can analyse exactly what volunteers are searching for and utilise this information when producing future opportunities.

TeamKinetic customers at the volunteer conference masterclass

Lunch

The morning session came to an end which meant it was lunchtime!

The guests and TeamKinetic took a short walk to a local Indian restaurant, which allowed everyone to get to know each other better and reflect on things they found useful from the morning session.

This was also a terrific opportunity to get to know our customers even better in person and find out more about them as individuals.

Zouk bar and grill restaurant were great hosts as they provided alternative options for our vegan/ vegetarian/gluten free guests and the food was fantastic!

Q /A and interviews

After arriving back from lunch I was able to interview some of the TeamKinetic customers and find out how their day was going and ask them more about the work they do in their community. Here are some of the questions and responses we received from our customers.

What do you hope to get out of the volunteer conference?

“Getting tips on improving our skills and how to use the system properly and understand the functionalities. we deal with individuals and organisation who are using the system and their point of contact is us, so we need to be on top of our game.”

Carwyn Humphreys – Volunteer Manager (Mantell Gwynedd)

What have you found valuable from today?

“Today has been really useful on how to use the systems new features. Coming together as a group and listening to volunteering organisation and how they manage things has also been really important today”

Dawn Georgeson – Volunteer Lead (Liverpool FC Foundation)

Can you tell us about a memorable volunteering experience you’ve had?

“We were asked to find a volunteer to look after a pony and a ram. This was near enough impossible to ask or find a volunteer for. It was on the way home for me so I ended up doing it for quite a long time. It became great fun!”

Michiel Blees – Volunteer centre officer (PAVO)

how have you found today’s masterclass session?

“Really impressed, we’ve got the opportunity to talk about day-to-day practice. We’ve had lots of time for questions and gaining more knowledge on the system. But also where it is going in the future, really really positive session!”

Julia Manser – Swansea volunteer centre manager (SVS)

Interview setup for TeamKinetic customers

TeamKinetic customers were also able to ask Chris, Steve and Rolf questions about the system and anything they wanted to learn more about. Many of the customers found this a beneficial part of the day as they were able to ask specific questions relating to their organisation. They were also able to ask questions regarding updates and how these can be used for more effective management.

The Q and A was followed by a tea break, allowing customers an opportunity to network and discuss the system developments from the morning sessions. TeamKinetic got to gain more customer insight. This was important to us as it will help us increase the effectiveness of the volunteer system for the consumer.

The Road Map

The final session of the day was led by Rolf Herbert. This was a chance for customers to find out where TeamKinetic are heading. Some of the system developments on the road-map were:

  1. Applying/Show Interest Opportunities
  2. Improved search
  3. Remove Induction Process
  4. Improve Post Creation Session Editing
  5. New Social Media Triggers
  6. Increase Email and Communication Customisation

The roadmap was a focus on making the volunteer recruitment process even simpler. Rolf also discussed plans of refactoring, regrouping, and repackaging. This would mean that current features would be enhanced for the user.

Our customers gained a further insight into the system developments and improvements on the way. The day also allowed customers to strengthen their ability to use the volunteer system. For TeamKinetic, it was a chance to have customers together and share experiences.

The workshop was a chance to better understand our customer requirements, but more importantly, it was a great chance to go out for a drink and pizza and get to know one another!

 

Find out more about TeamKinetic 

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The importance of providing volunteers with a disability equal opportunities and access to volunteering

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On 10th September 2018

In Community, News & Views

TeamKinetic got to sit down and interview Steve and Dylan, two amazingly enthusiastic volunteers from Liverpool FC Foundation. We discussed their experiences as volunteers with a disability and the impact volunteering has had on them. It was amazing to see all the work they put into the local community as well as the Foundation.  Both men volunteer regularly, at least three times, throughout the week.

Dylan, Steve, Ash and Jerome at Respect 4 All inclusive session at LFC Academy

Heres what they had to say…

How long have you volunteered for and what do you enjoy the most about volunteering?

Steve: “It was in 2008 in September with Mark. He was the disability officer who invited me to join the Respect 4 All program, which allowed me to get into volunteering. I enjoy getting the disabled children involved in sports, especially football. I am very passionate about getting boys, girls, women, everyone into playing football.”

Dylan: “I have volunteered for 2 months now. I like to get involved with the kids and help them with playing different sports.”

