Category: Case Study Page 2 of 3

Managing Major Sports Events: How Sports Cardiff recruits and manages its volunteers

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On 19th June 2018

In Case Study, Community, Sport, Volunteer Management

Cardiff welcomes yet another major event to the city. Eager to join some of the excitement, TeamKinetic visited Cardiff and the front line volunteers of the event. Take a read of how volunteers at major events in Cardiff are managed by Sport Cardiff and the experience one of our team whilst at the event.  

Volunteers in Action

Volunteers in Action

Cardiff a Sporting city of Success

In the last few years, Cardiff has successfully hosted several major sporting events. From the Champions League final, a Heavyweight Boxing unification fight,  and most recently the Volvo Ocean Race. Cardiff is quickly becoming a popular choice to host world-level sporting events.

Responsibility for organising some of these events has fallen to Sport Cardiff, the city’s sport development team a partnership between Cardiff Council and Cardiff Metropolitan University. Using TeamKinetic volunteer management software, Sport Cardiff recruits volunteers for sports events and opportunities across the city. TeamKinetic wanted to take the opportunity to visit such a prestigious event and to experience some of the thrills of front-line volunteering.

Volvo Ocean Race – Tell me more

The Volvo Ocean Race sees seven teams compete against each other across eleven legs around the world’s oceans. The ninth leg brings the competitors to Cardiff, in which they spend fifteen days in the port, included in this time are several port challenges which contribute points to the leaderboard. Amongst the excitement is an entourage of pop up stands and stools from partners, sponsors and charitable organisations which provide visitors with entertainment and education.  The volunteers assist with the running of the event and the various stands through their enthusiasm, knowledge and approachable smiles.

Recruiting Volunteers and Managing Volunteers

The responsibility of recruiting volunteers from the local area fell on Gareth Power, Sport Development Co-ordinator at Sport Cardiff. As Sport Cardiff uses TeamKinetic volunteer management software to power the volunteer website Gareth was eager to ensure opportunities were shared across the portal.

In a brief interview, Gareth reflected on how the recruitment and management of volunteer had benefited from the use of TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software.

“It’s been a really positive experience and a great event so far. We have needed hundreds of volunteers who collectively have worked over 8 thousand hours for this fourteen consecutive day event. It has been quite intense and full on, but the volunteers have just been great.

They really have embraced the event. They come from all walks of life with different interests, backgrounds and motivations for volunteering. Whether it’s their first time volunteering or their hundredth it’s great to find a cause that brings them all together. The fact that everyone has decided to be here really helps to create a different dynamic and a positive vibe for the event.

For us at Sport Cardiff, it is important that we don’t just look at a singular event but also think about how we can keep the engagement of these volunteers in the future. This is just one of the reasons TeamKinetic volunteer management software is so valuable to us because it enables to promote future events to the volunteers who have previously signed up. This helps us to create a legacy,  grow the pool of volunteers and increase the number of returning volunteers in the future.

For events which last so long, it can be challenging to manage such a high number of volunteers and their availability. The TeamKinetic software has helped us to overcome this challenge by allowing volunteers the flexibility to swap shifts on the volunteer portal without the need of going through the administrator.

Another aspect that makes the software so valuable is its automated and customisable communication features. Using TeamKinetic we know that all of the volunteers who sign up through the portal will receive the necessary information. It also is the perfect platform for us to collect feedback from volunteers following the event. This is made possible through the events survey functionality. “

If you would like to read James’ experience volunteering at the event check out his blog here.

Or if you’d like to learn more about TeamKinetic volunteer management software, please get in touch with one of our team:

Call 0161 914 5757

Email james@teamkinetic.co.uk

TeamKinetic Case Study: Seashell Trust Finds A Functional Solution to Volunteer Management

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On 8th May 2018

In Case Study, Charity, News & Views

Seashell Trust is home to the Royal School Manchester, a non-maintained special school, and the Royal College Manchester, an independent specialist further education college. Both school and college are residential and together cater for students from the age of 2 to 25. Students who attend our school and college are able to access on-site residential and short break facilities. A range of services are available to students, including an all-inclusive sports facility, specialist therapy, as well as staff with expertise in autism, multi-sensory impairments and behaviour management. We also offer a wide range of inclusive sport, health and leisure activities for the community including our students and staff.

With a team of 540 staff, two-thirds are full time and a further 150 volunteers, the charity’s workforce is large and mobile. The responsibility of managing the voluntary services within the Charity falls upon Stephen Pearson, Volunteer Coordinator.

The following case study explores how TeamKinetic has supported Steve and Seashell Trust in its volunteer management, improving the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

Firstly, please can you explain your role at Seashell Trust?

As volunteer coordinator, I am responsible for overseeing all of our voluntary services, from the recruitment, compliance checks and safety requirements for opportunities. I also work within the organisation to identify and develop opportunities for our volunteers, making sure the departments can support, develop and manage volunteers.

