We all know how impactful storytelling can be. And we’re sure that at some point we’ve been affected by a story told to us in a range of mediums (We’re inclined to think that everyone has also spent 6 hours crying through channel 4s It’s A Sin).
Being impacted by someone else’s story ignites something in us to get up and do something. It could be learning more about a topic, or thinking about a topic in a different light. What organisations can do is share their stories- to drive volunteers into action and reach larger audiences…
What is impact storytelling and why should you use it?
You might be wondering what exactly impact storytelling is. It’s sort of completely covered in the name- storytelling that impacts someone sees it. Impact storytelling can be posters, videos, a blog, anything that gets your impact out there. It’s important because it can be one of the most valuable sources of communication an organisation can use- no matter who it is you’re trying to reach.
Organisations should be using this to connect with their potential audience (or potential volunteers). Let them know how your organisation helps others- show the difference you make! You want people to become invested and interested in your organisation.
By connecting with people’s emotions, you can inspire them to get up and help make a difference where they can.
Best practices…
When you look to start creating an impact story, you must first get to know your audience. Or the audience you’re targeting. What are the main motivations for those coming to you to volunteer? Or get involved in a particular way? Are there any interests that stick out amongst your audience you could latch onto and highlight?
Knowing your audience as best you can, really helps when planning your impact story. Therefore, you’ll be using the appropriate actions/communications to reach your target audience…
Once you know how you’re going to put your story out there- it’s time to find the story to go with. Build up relationships with colleagues, volunteers or even those who your organisation helps. You might find that sharing real stories will give more of an impact to your audience.
Make sure to ask those involved in your story if they are okay with sharing it, and if they wouldn’t like their name involved- anonymise it as appropriate.
The stories you share should be focused on your organisation, and the impact that you make. Show the depth of your organisation- you want your impact storytelling to touch everything that your organisation does…
On one final note…
On a final note, make sure to evaluate your impact. What do you think could be changed in your approach to have a better response to your impact storytelling? By evaluating you can see what did work, and what might not have been effective. Evaluation is key.
Hopefully we’ve been able to help you get started on your impact storytelling journey, or at least got your brain following for ideas!
Bean baths, vows of silence and walking mountains- the ways in which people decide to raise money for a charity are vast. But they all give people a sense of adventure and purpose. Our day-to-day looks at the volunteering done by organisations, as opposed to the fundraising aspect. That doesn’t mean we don’t love hearing the stories of people bathing in beans or walking the 3 peaks for a charity close to their heart. Sometimes, those fundraising inspire others to do the exact same thing.
We also love helping when we can! Which is why we’re bringing you Allen’s story- some of you may know him as Tiny- currently cycling from Cornwall to Scotland for a charity helping the veterans of this country…
Allen’s Story
We first heard of Allen’s story through our Lead Software Developer- Rolf. Residing in Wales, Rolf welcomed Allen in for some well-earned kip and to get cleaned up and fed for the rest of his journey.
Having served in the foreign legion for many years (having first signed up at the age of 17!) He has set himself the task to raise £40,000 by the time he’s completed his cycle. Not only is he cycling, but apart from the odd couple of nights recuperating, Allen has decided to sleep roadside too battling every kind of weather (quite literally- Britain eh?)
Amazingly, Allen has pledged to start on another route if his target isn’t met by the time his cycle is over. An incredible commitment already, Allen’s determination to raise money for a cause so close to his heart is as inspiring as it is remarkable. We hope that Allen’s story only encourages others to get out there and fundraise!
For many, signing up for a run/walk/swim/cycle can be daunting. Stories just like Allen’s may be the push you need to put pen to paper and get started. It isn’t just Allen who’s set themselves tasks this year…
Mother and Daughter duo, Lucy and Greta are among a group just shy of 50 soon to set off on a trek of the Sahara. Having 90% of the funds raised already, the group is focused on sending the money to funding a construction for a new and larger hospice in Pease Pottage.
This is just another example of those pushing their comfort zones to raise money for where it’s needed most. We’re wishing Lucy and Greta, along with the rest of the team all the best ahead of their upcoming hike!
It comes as no surprise that hearing others fundraising stories inspires so many others to start their own. People might think that they’re too small to make a difference- this shouldn’t stop you from getting up and fundraising for an organisation you love. Any difference, big or small, means so much to charities and organisations. A difference, big or small, is still making a difference.
Wondering how you can fundraise?