Do you feel that younger children look up to you for help and inspiration?

Steve: “Very much so, it’s hard for disabled people to break into sports. I’ve really enjoyed helping the children become better players and better individuals. Before the LFC Foundation, I volunteered for the Liverpool council and I used to go to a special school in Liverpool, so I have always felt passionate about sport for disabled people.”

What does the LFC Foundation mean to you?

Steve: “It means everything to me! I’ve been a supporter for the Liverpool Football club since I was 3 years old. The work that they do, not just in disability but all kinds of projects through the city. They’re a leading light. They impact so many peoples lives. Out of sports, I am generally a quiet person. The Foundation has developed my confidence in coaching. Being around the more experienced coaches and learning from them really helps with my volunteering.”

Dylan: “Everything! I play for the team and I’ve been there for ten years. I’ve improved my people skills and working with others. I want the foundation to keep growing.”

It was clear to see how much being involved with Liverpool FC Foundation meant to Steve and Dylan, Volunteering in football clearly meant a lot to them and their engagement with the young people in the sessions was fantastic.

One of the sessions regular attendee’s was Reiss, He has been inspired not just to keep coming to the sessions by these two great coaches, but also to go one step further, and to register as a volunteer on the LFC Foundation portal powered by TeamKinetic.

Reiss is a 16-year-old Liverpool FC fan and who’s enthusiastic for his club is limitless.  He regularly attends the Respect 4 All sessions and we to know what had made Reiss so keen to do more?

Reiss playing Football at the Respect 4 All session at Liverpool Academy

Do you enjoy the activities at the LFC Foundation?

Reiss: “Yes, I do! It’s really good to get kids with disabilities together and getting them involved in football and learning new skills.”

What would it mean to you to become a volunteer for the LFC Foundation?

Reiss: “It would mean a lot to me to volunteer. I want to help younger children like I have in the past. I hope to be volunteering for the future with the LFC Foundation. Volunteering will allow me to gain more experience and work with others, to better my CV.”

It was a fantastic day at the Respect 4 All event, and all the young people getting involved. The impact the staff and volunteers had on these young peoples lives can be difficult sometimes to effectively explain, but it should never be underestimated. The Liverpool FC Foundation put in tremendous amounts of effort to create a strong community. TeamKinetic is proud to play its role in supporting this work.

 

 

The Liverpool FC Foundation’s impact on volunteers with a disability 

By

On 6th September 2018

In Community, Events and Conferences

Volunteering organisations like the LFC Foundation are increasing sports participation amongst young people with complex and additional needs, and the positive impact those volunteers have on their community.

We spent a few days volunteering at the LFC Foundation at their Respect 4 All activity day.

Volunteering for the LFC Foundation

Our day as volunteers at the LFC Academy was non-stop from the get-go. We arrived and were given our volunteering kit as well as a detailed briefing about the day ahead. We had just enough time for a quick coffee before people started to arrive.

I could immediately tell that the children looked forward to these events from the big smiles on their faces and the numbers just kept growing and growing. It was going to be an action-packed day for the volunteers and participants.

There were a number of different games, which offered something for everyone there. The coaches split everyone into groups by age categories. My group were all full of energy before the goalball activity. They even insisted on penalty shootouts and racing me while we waited for our next game. I was exhausted!

As the day went on, we all got to find out more about each other, and what activities we enjoyed the most. For me this was the most striking effect of the activity day, not the activities, fun though they were, but the interaction and the positive energy. The inclusivity of the day was amazing and differences in situation and ability were quickly forgotten as everyone got involved.

The event on the day had over fifty participants with thirty parents and guardians attending. It was a great turnout and a brilliant success and I would encourage anyone to get involved.

The impact of foundations on volunteers with a disability

Respect 4 all is Liverpool FC foundation’s inclusive, weekly multi-sport event. The event is for children and young people with complex and additional needs in the Liverpool community.

The Foundation is one of many across the UK, helping get more disabled young people into sports and regular physical activity. The Liverpool FC Foundation is one of many that are funded by the premier league and BT.

Volunteering with a disability

We all know the social benefits that volunteering can generate, both for the individual volunteer and those around them.  These benefits are arguably even more important to a person with a disability.

But, for years there has been an underrepresentation among people with a disability in the voluntary sector. In 2015 only 36% per cent of people with a disability or long-term illness participated in some form of volunteering. However, through the work of Liverpool FC Foundation, the hope is we can help these numbers grow.