My role involves community engagement, sport and recreation, family support and outreach work, throughout all of these we try to encourage involvement from other organisations. I also look to manage our corporate voluntary services, as find many businesses and large organisations allow their staff two to three days of volunteering a year.

Why did you start looking for volunteer management software / How did you come across TeamKinetic?

Previously, we depended greatly on the use of excel spreadsheet as our database. This caused us challenges when trying to sharing or accessing with other users, such as when we wanted to produce reports.

We needed more functionality that came with a purpose-built software: the ability to sign up to opportunities through a website portal, to advertise opportunities online, the ability for volunteers to leave feedback.  Whilst exploring the different options available to us, we noticed with TeamKinetic software, opportunities can be shared in a network of connected organisations if opted in for. This provided volunteers with the unique opportunity to be able to join opportunities from different providers, but within the same area for example.

How have you found TeamKinetic meets your organisation needs?

Firstly, I believe the software has benefitted Seashell Trust, as everything is now available remotely through the cloud.  On the most basic level, it supports us as opportunity providers with recruiting, monitoring and reporting the activity of our volunteers. It provides our volunteers with a professional interface for them to find opportunities and interact with us an organisation.  It enables volunteers to register their interests online, access and join opportunities available, update their profiles with their DBS and CPD documentation and track the opportunities they have participated in.  These functions are only further enhanced when you consider how easy the system is to use.

TeamKinetic provides a better user interface for opportunity providers to communicate with volunteers, by providing plenty of options, from email, social media and text messaging. Combined with the feedback functionality for volunteers, the software creates a greater emphasis on communication, which helps to keep volunteers engaged.

Do you have any other comments or anything to add?

For other third sector organisations, I would highly recommend that they have a chat with the guys from TeamKinetic. The software they provide is exactly what it says on the tin, it works from an administrative point of view. You just have to point and click, the results are there. The software is colourful and visual, meaning it’s not a bore having to use and then there is plenty of support and assistance available to get the most from the software. The useful help guides and training manuals, combined with the specialist support provided by the team is really good.

As a product, I feel it is leading the market, with its regular updates, advanced functionality and the support provided. I think it really is one of those products that ‘does what it says on the tin’. We live in a digital age and if you are serious about keeping volunteers and recruiting new ones, then you have to change with the times. Something that I think TeamKinetic does.

Thank you, Stephen, for both your time and answers.

To find out more or to book a demonstration contact TeamKinetic at: 0161 914 5757

For over ten years TeamKinetic has been developing innovative technological solutions for third sector organisations. We pride ourselves on our volunteer-centric approach and intuitive design.

Volunteer Management Software that WORKS for Third Sector Organisations.

TeamKinetic Case Study: How Active Stirling uses TeamKinetic to integrate volunteers

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On 17th April 2018

In Case Study, News & Views

Active Stirling delivers sport and physical activity across the Stirling area on behalf of Stirling Council. The responsibility for recruiting, managing and deploying volunteers and sports coaches falls to a wide range of staff within Active Stirling, including Mark Findlay the Employability and Volunteering Manager at Active Stirling. The following case study explores how TeamKinetic has improved the volunteer management process.

Active Stirling

Hello Mark, can you please tell us about your role at Active Stirling?

Collectively my team oversees the recruitment of volunteers and coaches for our community programmes such as term-time activities and holiday programmes. As part of our work, we also manage the coach education programme, which is aimed at offering local clubs, coaches and volunteers training opportunities from safeguarding and protecting children, first aid courses and other similar kinds of courses.

Can you tell me about the type of volunteers you manage?

We have a range of volunteers that contribute to the work of Active Stirling, the age really varies from young sports coaches to our walking groups. In terms of the number of volunteers we have if you look at our after schools programmes we have over three hundred volunteers helping to deliver breakfast, lunchtime and after-school clubs.

How did you previously manage volunteers?

Before using TeamKinetic, many of our groups were self-contained and operated independently. Of course, this was great that they were able to support themselves, but it also meant they were isolated. Using TeamKinetic has helped us to integrate these groups, provide a single platform for them to communicate and for volunteers from different cohorts to explore other opportunities.

Why did you start looking for volunteer management software?

We needed a systematic way of recruiting, deploying and managing our volunteers. It was around the same time I visited Glasgow Life, where I had previously worked and they introduced me to the software. I then reached out to Steve and Chris at TeamKinetic and we organised a meeting and demonstration.

How have you found using TeamKinetic’s Volunteer Management Software?

We have found the benefit of the software to be in its ability to be a ‘one-stop shop’. By that I mean it has all the functionality you need from an end user, the volunteer, to the opportunity provider, Active Stirling in our case.  It has become much easier for us to signpost our volunteers to finding opportunities.

How many opportunities do you post a month?