Stories like Allen’s, like Lucy and Greta’s, inspire people every day to donate or start a fundraising journey of their own.
If you’re feeling inspired, why not start your fundraising journey today! You might be wondering what activity you can take on. We’ve got you covered with some simple fundraisers you can take on to start your passage…
Runs and Walks: 5k, 10k or marathons, walking up (and down) mountains. The weather is getting warmer- so why not get out there and put one foot in front of the other. If you’re looking for something more casual, why not try a step challenge? 100,000 steps in a certain time frame?
If walking or running isn’t quite your forte, why not follow in Allen’s footsteps. Find a route, jump on your bike and start pedaling. Become your own Allen! With the East Coast and Scotland left to go- we’re sending Allen all the best. You can read more on his story and donate if you can here.
For well over the past month, we’ve been updated by news outlets about the war in Ukraine. From Snake Island and “Ghost of Kyiv” to young Amelia, symbolising hope with Let It Go (who has since performed the Ukrainian national anthem in Lodz); we doubt there has been a single person who has felt unaffected by what’s happening.
But it’s what people across the world have chosen to do in these times that we would like to focus on – and how we, as a volunteer management system company, can help. We see day in, day out the work and dedication of volunteers and the impact they’ve made to the lives of those they help; it’s why we do what we do!
At the beginning of the month, nearly 20,000 foreign volunteers travelled to Ukraine. While it’s been advised not to travel to Ukraine, the number of volunteers looking to help within their own countries has only increased. Volunteering for Ukraine continues to cover healthcare, travel and refugee assistance (just to name a few). It lies with refugee assistance we believe our system can be of most benefit.
In recent weeks, the government has announced that Britons will be allowed to open up their homes to millions of Ukrainian refugees displaced by current events- this route will work for an initial 12-month period, matching refugees with those who have offered up free accommodation. From national organisations to the local charities around you, help is needed.
At TeamKinetic, we pride ourselves on the features in our system which allow for fast setup, recruitment and deployment of volunteers to help the set up of such schemes. Our tools help the rapid deployment of volunteers needed in situations such as the one facing Ukraine and its people.
Our instalment of DBS checks has only increased the pace at which volunteers can be approved and well on their way with helping those in need. While we may not know the ins and outs of every organisation’s recruitment needs, it’s been our promise from our very first day to continuously develop our system to accommodate as many organisations as possible. Our DBS checks are one of the many ways we employ important safeguarding within TeamKinetic while maintaining a swift recruitment.
To keep track of the thousands of homes opening their doors, reaching out a hand and the people they will be embracing, is a mammoth task. Our system’s functions can help with recording all information needed to ensure those refugees entering the UK for shelter know they are safe. Our personalisation means no matter what your organisation is looking to collect, or put out to volunteers, it is all accessible in TeamKinetic.
We have a number of organisations starting and developing programs to help Ukrainian refugees – something we are honoured to play a small part of. We want to ensure that anyone who needs a quick start, rapid deployment of volunteers and a platform to do so can find it at TeamKinetic.
It is easy to sit in a country, surrounded by our family members – the people we love – and think there is nothing we can do to help a country roughly 1,949 miles away. But it would be foolish to think such. We can help right where we are, helping those families who’ve travelled 1,949 miles to find safety; to find even a glimmer of hope that one day, they will be able to return to Ukraine. To return home.
With t-minus 3 days until Christmas Day, we wanted to look back at our 2021 with a round up! It’s been another tough year for everyone, but we’ve managed to find some light in moments this year. From award shows to blossoming partnerships, 2021 has been a year of developments for TeamKinetic.
Let’s have a look at our year in numbers.
January – March
The year started very much as this one is finishing, much to everyone’s frustration.
Volunteering was still very much on the agenda as we saw vaccination programs in full swing across the country. We were really proud to support a whole range of organisations mobilising an amazing army of volunteers.
People talk about the Anti-Vax brigade but we can tell you first-hand the Pro-Vax crowd are amazing and were out in force at the start of the year, and we take our hats off to each and every one of them!
March brought some wonderful news when we were honoured to be awarded ‘The Partner Excellence’ and the ‘COVID-19 Response Recognition’ awards for our work with Halton and St Helens Voluntary Community Action at the iNetwork awards. It was a huge achievement for TeamKinetic and our partners and a milestone we won’t be forgetting – especially for the recognition of our efforts throughout COVID.