30% of grant-receiving organisations, like Liverpool FC Foundation, have reported that they have seen an increase in confidence and development of people skills in their volunteers. This was evident in my interview with Steve and Dylan, two young men who are involved with the ‘Respect 4 all’ programme.

16% of these organisations have also suggested that volunteering has enabled disabled volunteers to gain employment. Disabled volunteers experience a reduction in social isolation, become role models for other disabled participants and develop real-life skills.  These are serious benefits that really impact the quality of peoples lives and should not be taken lightly as to their importance.

So what are the benefits of engaging volunteers with a disability?

Volunteering is an act of kindness, a way of helping others, therefore,  it should be universally accessible. Engaging volunteers with a disability would not only enhance their skills but the capacity of the organisation itself.  It is important to break the social stereotypes.  A diverse voluntary organisation better understands the barriers disabled people face on a daily bases and that understanding can only lead to an improvement in the provision; especially when organisations see the potential disabled volunteers hold.

Overall, our day at the LFC Academy was enjoyable, educative and inspiring. It was amazing to see the high turn out and how much everyone looked forward to these weekly activities. The LFC Foundation has impacted so many peoples lives and by the success of the program, it looks like they will continue to do so.

TeamKinetic is volunteer management software that works and is use by the LFC Foundation to help build their volunteer community. Read our reviews to find out what other volunteer managers think about TeamKinetic.

 

Volunteering Conference – Getting to know Kristen Stephenson

By

On 5th September 2018

In Community, Events and Conferences

As TeamKinetic 4th annual sports volunteering conference approaches,  we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get to know some of our guest speakers for the event. The theme of this year’s conference is:

‘What can sports volunteering learn from the wider voluntary sector’. 

This year’s volunteering conference will allow volunteer managers, volunteers, policymakers and academics to come together to discuss best practice as well as insights in the wider voluntary sector.

DAY 1 (TeamKinetic Customers only)

  • FREE event to TeamKinetic customers.
  •  A masterclass by Steven Hall on the TeamKinetic volunteer system.
  • Customers will also be able to discuss the future software developments of TeamKinetic.

DAY 2

  • Denise Larrad – BBC Sports Personality 2017 Unsung Hero award winner
  • Kirsten Stephenson – Head of Volunteering – Sport England
  • Laura Hamilton – Volunteer Management Consultant – Laura Hamilton Consulting and member of the Association of Volunteer
    Chantel Scherer – Director of Marketing, Communications and Member Engagement at Sport & Recreation Alliance
  • Mike Howlett – Volunteer & Citizenship Lead – Sefton Volunteer Centre
  • Claire Jones – Head of Volunteering – Halton and St Helens Volunteer Centre
  • Fiona Liddell – Volunteering Development Manager – Welsh Council Voluntary Action (WCVA)

Kristen will be leading the first session at our conference with a session on…

“Volunteering in an Active Nation: How cross-sector collaboration can unlock the potential of volunteering in sport and physical activity”

Kristen has recently joined Sport England as Head of Volunteering. She leads on managing the 32 projects across Sport Englands Volunteering Funds and supporting the delivery of the strategy ‘Volunteering in an Active Nation’. These funded projects are focused on getting young people involved in making a difference through; social action, sport and physical activity and creating opportunities to get people from economically disadvantaged areas involved in volunteering.

The most important things for you as a volunteer manager at Sports England?

“A key priority for my role is to focus on how we can increase the diversity of people volunteering in sport and physical activity. I manage our Volunteering Funds which are all testing approaches to reaching people who are currently underrepresented; particularly those in lower socio-economic groups and women. This is one of the most challenging but exciting areas of my work! I am really passionate about making volunteering in sport more inclusive so that more people can experience the benefits.”

Your best or most memorable volunteering experience?

“One of my most memorable volunteering experiences has to be helping out at my running club’s midsummer relay race in my local park. It was a beautiful summer’s evening with a great turnout! I was taking on a new volunteer role- timing the runners taking part. This was a bit nerve-wracking, to begin with, and hard work but starting the big race clock and seeing everyone have a great time was totally worth it!”

What to expect from you on the day of the conference?