Currently, we post between 7 and 10 opportunities each month, but we expect this to rise once have we have the system fully integrated across the company

What makes TeamKinetic a stand out product?

“The system is easy to use and is really accessible for our volunteers 24/7. As many of our volunteers are students, they are able to log on when they want to see what opportunities are available. We can also upload all our training opportunities onto the system which again is great, as it keeps everything in the one place”

Thank you for your time and comments Mark.

With experience in working in Sports, Universities and Local Authorities, TeamKinetic has been leading the volunteer management innovation for the last ten years. Having developed one of the most advanced volunteer management system currently available on the market, with a core volunteer-centric design, it uniquely puts the volunteer’s experience first.

To learn more about the benefits TeamKinetic’s Volunteer Management Software could have in your organisation, please get call or email one of our team:

T: 0161 914 5757

E: james@teamkinetic.co.uk

TeamKinetic Case Study: NHS Trust of Warrington & Halton Hospital

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On 11th April 2018

In Case Study, NHS

The combined NHS Foundation Trust of Warrington and Halton Hospitals is responsible for a budget of around £215 million each year. They manage over 4,200 staff and provide access to care for over half a million patients.

Two volunteer managers, Claire and Emily, manage and coordinate volunteers across the entire trust. We spoke to Claire to find out how Warrington and Halton have managed volunteers since December 2016 using TeamKinetic volunteer management software.

WHH VOLUNTEERS LOGO

Can you explain your roles and responsibilities at Warrington and Halton Hospitals?

Emily and I lead the volunteer programme here at Warrington and Halton Hospitals Trust.  We are responsible for the safe recruitment and training of new and existing volunteers and developing innovative ways to engage volunteers to support patient and visitor experience.  We also work alongside the whole staff team to develop and improve their volunteer management skills.

How did you come across TeamKinetic?

In a previous role, I was the North West Volunteer Centres Representative for NCVO and had a demonstration of the Volunteer Kinetic software when the Volunteer Centre network was looking at alternative brokering solutions. It was a couple of years later when working with Warrington and Halton NHS Trust that I saw the opportunity for TeamKinetic to provide its software benefits for the organisation, so I got in touch.

Can you tell me about the kind of opportunities you have available to volunteers?

Currently, we have 32 different opportunities for volunteers to get involved with. Both clinical and non-clinical.  Some of these roles are more traditional such as our administrative roles, meeting and greeting and ward buddies, but there are also some unique roles that we have developed specifically for us. We have worked closely with our theatre departments, to develop roles for volunteers to assist our sterile services and provide back-office support to the stores. We also have volunteers in our eye clinic, medical engineering department and accommodation and education department to name a few.

How has TeamKinetic improved the recruitment process for volunteers?

The volunteering portal provided by TeamKinetic has allowed a simple registration process for our new volunteers enabling us to exceed our volunteer recruitment forecast to date. Being able to monitor the recruitment steps and manage the administration of DBS checks has supported a smoother and quicker registration to active rate.

How has TeamKinetic benefited the volunteer?

Our volunteers are aged from 16 to 83. For those confident using technology, it has handed over the responsibility for finding opportunities, logging hours and tracking their progress. This has incentivised them to search for more opportunities that match their interests and suit their needs.

Of course, for those less confident using technology we have spent some time showing them. For others we can imitate them as a user, enabling us to log their hours and track their activities.  Provider and Volunteer feedback on the portal is also a useful tool in encouraging others to register and supports the recognition and reward of their individual contribution. We have received some great feedback from our volunteers, telling us how much they like the system and like being able to pick their own opportunities and have the ability to try a variety of roles at the same time.  This has been a major draw for some of our younger volunteers who are keen to further their education and careers in the Health and Social Care field.

How has TeamKinetic benefited the opportunity providers?

Using the volunteering portal to list opportunities has made advertising opportunities across lots of social media channels and websites a lot easier. We take a short amount of time to train key staff to upload opportunities themselves if they are confident. This gives them more freedom and access to engaging volunteers who engage in their area of work

For those departments and staff who have time limitations and have a host of other programmes and systems to use, we are able to take the pressure off them and do it on their behalf. Collectively, this reduces the pressure placed on us volunteer managers and also reduces the time it takes for them to advertise opportunities.

What influence has your organisation had in the development of TeamKinetic’s functionality?

Over the last year, we have continually provided feedback on how the system could be developed to support specific aspects of our recruitment and administration processes and give us back valuable time to support our volunteers and staff. As the NHS’ recruitment is a much more stringent process compared to other sectors, such as sport. We needed a greater focus on the internal documentation required, and some of the suggestions we have made have gone into the development of the software.

What advice would you have for other NHS Trusts who need to improve their volunteer management?