The key achievements from our work with Halton and St Helens saw 1,744 volunteers registered and together they offered 8,688 volunteering hours. Our volunteer support economic value offered £80,796 during the first six months of the programme. For those feeling lonely or isolated, we were able to support 16,161 telephone calls to make those feel a little less lonely during repeated lockdowns and restrictions. Overall, we were able to support 32,993 in such a short amount of time and we can’t be more proud of the project.
We can’t thank Halton and St Helens VCA and St Helens Council enough; along with every single amazing volunteer for your commitment and drive, you make it all worthwhile. If you haven’t seen their short video on how important volunteers were during COVID, spend a couple of minutes and check it out.
May and June
Moving onto May, we held our first online conference, focusing on COVID-19, and what happens next. We’d like to say thank you to all our speakers and to those 140 people who attended. With talks from the likes of Gethyn Williams, Dr Jurgen Grotz, Kathryn Palmer-Skillings and our own Chris Martin, the conference was a success!
We do have a quick wrap-up video that you can check out here.
In June we said some hellos! We welcomed Alex back into the fold. Having already completed her placement year at TeamKinetic, we welcomed back a familiar face. You can read her (re)introduction to TeamKinetic life, here.
Coming back to TeamKinetic has been great! I’m grateful to the team for offering me this position straight out of university and I’m looking forward to what we can achieve next.
Alex
We also welcomed a fresh face to the team: Katie. Along with Alex, Katie also wrote an introductory blog post which you can read here.
It’s been a whirlwind of a time since I joined in June and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the next six months.
Katie
With new welcomes, we said some goodbyes at the start of July. We said goodbye to Chloe and Sammy, who were our 2020/21 placement students. They took charge of the TeamKinetic conference and supplied you with dog pictures on our Twitter. Alex and Katie are more cat people, and so our pet content has changed significantly over the past couple of months (much to Chloe and Sammy’s dismay).
Both Chloe and Sammy are well underway with their final year at university. We’re wishing them the best of luck seeing out the rest of their degree.
July and August
July saw us return to the office full-time as we thought the world was getting back to normal. It also saw the return of the legendary TeamKinetic staff night out, I must apologise to Chloe, Sammy, Katie and Alex as the night was so messy this appears to be the only surviving picture of these 3 ugly mugs!
August saw the launch of TeamKinetic 2.0 the latest all-singing and dancing version of TeamKinetic. Unlike previous updates, this one was a monster with more new features and controls than anything we had done before. Not only that we had updated and replaced all the old legacy code with a new and improved code base. Steve and Rolf worked day and night to get it ready and after it launched to find and fix those pesky bugs.
This new code base has set us up to be able to continue to improve the service quicker and hopefully will ensure you guys have the very best technology available for the next few years.
September
In September, we were so proud to announce our partnership with the Association of Volunteer Managers. Founder, Chris Martin, detailed our hopes for the next 12 months, some of which we’ve started on already…
Over the next 12 months, we will be working with the team at AVM to develop some accessible resources and materials that you might find useful if you are thinking about how you might use digital. We will be exploring what type of member offers and benefits you might like from us to make it easy and affordable for you to look at digital volunteer management and most importantly we hope to get to know you all a little bit better.
Chris
You can watch Chris and Ruth at AVM discuss the new partnership below. We’re excited to see what can become of this partnership with AVM heading into 2022.
We also worked with the guys in Scotland to help them launch their first ever cross-sector heritage volunteer campaign called Make your Mark. The ambition of the campaign was fantastic, how can they recruit a new generation of heritage volunteers and how can they broaden inclusion and accessibility to a whole group of new people. We were really happy to be part of the program and that TeamKinetic was to be used to drive the recruitment campaign. You can watch their launch video here, it’s pretty cool.
— Make Your Mark in Volunteering (@MakeYourMarkVol) December 1, 2021
October
October brought Halloween and our sponsorship of AVM’s annual conference. The two-day conference opened up insightful conversations with speakers that really got us thinking! It was our first time sponsoring the event and it was really nice to support something we have attended for so long.
It was also really lovely to catch up with people and see a number of faces we hadn’t seen in a while, even if it was just over Zoom, who knows what next year might look like but fingers crossed for catching up over the buffet or a glass of wine.
October also brought the first of our talks regarding digital volunteer management with the Charity Retail Association. We really wanted 2021 to be the year we looked at how we could better support the wider sector and working with both Charity Retail and AVM were key decisions that would enable us to share our knowledge and support the wider sector.