“Expect to find out more about Sports England’s strategic ambitions for volunteering and hear how we’re working with and learning from the voluntary sector to make these a reality. I hope people will find out more about our work to increase the number and diversity of people volunteering in sport and physical activity and perhaps be surprised at how we are working differently to achieve the aims and objectives of our strategy. I’m also really keen to hear from delegates about their work in this area too and so I hope it encourages people to come to share their ideas and what they are working on too.”

We look forward to having Kristen at the conference and learning about more Sport England’s strategy.  We hope you are as excited as we are TeamKinetic is to hear what our other guest speakers have to talk offer. Above all, we hope to see you there for a great day!

If you’re still undecided,  why not read our six reasons to attend the volunteering conference!

For more information on the volunteering conference and how to purchase a ticket. Please click this link.

 

 

A day volunteering at Liverpool FC Foundation

By

On 29th August 2018

In Community, Sport

Take a read of TeamKinetic’s Ashraf, on his day as a volunteer and what he got up to at Liverpool FC Foundation. From a history lesson on the organisation, an action-packed tournament at Albert Dock and how the Foundation is benefiting from using TeamKinetics volunteer management software.

 

LFC foundation

 

The Journey

I got on my train at 8:00 am from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool lime street with a minute to spare. As I took a seat I made sure I was well equipt for the day, going through my checklist of things I needed to complete and making sure I didn’t forget anything important. When I arrived at Liverpool I was a little lost as my internet data had run out, but we live in the 21st century where the city provides you with public wifi. Thank God!

After a quick coffee and mapping out my route, I made my way to Chapel Street. I was greeted by the friendly Dawn Georgeson (Volunteer Manager for Liverpool FC Foundation), who provided me with my volunteering T-shirt / Hoodie and my office pass for the day. I was really excited to find out more about the Foundation and the work they do around the city. As well as spending my day as a Liverpool FC Foundation volunteer.

Getting to know the team

When we arrived at the office, I was welcomed by the rest of the group who all introduced themselves and made me feel part of the team.  After changing into my Liverpool FC Foundation attire, I was ready for my induction and briefing by Dawn. I was treated like any other volunteer and was asked to provide information such as:

  • Past volunteering experience I have gained over the years.
  • What motivated me to volunteer
  • What I have gained from being a volunteer

Dawn mentioned that she likes to meet and chat with all her volunteers, as it allows her to understand each volunteer individually, as well as assessing which roles they would be more suited to. This was great, as it made me feel valued and helped me develop some instant rapport with Dawn.

My induction interview introduced me to Rinchen (Digital Analyst Intern). Rinchen is also a volunteer at the Liverpool FC Foundation but has gained a 6 week paid internship through his voluntary work with the club. Richens passion was clear to see and he explained to me his reasons for getting involved

” With the foundation coming up and my love for Liverpool football club, it all came together really well. I joined because I wanted to try something new and improve my confidence, by getting into different situations and getting into different activities”

It was fantastic to see how Rinchen’s volunteering had helped him gain a role at his favourite football club. Rinchen went on to say how

“The TeamKinetic volunteer system was very simple and easy to use. The features where you can log and total up hours and say what went right and wrong is really helpful”.

Taking part and volunteering

After getting to know the team and the organisation at the office,  it was time to head to Albert Dock.  Liverpool FC Foundation hosts a number of training sessions and football tournaments at the floating football pitch. It was outstanding to see so many young people attending the sessions and how popular it was with the local community.

Liverpool’s Albert Dock Floating Pitch

Being a volunteer for the day it was important to get stuck in with the activities. I spent some time talking to the crowds of spectators, informing them about upcoming matches and events that the Liverpool FC Foundation had coming up.

I also helped with providing the players with water bottles during their games and providing support and encouragement.  Not to mention, I gathered video and pictures of the activities that took place at Albert Dock. It was fantastic to see so many people getting involved and enjoying this free sports event.

Again everyone was so welcoming! I got to chat with some of the coaches and other volunteers and understand a little more about what they do around the community. The foundation provides opportunities for so many people and helps them:

  • Develop new skills such as ball control.
  • Learn how to work as part of a team and become a better team player.
  • Provide courses that aim to inspire the next generation of female footballers

Rounding up the day

Once the activities ended, we made our way back to the Liverpool FC office.  I was taken on a tour, and I got to see achievements of the club. I wanted to find out more about the Liverpool FC foundations plans for volunteering, so I sat down with Dawn and Katie for a chat.