For us, TeamKinetic software simplifies the recruitment and management of volunteers, enabling us to advertise opportunities on multiple social media channels and being an easy read platform for our volunteers to get involved in the opportunities available. Engaging more volunteers and providing robust good quality opportunities that support our staff and patient experience enables us to add value and improve our service to those using Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust.

Thank you for your time and comments, Claire and Emily.

If you would like to find out more about TeamKinetic’s software work please visit our website or read more on how we have helped NHS Trusts to improve their volunteer management. Check out our other blog on NHS Pennine Acute Trust or book a free demonstration now.

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 G2, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

TeamKinetic Case Study: Youth Hostel Association (YHA)

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On 28th March 2018

In Case Study, Charity

YHA England and Wales has over 120 YHA Hostels, another 25 franchise sites and 35 affiliate sites across the UK, and is the largest hostel provider in the UK. In its 85 Years of operations, YHA has been operating as a charity that aims to enable young people and schools, families and friends, travellers and individuals to explore, learn and relax the length and breadth of England and Wales. A vital part of this has been the involvement of volunteers who support the running of YHA.

YHA - Team Photo
Katie, Abigail, Jamie, Ros, Crewenna and Robert YHA Volunteering & Impact Team

Crewenna Dymond has been Head of Volunteering at YHA for the last twelve years. She has overseen the transition from the use of Excel sheets, paper files and a CRM system to using TeamKinetic for volunteer management. One year on, Crewenna shares her experience using TeamKinetic and the impact it has had on YHA’s volunteering.

How did you previously manage volunteers?

Previously, volunteers would have to call either the Volunteering Team or a local YHA directly to find when and where opportunities were available.

Once a volunteer had expressed interest in joining an opportunity, they would need to complete a PDF registration form, obtain references and potentially a DBS, depending on their role. Each of these items had to be processed manually and added to a physical paper volunteers folder. The process which was very timely, resulted in duplication and was very inefficient.

We also had a CRM system which was great for recording activity that had already happened, but there was nowhere to put in future activities, we always had to do this with an Excel spreadsheet.

The lack of a singular system also led to much confusion between volunteers and hostels, because there was nowhere to record what agreements had been made.

Why did you decide to look for a volunteer management software?

Despite all the difficulties of our system, it was an internal audit that sparked the need for a singular system to be put in place. There was concern that our data was spread across multiple areas leading to a higher risk to YHA than if it was to be held in one area/system, with an appropriate backup.

During the planning process, we looked to develop our current CRM system, but with the cost incurred, the continuous updates required and still no online tool for volunteers to use, we realised it would be more cost-effective to find a built-for-purpose system.

We looked at other competitors for volunteer management software before selecting TeamKinetic. We needed a system that looked and felt like the YHA website and the decision was made to use TeamKinetic because it could do this, it had the appropriate functionality and as a UK-based company, its data policies were aligned with GDPR.

Using TeamKinetic creates a singular place for the Volunteering team, Hostels and Volunteers to find and access information on the opportunities we have available.

How was the implementation process of TeamKinetic?

Before we imported our volunteer data to the system, we wanted to cleanse it (preparing for GDPR). We started with over 12,000 volunteers on our paper files. We decided to remove any volunteers who had been inactive for the last three years and the remaining 7,500 volunteers were invited to join the new system.

When the system went live in May 2017, we had 7,500 volunteers. Within 10 months using TeamKinetic we now have 10,500 registered users.

What benefits has TeamKinetic provided?

For volunteers it is the self-service side of the software, they are able to go onto the system and see everything they have booked onto, and log their hours, leave feedback and see their own progress.

For the opportunity providers, in our case the Hostels, the TeamKinetic framework has ensured opportunities are much more specific than before, including times, location and the responsibilities of volunteers. The Hostels are much more considerate of the benefits for volunteers and what is offered to them in return for their time because this is explained on all the opportunities pages of the website. This has led to a better experience for our volunteers, encouraging them to volunteer with YHA.

For our hostels, the biggest benefit of having TeamKinetic is the opportunity to create communities within their volunteers. Through the software, volunteers can be grouped into cohorts and communicated with via email or text. This direct communication enables opportunity providers to directly engage with their volunteers like never before. TeamKinetic has opened the door for opportunities to be advertised locally and attract those close to the hostel to get involved. We are finding the time it takes us to develop new opportunities is much shorter, making for a much more efficient process.

In terms of the benefit to us in the Volunteering team, it helps greatly to have everything in one place and having instant access to any of the information needed is very helpful.

How have you found the training, support and use of TeamKinetic?

Steve, the implementation consultant at TeamKinetic, took us through our training and showed us how to use many of the features. We could then refer to the training videos or training manuals both available online if we needed any further support. Of course, if there is anything additional that I need I can always access the team by calling their offices or emailing them or submitting a customer support ticket.

How did your volunteers find using TeamKinetic?