If you were there, I hope our 30/40 minute talk was insightful for those attending, and we hope we will be doing more of these in the new year.
November Talks:
We had a quick start to November with the Local Government Chronicle Awards. Once again, we were nominated in two categories, for our work over the past year with Halton and St Helens. The categories were Campaign of the Year and Technology. While we didn’t win, it was an honour to be nominated. We have to thank everyone at Halton and St Helens and the volunteers for creating such a successful project. (Chris also enjoyed a night away in London maybe a little too much if his hangover was anything to go by!)
We also were honoured to be asked to talk at COP26. The invitation came from the team running Make Your Mark in Scotland. We also heard from the likes of Chester Zoo, the National History Museum and Rob Jackson. It was another insightful day, which Katie personally enjoyed live tweeting her way through.
Volunteering, like every sphere of human life, needs to look at its role in climate change and it was really inspiring to hear what is happening and what you can do to make a change.
If you missed it why not check it out here:
The middle of November meant it was time to head down south for the day. Jumping on the train to London, we met up with the Charity Retail Association for their People Management Group – a successful hybrid event we spoke at. This was the first hybrid event we’ve attended, and we wanted to highlight the work put in by the team to make sure everything ran smoothly. While half of the attendees weren’t in the room, it never felt like they were anywhere else (apart from the leftover lunches!) We want to thank the CRA for including us in multiple of their events over 2021, and we hope to be continuing this into 2022.
Being back in person at an event was great and it felt like it was all going to be plain sailing moving into 2022, little did we know what was about to change everything!
December Celebrations:
In December, the Health Innovation Network (HIN) on behalf of NHSX released an evaluation into the value of micro-volunteering applications during the global pandemic. We were really excited to be a key contributor to the findings. The findings were also positive towards TeamKinetic and our approach to localised Micro-volunteering community response.
Through the use of these applications, over 100,000 individuals carried out 1.5 million tasks for the vulnerable during the global pandemic. Evidence suggests that micro-volunteering engages a willing volunteer force and addresses unmet community needs. It was also clear that the pandemic drove interest into the value of these platforms.
We also managed to squeeze in our Christmas party and our annual Christmas jumper day which was fun.
December has not quite turned out as we would have liked. There are refreshed calls for Volunteers to support the booster campaign. It’s all starting to feel a little like Groundhog Day as we find ourselves back in a COVID-induced crisis.
It’s been an uncertain year at times. While we’re still waiting for the days we can ‘go back to normal’, we think we’ve managed to have another successful year and that we have helped to make volunteering that little bit easier and more accessible.
If we have learned anything from 2021, it’s that you can’t plan too far in advance. You should enjoy the simple things in life and take the small victories where you can find them. You just can’t be sure what’s around the corner.
All that’s left to say is Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate. And, finally, have a Happy New Year – we’ll see you in 2022!
“It’s Chrisstmaasss!” For many this festive time of year is to relax and enjoy time with friends and family; but, for many, Christmas is a time of sadness, loneliness and stress. 2021 has been another tough year for charities, and those that they help. At Christmas time, charities rely on volunteers, donations, or fundraisers to help them through this festive season. With at least 3.5 million people not looking forward to Christmas this year for a myriad of reasons, It’s time to unleash your inner elf, and start volunteering or fundraising in your local community.
Befriending Services
According to Age UK, more than 2.5 million older people have no one to turn to for help and support. The charity’s network of local groups means there are a number of opportunities available for you to engage with- they aren’t limited to just Christmas, but maybe Christmas is the best time to start.
These opportunities also include their befriending scheme, both face-to-face and through telephone calls. Partnering with The Silver Line, Age UK offers free phone friendship services, meaning you’re able to comfort someone over the phone, from your own home. At many Age UK branches, you can become a befriender volunteer and visit an older person in their home or accompany them to doctor’s visits or the theatre. You can hear more about the befriending services through Rose and Sarah’s story here.
Age UK isn’t the only charity who offer these types of befriending services, Independent Age and Royal Voluntary Service offer similar services, open to volunteers just like you.
Befriending services are across the country this Christmas. No one should feel lonely.
Crisis at Christmas
Charity Crisis has been helping those take their first steps out of homelessness since 1967. Christmas donations of just £29.06 helps provide a place that’s safe to stay at, hot meals- including a Christmas Dinner, companionship and year-round support such as training and education to help someone end their homelessness for good.