We discussed their volunteering background and what fueled their motivation to work in the voluntary sector. In addition, we talked about their progress using the TeamKinetic volunteer software. It was great to hear that they found the volunteer system extremely helpful and how it has allowed them to expand their programme.  You can read my interview with Dawn and Katie here.

I made my way back to the train station and kissed goodbye to public WiFi. Overall I had a fantastic day and enjoyed getting to know more about the foundation. I look forward to returning to volunteer at the Liverpool FC Foundation and gaining even more understanding.

If you would like to find out more about TeamKinetic or if you have any questions. Please get in touch with me at – ash@teamkinetic.co.uk

Why Liverpool FC Foundation are using TeamKinetic volunteer software

By

On 28th August 2018

In Case Study, Sport, Volunteer Management

We get to understand the Liverpool FC Foundation and what they do for the community and how TeamKinetic Volunteer software is allowing them to make a bigger impact around the city, through our interview with Katie Ellis and Dawn Georgeson

LFC Foundation

LFC Foundation

About the Liverpool FC Foundation

Liverpool Football Club has long served its local community and it has been a part of their history to support the people of Liverpool. More recently, in 2010 this commitment was furthered with the launch of the Liverpool FC Foundation, developed as a financially independent organisation.

The Liverpool FC Foundation’s mission!

“is to bring together the LFC family to create life-changing opportunities for children and young people.”

The Foundation is all about providing opportunities for children and young people. They run a number of projects throughout the week for different groups :

  • Girls and Women.
  • People with disabilities.
  • Disadvantaged communities.
  • Children and families.

It is a goal of the Foundation to provide activities that are fully inclusive. The Liverpool FC Foundation is also in partnership with a number of other organisations, like Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and many others.

They work with partners to raise awareness and to tackle issues around the city. Volunteering for the Foundation allowed me to see first hand how inclusive and welcoming they are, as well as the impact they have had on younger people of Liverpool and beyond.

The Foundation has a strong team of community coaches and project leaders that deliver sessions to young people in the community working directly with schools, sports venues and youth organisations. Their six-step plan shows how they achieve these goals.

The impact Liverpool FC Foundation has made to the community

The foundation has made a significant impact on the community, aiming to offer all young people in Liverpool access to sport. Liverpool FC Foundation run over 100 tournaments each year, working with over 5,000 children. The charity also runs a number of projects such as Kicks, Primary stars, and Open Goals. Open goals is a new project which is aimed at engaging young people and families to take part in the regular physical activity.

Liverpool FC Foundation focuses on more than just sport. The organisation also run an employability program which aims at young people aged between 18-25. The project helps young people with CV building and interview skills to prepare them for the future. The impact of the project has helped people with their confidence, interaction skills, and preparation for work.

Fundraising is another way the foundation has made a difference to the community. Liverpool FC Foundation works to help those in need around the community, including their partnership programmes. The Foundation runs a variety of fundraising events such as:

  • VIP Gala Dinner with Jürgen Klopp.
  • LFC Supporters Club Fundraising Challenge.
  • Newly launched LFC Foundation lottery.

The Foundation looks at improving the life of the community and helping each other. The Foundation engages with over 21,000 people a year, which shows their impact as a foundation.

How Liverpool FC Foundation has benefited from using the TeamKinetic volunteer software

Having spoken to Dawn (Volunteer lead) and Katie (Project lead) it was important to get an understanding of what difficulties they previously had in terms of recruiting volunteers. As the Volunteer lead, Dawn has the responsibility of recruiting volunteers for the opportunities on their volunteer software website which is powered by TeamKinetic.

Katie, Dawn and I discussed how they have adjusted to using the TeamKinetic volunteer management software, and the benefits it has provided them and the Liverpool FC Foundation.

This is what they had to say…

Dawn: “We have gone from using a paper trail to now having something that is digitally quite far ahead of the game. It simplifies everything. From the minute someone registers, I get informed via email and they also get notified with immediate contact. Which I think is really important to volunteers as its making them feel valued”

Katie: ” I think the thing that is good, is when we discussed at the start how we were going to place the website, where people were going to find out about how to volunteer. We were able to share the foundation URL so that it was really easy to find. With a button on the Foundation website were volunteers could find it.”