New volunteers have got on and used the website because they did not have any previous expectations.  For these volunteers making full use of the Events pages has helped us to help them find the opportunities of most interest to them easily.  Volunteers with less experience of using web-based technology have generally been positive about using it and with some tips and training, they have adjusted to the new ways of working fairly successfully.

We have found that the age of our volunteers is dropping. Around six or seven years ago, the average age for our volunteers would have been around 55. Now, over half of registered users are under the age of 26. We believe this is because the user-friendly system is something younger people are comfortable using, making it really accessible to them.

Do you have any other comments?

A couple of years ago we would have felt the cost of a volunteer management software system would be too much, it would be too much of a challenge and too much work to change systems. Having gone through the whole process, it’s actually not! For such a multi-site organisation to be able to transfer across to new systems in under four months, I’m sure smaller organisations will be able to do it much faster.

Thank you for your time Crewenna.

If you have any further questions or would like to learn more about TeamKinetic’s Volunteer Management Software please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our team. 

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.

TeamKinetic Case Study: University of Portsmouth Sport Development Team

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On 22nd March 2018

In Case Study, Sport, Volunteer Management

Zoe Monk, Sports Development Officer: “A Simple, Streamlined, Effective System”

123 opportunities posted. 4321 hours completed. 573 Registered Volunteers.

University of Portsmouth

For the last four years, University of Portsmouth Sports Development Team has been benefiting from TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software. This case study explores the benefits of TeamKinetic as discussed with Zoe Monk, Sports Development Officer at the University of Portsmouth.

Hi Zoe, please can you tell us about your role and responsibilities?

I am a Sports Development Officer, as part of my role I oversee all volunteering opportunities in sports and our community engagement programme. This includes the recruitment and management of volunteers from the university, starting before the academic year through to May when students focus on their exams. I also oversee the training and professional development of our volunteers.

On a day to day basis, I correspond with organisations in our community partnerships, sharing any opportunities they might have on an ad hoc basis. I also manage the sports delivery programme, which includes regular volunteers from Portsmouth University cheerleading and dance clubs delivering coaching in local schools.

I lead the volunteer training that we run for our groups of volunteers and I am seconded to academic lecturing on the side as well, in coaching and event management.

Why did you start using TeamKinetic?

We started using TeamKinetic’s software after realising our existing system, which had been designed in-house, was not really fit for purpose. It didn’t really track some of the essential pieces of information we wanted to report on. It was at that point we decided to find a designed for purpose system and came across TeamKinetic.

How do you use TeamKinetic?

The first way we use TeamKinetic is to support our students in their professional development, gaining valuable experience. For example, we had a PGCSE student needing some practical experience delivering PE to children in school, we then went onto our opportunities available and found one that matched their needs.

The other way we use TeamKinetic is in a community coaching agency. We are approached by the organisations with a need for a coach with a specific skills. We then advertise the role to our students, say if a school needed a basketball coach or referee for a tournament, then we would use TeamKinetic to advertise the opportunity and recruit a volunteer.

Could you give me some more examples of the types of opportunities you advertise?

Yes, of course. The volunteer opportunities are either structured or are ad hoc.

The structure opportunities mainly include our dance and cheer coaching opportunities. This is where we have thirty cheerleaders and fifty dancers delivering coaching in schools each week, so we keep track of that.

We then have a community football club, which is run by twenty or so student volunteers. On top of these, we have student activators that support the running of on sport. That alone is just the structured stuff we offer.

Is there a process for advertising your opportunities?

For new opportunities, either me or one of the approved providers will make sure that it has been formatted in the appropriate way before going live. This ensures there is the right amount of detail, requirements and the opportunity’s expectations are sufficiently outlined.

This authorisation makes sure we maintain a level standardisation across all our opportunities, resulting in our students knowing what to expect when they volunteers.

What role would you say TeamKinetic has played in supporting the success of these opportunities?

TeamKinetic has proved very beneficial in supporting the running of these opportunities. It has helped create an efficient, straightforward and standardised process for opportunities to recruit and recognise volunteers.

From the students’ point of view, they have an intuitive experience of signing up, searching opportunities, joining them, attending, followed by logging their hours and leaving feedback.

How has TeamKinetic helped you to recruit volunteers?

I think TeamKinetic works so well is because of how user-friendly it is. It is efficient and easy for students to sign up, find opportunities and leave feedback on those they have attended. They can keep track of what opportunities they have attended, their hours and their progress, which I think is very helpful.

What makes TeamKinetic stand out?

For us as a Sports Development Team, it is helpful that TeamKinetic is from a sports background. If you look at the products available on the market, there is nothing that really caters in the same way for the needs of sports organisations.

Would you like to add anything else?

I think my only remaining comment, would be that we use it as an agency kind of tool, but I am aware that other universities, such as Northumbria, use the software with a much more stringent approach. I think this is something we are hoping to do more of.