Dawn: ” I think as well, even for someone who isn’t particularly good at IT, the volunteer software is very simple to follow. The forms are really easy to fill out and are pretty self-explanatory”

Katie: “Volunteers like to feel valued, so the incentive program and how we can track that on the TeamKinetic system is something we will be looking to do next. I think that will be very powerful, especially in a football club. To have incentives that link back to the reasons people volunteer and one of them is for the fans to feel closer to the club”

Dawn: “Yeah, also it isn’t just closed off to fans of the club, its people who just want to help the local community. That is quite clear in the opportunities we provide, showing that it’s not just about the club but the community in general”

Volunteer experience of using TeamKinetic’s volunteer software

I wanted to find out what the volunteers thought of the volunteer system as they are also an integral part of the Foundation’s development. I spoke with Rinchen who had gained a paid role as a digital analyst from his volunteering efforts. This is what he had to say about the volunteer software.

” Using the TeamKinetic volunteer system has been pretty easy. I have signed up to a few opportunities already using the website. It’s user-friendly and you’ve got all the options there. You’ve got all the opportunities allowing you to sign up to what you want and has a lovely map of where it is making it very easy to find. ”

Understanding our customers want and needs are at the heart of TeamKinetic. This allows the team to develop innovative ways to make our customers lives easier.  To find out more about TeamKinetic and our work and how we can help you recruit, deploy and retain more volunteers, please get in touch with our team.

Reminder! 

Tickets are still available for our annual volunteer conference. The link for the ticket can be found HERE

 

What’s the big deal about volunteer management software

By

On 16th August 2018

In Community

Using volunteer management software can simplify the management process and allow volunteers and providers to focus on the bigger picture.

volunteer management software UK, Volunteer management system

For years volunteers have dedicated their time to help organisations in all areas; youth work, teaching, befriending, sport, you get it, the list goes on!

Volunteers put in tremendous amounts of effort and passion into what they do for the community. Volunteers give up their time for a multitude of reasons like;

  • Change and impact the lives of others in a positive way.
  • Become part of a community with a shared goal.
  • Help those less fortunate than they are.
  • Provide help to a charity that once helped them.

We occasionally forget the generosity of volunteers. The number of hours they dedicate to helping others can sometimes go unnoticed. It is important for us as a community to be aware of peoples achievements. From the world-class events to small community get-togethers. all the inspiring stories can remind us of the real reasons we volunteer, and why it is so rewarding.

Why Do I Need Volunteer Management Software?

Before delving into the perks of volunteer management software, here are some quick facts and figures to consider:

  1. The proportion of young people volunteering (16-24) have increased, with them being twice as likely to have volunteered for a charity in the last 4 weeks.
  2. An estimated 21 million people in the UK volunteer at least once a year, contributing around £24bn to the economy.
  3. Fundraising charity events have increased by 700% since 2007.
  4. Volunteer supported events across the UK are held at over 10,000 venues.

Whilst it is fantastic to see the sectors advancements, the resulting demands on volunteer managers become greater and require them to find new ways of recruiting, managing, and retaining volunteers.

Operating a modern volunteer programme manually or using spreadsheets and in-house tools often leads to time being monopolised by administrative work, rather than developing the programme. A manual system cannot support an increase in volunteer sign-ups for opportunities as the process and response become prolonged.

Volunteer managers face the challenge of creating and maintaining a digital volunteer platform and embracing the possibilities that 21 million volunteers offer. This is where a volunteer management system excels, allowing volunteer managers space and time to grow their programme and communities instead of micro-managing the process.

Volunteers want to be connected with what is happening in their community, know what their commitments are, and keep track of their achievements. Volunteers value text and email reminders of their sessions and regular updates about new opportunities. They enjoy connecting with other volunteers and want to be empowered to find and choose their own opportunities.

Volunteer managers want to be able to advertise and promote their programmes. They want to get up to date figures and KPI reports to support their programme and grant applications, communicate effectively with ever increasing numbers of volunteers. As well as, gaining real insight into the effectiveness and impact of their programme.

This is simply not possible with a manual approach. Good volunteer management software should allow the volunteer managers and volunteers access to all of the above at a reasonable cost whilst freeing up the managers to grow and improve their programme.

Why TeamKinetic Volunteer Management Software?

If you decide you do need a volunteer management system there are plenty to choose from so why choose TeamKinetic?