If you would like to find out how TeamKinetic Volunteer Management Software would benefit your University, please get in touch with one of our team.

TeamKinetic Case Study: A Volunteer’s Experience

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On 6th March 2018

In Case Study

TeamKinetic’s has always understood the importance of a positive volunteer experience. It is this understanding that has driven all of the development to be volunteer-centric, to ensure that both our clients and volunteers are happy.

We recently had the opportunity to discuss the experience of Dimitris Lampropoulos, a Football Coach who volunteers using Manchester Volunteer Inspire Programme (MCRVIP). MCRVIP is a programme which aims to recruit, train and deploy volunteers to support sport and physical activity within Manchester and uses the TeamKinetic system to do this. In the following case study, we share his experience using the system.

Dimitris Lampropoulos

First experience with TeamKinetic software

“Having previously volunteered, the process of registration and joining opportunities could be tedious. Every time I wanted to participate in an opportunity, I had to make a call to the organisation, see if they had any opportunities available and then find out how to participate in. This process could often be timely and was restricted in the number of opportunities I could find and access information on.

Using TeamKinetic’s system through MCRVIP, I found it to be very straightforward to use. It was a very convenient and useful way to find opportunities, with a much easier process to select and apply to volunteering opportunities. The registration process is very straightforward and it only took a couple of minutes to create a profile. Once this has been completed you are able to find opportunities, which can be viewed on the homepage or searched for using the search bar.

The process to apply to each role is simple. Duties, qualifications, location and contact details are included in the opportunity description, as well as the sessions and dates.  You can also share opportunities you have joined on social media, making it easier to involve my friends.

Once you have completed an opportunity you can leave feedback,  through a simple thumbs up or down and add a comment. You can also see the number of hours you have logged and sessions you have attended in your profile. If you complete a specific number of hours, you will gain badges to acknowledge your participation and thus you will have the opportunity to turn your logged hours into vouchers. Depending on the opportunity provider, this could be traded for a free t-shirt to a discount on coaching courses”

Experience and benefits of volunteering

“I am delighted with my volunteering role of MCRVIP. Through this position, I have the chance to be involved in Manchester football and also to be registered on Manchester Football Association. My volunteering has now grown beyond the pitch, as the founder of the charity I work for offered the opportunity to get involved in the administrative and development of the charity. This will help to continue my professional development and provide me with the knowledge and experience in the business of football and will help to strengthen my CV.

Overall, being a volunteer can be a very beneficial experience, not only does it provide a sense of fulfilment it can improve employment opportunities. As a volunteer, you build your network, create new connections and can discover new opportunities. It also shows that you are eager to build your experience and do something to help others.

TeamKinetic provided the most straightforward system for joining opportunities I have come across. I really like how intuitive the system is and the motivation the hour trade vouchers provide. I could see this system working for sports organisation, charities or any organisation that requires volunteers.

They really provide a simple to use the system and I will be sure to find other opportunities using MCRVIP”.

For further information on TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software please email chris@teamkinetic.co.uk or call 0161 914 5757.

TeamKinetic Case Study: Volunteer Glasgow A Year On

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On 5th March 2018

In Case Study

TeamKinetic recently visited our friends in Scotland, Volunteer Glasgow. With over 45 years’ experience of supporting charities and 3rd sector organisations to recruit and support volunteers, Volunteer Glasgow has managed to be one of the most successful third sector organisations in Scotland.

Over the years the many volunteer-dependent organisations Volunteer Glasgow supports have faced various challenges in the recruitment, retention and management of volunteers. Upon acknowledging the need for a new digital volunteering platform better able to meet the city’s volunteering needs, the search for a more efficient solution began.

For the last year, Volunteer Glasgow have been using TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software.  Nick Brown, Volunteering Services Manager at Volunteer Glasgow shared his experience leading to and using TeamKinetic. He explains the importance of having an online presence for opportunities, the fundamental problems concerning the previous methods of opportunity advertising and how TeamKinetic has provided the solutions to overcome these issues.

The importance of advertising volunteer opportunities online:

“Many of the organisations we work, look to advertise roles with a relatively short turn around so speed is of the essence when it comes to getting opportunities online.

With previous methods of advertising opportunities online, it usually took between three to five days to appear online but it’s crucial that you get your opportunity out there quicker than that, with the right message to the appropriate people.

This is because organisations are unsure of the resources available to them far in advance or they may be overwhelmed with work and maybe a bit rushed. This means the process for advertising opportunities, at times, needs to be quick and easy.”

The problems with the previous systems:

Previously, Volunteer Glasgow used the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (SCVO) MILO2, but this had several challenges, with a major issue around the processing time to advertise opportunities.

Commenting on the system: “One of our biggest issues was the long time period for an opportunity to be advertised online. For example, organisations had to fill out a form, then we input the form onto a system which then took around three days to be published online. This issue was further made challenging as opportunities were sometimes uploaded with the wrong details or none at all. This had a real impact on the ability of our partner organisations to recruit volunteers and obviously also carried a reputational risk for ourselves.