In a nutshell; it’s FREE, it’s powerful, it’s user-friendly, it’s trusted and it works!

The simplicity of the system enables volunteers from 9 to 90 to get on and get volunteering with little or no intervention required by the managers and coordinators. TeamKinetic comes with a variety of user-centric features including;

  • Logging hours and achievements in a downloadable volunteer profile.
  • Searching for opportunities, events and roles in their area or further afield.
  • Direct communication channels to the opportunity providers and other volunteers on the opportunity using Chatter.
  • Following favourite opportunity types and providers to get notified first when new opportunities are added.
  • Daily text and weekly email reminders for sessions.
  • Calendar views.
  • CPD and qualification uploads.

TeamKinetic empowers the volunteers to choose their own opportunities and commitment level. It keeps the volunteers engaged with regular updates, HourTrade rewards and our Badge levelling system.

We have extensive administration tools for creating and managing opportunities and volunteers. Daily activity summary, TeamLeader functions, profile image and identity badge creation, KPI and custom reports, text messaging, custom registration and profile questions, GDPR compliant and so much more. There is no more need for micro-managing and you can get on with the important development of your programme instead of worrying if you have enough volunteers.

Lastly, did we mention it’s free? Or choose a low monthly cost option so you can see if a volunteer management system is for you with zero or very little financial commitment.

For further information please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our team on 0161 914 5757 or visit our website for more information. 

Introducing TeamKinetic: Meet the tenacious Ash

By

On 2nd August 2018

In Events and Conferences

If we go back just two years ago…

I was a dedicated track and field athlete plagued with injury whilst pushing myself to my limits. University was fast approaching and I needed a career plan for the future.

One day I was watching an Ad campaign by New Balance and the impact it had on me was something I wanted to share with others. I wanted a career in which I could capture an audience’s attention and retain it, by creating and developing relationships that they would value within the business world.

Ashraf Liles running for carmarthen

 

EUREKA!

That is when I knew marketing was the route I wanted to take. So now we have a passionate sports marketing student with little experience, but a vast amount of enthusiasm and the willingness to learn.

Since starting university, my perception of volunteering got flipped upside down, and I was forced to change my stereotypical views. My first real volunteering experience was at the Manchester City V Monaco match. I say “real” because all my previous volunteering experiences felt like a chore and my heart was not in it for the right reasons. So I thought I’d give it all another chance, and since that day I have never looked back…

Volunteering has given me the opportunity to work alongside some of the biggest charities in the UK and appreciate the hard work that goes on to help those people less fortunate and in all kinds of challenging circumstances.

It has made me value volunteers in a different way, as sometimes we forget that many of the biggest events around the world are fueled by the labour and endowing nature of these people.

I have also developed skills, that have aided in my development at University and work. these skills allow me to apply my experiences to academic work and really understand what I am doing. The connections and relationships I have created have improved my professional interpersonal skills and opened up new opportunities.

My volunteering has allowed me to gain sponsors and raise money for charity events that I have helped to run and organise. These experiences have led to my involvement with StreetGames, a fundraiser to help disadvantaged children receive meals throughout the summer holidays and, Street2Feet a football tournament for people who are currently homeless or come from a disadvantaged background. I also set up and run a jogging club at Manchester Metropolitan University, for which I organise runs, events and manage the club’s social media activity. Additionally, volunteering has provided me with the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals that have inspired me to pursue my life goals.

It was during my volunteering that I had unknowingly started using TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software, as it powers MCRVIP to keep track of my volunteering hours and to apply for new opportunities. The volunteer management system made it simple for me to keep track of all my work, and meet my volunteering hour targets which are well over a 100 hours now. So when the opportunity of a placement with TeamKinetic arose, I had no hesitation in applying for the job role of a marketing coordinator.

I had confidence that all the hard work I had invested in my academic and voluntary pursuits would put me in good stead in the application process. I was delighted to have been invited to interview and despite all the nerves I had, I left the interview unsure of the whether I had done enough…

Thankfully, it would appear I did. As here I am writing my introduction blog surrounded by a driven team, with shared values and aspirations.

I look forward to beginning my journey at TeamKinetic and sharing my experience through our blog. Thank you for your time. Feel free to reach out to me if you have anything you would like to share.

Ashraf Liles
Marketing Coordinator
ash@teamkinetic.co.uk

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