Exploring our options, we had a trial with another volunteer management software provider, but experienced issues in the reliability and functionality. The importance of effectively recruiting volunteers is crucial to the running of charities and 3rd sector organisations”.

The biggest struggle for Volunteer Glasgow was getting the systems to work and appear properly. As Nick explained “having a presence online with opportunities advertised is essential if you want to ensure high levels of recruitment of volunteers in an organisation.

Previously if you had an issue it could take quite a long time to resolve. TeamKinetic changed that. If we need support or help they were always responsive to our calls and queries.”

How TeamKinetic helped Volunteer Glasgow:

TeamKinetic was introduced to Volunteer Glasgow by Glasgow Life, who had already been using the software to manage volunteers for the needs of sport and leisure purposes. Having been impressed by the functionality and simplicity of the system, with the benefit of being able to interconnect platforms, TeamKinetic was deemed suitable for Volunteer Glasgow’s needs.

Introducing TeamKinetic to organisations we deal with:

“We told the 250 organisation we deal with that they should get started on using the  TeamKinetic’s software and see how they get on. If they felt they were struggling or needed help they should get in touch. Out of them all, only eight got in touch to ask for some support and guidance using the more advanced functionality. Consequently, they have all given feedback on how simple to the software is to use”.

Controlling advertised opportunities:

“TeamKinetic’s software provided the ability to manage and control opportunities posted in real time. It enables us to have a level of authorisation and control which we had not had before.

Something we have to remember is that although we are advertising opportunities for other organisations, it is our website, with our branding and reputation on the line. TeamKinetic’s software notifies us immediately once an organisation has submitted an opportunity, allowing us to approve it; check to make sure it is appropriate and has sufficient detail.  Once we have done this, we can approve the opportunity and straight away it goes live on our website.”

What Volunteers thought of TeamKinetic’s system:

“From the volunteers’ perspective there was a positive feedback; it is much easier for them to create their own profile which is something that has never done before. Volunteers can log hours, leave feedback on opportunities and are able to earn themselves HourTrade vouchers.”

Commenting on the ease of use of TeamKinetic’s software:

“If you have ever, for example, set up an online shopping account or uploaded your CV onto a recruitment website, then you will find TeamKinetic just as simple to use.

Using TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software has enabled us to reduce the amount of time we spend inputting and writing copy content.

This has directly resulted in staff having more time available to spend on the things that matter, such as directly approaching and offering our services to other charities in Glasgow.”

Summary of experience using TeamKinetic:

“It is the responsiveness, ease of use and functionality of TeamKinetic that makes it so great. Since as we started using TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software we have seen a positive impact. In the last six months, everything has been made easier for all those involved.  TeamKinetic addresses the issue of limited time, by reducing the time it demands to create and advertise opportunities. This has alleviated much of the stress and difficulties previously experienced. Volunteer Glasgow is now able to spend time more effectively and we are able to achieve so much more.”

To learn more about TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software and how it could help your organisation or any other voluntary workforce needs please contact one of our team.

email on james@teamkinetic.co.uk  | Call us on 0161 914 5757 | Book a free demo: teamkinetic.co.uk

TeamKinetic Case Study: NHS Pennine Acute Trust Volunteer Workforce

By

On 25th January 2018

In Case Study, News & Views, NHS

TeamKinetic NHS PENNINE A

It is no secret that the National Health Service is planning some big things to celebrate its 70th Birthday. Two leading projects are in the works: The Cultural History of the NHS and The NHS at 70.
Collectively, these celebrations coincide with the bigger movement to increase volunteering within the NHS and David Cameron’s Big Society.

The excitement for such celebration and the increasing role of volunteers within hospital trusts made it fitting to share the experience of NHS Pennine Acute Trust developing its voluntary workforce through TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software.

How TeamKinetic Helped the Pennine Acute Trust 

A few years ago, NHS Pennine Acute Trust acknowledged its current method of volunteer management, which used a basic version of Microsoft Access, was becoming outdated and limited in its capacity to manage and engage volunteers effectively.

Exploring the options available became the responsibility of Jo McCallister, Volunteer Service Manager at the Trust. Jo recognised that social health volunteering is different to other voluntary sectors. With a much more rigorous recruitment process, including the processing of DBS and additional documentation required due to the nature of work, a system that was capable of supporting this process was essential. Jo also understood to create a strong, reliable and motivated workforce the software needed to provide effective channels of communication.

“Creating strong lines of communication is essential to any engaged team, more so in the voluntary sector as you have to understand what the volunteer is seeking and if you are able to fulfil their desire through an opportunity.”

When searching the different volunteer management software systems available, TeamKinetic was “a standout product, with a fresh and easy to use interface” prompting Jo to explore it further. With key features that surpassed the capabilities of the previous management method, such as logging hours, personalised and group emails, links to social media and the ability to upload additional documentation, the TeamKinetic software was an ideal match for the Trust.

To date, the TeamKinetic volunteer management software has successfully assisted in the recruitment of 550 volunteers, of which 90% are actively volunteering. Jo relates the success of the volunteering programme to everyday improvement the software has made: “Day in, day out, we know what we are doing, what our volunteers are doing and what needs to be done”.
Being able to have a structured system in place has made her job and those in her department much easier. It also provides a sense of security and continuity with new or alternative administrators able to pick up the system quickly and easily if required.

The multi-tier system, between volunteers, admins and opportunity providers, benefits all of those involved. By devolving the workload of information input, documentation upload, opportunity posting, the collection of feedback and generating reporting, it reduces the workload on volunteer managers. This saved time can then be used more effectively in building those interpersonal relationships with volunteers. Furthermore, volunteers are able to access and view opportunities online, which appeals to the growing amount of younger volunteers, with a quarter being under the age of 25, and for those older volunteers the system requires little to no training. Commenting on the experience of using TeamKinetic:

“We definitely advocate the benefits of TeamKinetic. As volunteering evolves, so must the system used to manage it. You need a system that is live and up-to-date, which TeamKinetic definitely does.

The team is very receptive to feedback. They listen to your thoughts and suggestions, putting them on your wish list. They then see if it is feasible and would benefit other volunteer managers, and then add it to the software’s RoadMap for future inclusion.

We highly recommend you get one of the team to speak to you about how TeamKinetic can improve your volunteer management, or get in touch with us at NHS Pennine to see how we are benefiting from the software each day.”

To learn more about TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software and how it could help your trust celebrate the NHS 70th Birthday or any other voluntary workforce needs please contact one of our team.

Email on info@teamkinetic.co.uk  | Call us on: 0161 914 5757 | Book a free demo on our website.

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 G2, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

TeamKinetic Case Study: Welcoming Welsh Cycling

By

On 9th January 2018

In Case Study, News & Views

Welsh Cycling recently decided to refine its strategy for its volunteer workforce of officials, judges and event volunteers. This refinement included making the recruitment, retention and recognition of volunteers an easier and more integrated process. Maxine Rhodes, Volunteer Coordinator,  was responsible for implementing these changes and chose TeamKinetic to help. She wanted to change from an internal document based system to an accessible purpose built cloud-based software solution.

After receiving an initial recommendation by Cardiff Metropolitan University and others, Maxine was eager to explore how TeamKinetic could support the core purpose of the national governing body to get more people cycling.

Maxine explained that the objectives for Welsh Cycling were to increase the number of volunteers involved in existing events, expand the calendar of events and promote the accessibility of the sport.  With a large contingent workforce, made up of officials, judges and volunteers one of the key requirements for Welsh Cycling was to have a system that allowed the effective management of a large pool of volunteers.

Maxine outlined the key criteria that Welsh Cycling would be looking for in a new system.  Functionality was key and the ability for the software to “point, click and work the first time” was a fundamental requirement.  The software also needed to be future proof and easily scalable to allow Welsh Cycling to connect with other pools of volunteers outside of cycling.

On a personal level, Maxine believes motivating volunteers to be essential in maintaining a workforce. We were able to demonstrate how TeamKinetic helps Institutions, National Governing Body and Local Councils, to look at how they are rewarding volunteers.  Volunteers can log their hours, which provides useful data, collect achievement badges and use the Volunteer Hour Trade Vouchers, which enables them to exchange hours logged with the organisations, from t-shirts to coaching badges.

Maxine comments, “I think this is a brilliant way to expand the reach of your organisation as you are creating relationships, rewarding volunteers and establishing a community around your sport”.

The software has further enhanced Maxine’s role by making a greater depth of data and insight available through reports which can be used to show the value and impact of a voluntary workforce.

Commenting on her experience with TeamKinetic Maxine said,  “The thing that really impressed was the friendliness and accessibility of the team. They were so good at demonstrating the possibilities of the software.  It’s so much more dynamic than just a matching system. Then of course there is the setup. It has been very straightforward. TeamKinetic performed the initial steps and then showed us what to do so that we could just crack on – it’s great!

“Steve is just great, taking me through the implementation and training process. I love the sense of humour in the team. They are a lovely team to work with and I found this system in all honesty very simple to use.”

Welsh Cycling is now live with the TeamKinetic’s Volunteer Management Software in preparation for the Youth and Junior Championships and the Icebreakers Event which will run from January through to March. You can check out further information on:

http://volunteer.welshcycling.co.uk/vk/volunteers/my_news.htm?StoryID=610

For further information on TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software please visit teamkinetic.co.uk or call 0161 914 5757.

 

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