Crisis this year has setups in London along with multiple other regions across the country, including our very own Manchester. In London, Crisis will be providing accommodation during the Christmas and New Year period to those who would alternatively be spending Christmas on the streets.
They’ll also be opening their day centres in the capital along with their other sites across Britain delivering hot meals and providing advice, health and wellbeing services. For those who may still be cautious to volunteer due to the pandemic, Crisis will be continuing to provide their volunteering opportunities in a socially distanced way. If you’d like to know more about Crisis, and the ways you can help this Christmas, have a look here.
Crisis at Christmas: Together we will end homelessness.
Local Community Based Organisations:
Local volunteering opportunities are just a few clicks away, and you’re likely to find an opportunity that fits you perfectly. If you’re struggling to find opportunities, head to our TryVolunteering site, or look for national schemes set up specifically for this time of year.
Why not look at opportunities that focus on helping young people within your local community. For those less fortunate, it can be a confusing and frustrating period. With around half a million people, including 200,000 children being pushed into poverty by the universal credit cut, volunteering, fundraising and donations may be needed more than ever.
Become a Secret Santa and raise money to help bring food, love and warmth to vulnerable children this Christmas. Last year, Santa’s across the UK reached 604,000 young people and their families. Supporting these children is now more important than ever- start your Santa journey today, here.
What Are You Waiting For This Christmas?
Volunteering this Christmas doesn’t just have to help those in need, there can be benefits for you too. Volunteering, fundraising and even making a small donation can make you feel good and positively impact your mental health. You might even learn a new skill along the way!
So, what are you waiting for? Start helping to make a difference to those in need, so everyone can enjoy Christmas this year.
The HistoricScot Youth Forum was established to understand how to get young people volunteering and involved in the heritage sector. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) have been involved with Young Scot, in a 24 month partnership to help expand the engagement, participation and involvement of younger generations from different backgrounds to influence their activity and decision-making processes.
In previous conversations, there has been a multi-generational issue, especially regarding younger generations. Over the past 18 months, Young Scot have been tackling this problem of the lack of young generation involvement. Their results are presented in this report and contribute towards the Historic Environment Scotland 2019-22 corporate plan.
The report is spilt into three key themes: Community and Schools, Volunteering and Work, and HES sites all with a focus on future engagement of young people within the heritage sector. These recommendations are based off results from surveys.
Community and Schools Responses
For many, school is the first time people will engage with the historic environment. It’s highly likely that those who engage with historic environments as an adult have had experiences as a child, so ensuring sites are engaged with schools is crucial.
The majority of young people nowadays find their information through online social media platforms, so if they aren’t connected to HES platforms, they aren’t going to be engaged with it. For 32% of respondents, they didn’t have a connection to historical places around Scotland, despite 47% expressing interest.
Through their research, Young Scot have created these recommendations for the future:
Start discussions with marginalised communities about how their heritage can be represented.
Create history resources that are widely accessible for young people to learn and connect with.
Develop relationships with schools and spread awareness of HES in classroom settings.
Facilitate and engage with schools who have decided to visit sites and keep them engaged afterwards.
Volunteering and Work Responses
Volunteering can be an important factor for individuals entering employment into the sector. Survey results show that 3/4 of respondents hadn’t considered a career in the historic environment but 60% of people wanted to know the ways work opportunities can engage them. Currently, the heritage sector attracts volunteers that are male around the age of 35 (according to Young Scot research).
Lack of awareness towards employment, partnered with minimal advertisements are just two of the barriers which stopped people volunteering. If no one can see the opportunities, your pool of volunteers are significantly reduced.
In regards to young people, offering roles in areas they’re passionate about provides them with purpose and will help younger generations gain interpersonal skills they need. It’s especially vital now that these generations have lost time for social encounters due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
For Volunteering and Work, Young Scot had the following recommendations:
Create an online space for young people to showcase who they are and their skills for quicker sign up or applying opportunities.
It’s imperative that those with or without the internet have equal access to opportunities.
Start promoting your volunteering opportunities on the platforms where young people are, such as Instagram and Twitter.
For new volunteering roles, tailor the opportunity’s advertisement to a diverse group of young people through language, tone and imagery.
HES Site Responses
Currently, heritage sites host a number of opportunities for specific demographics and it’s mainly families. Due to this, there is still work to be done in engaging young people. For many heritage sites, this age range is forgotten, when they should be included.
In Young Scots’ survey, they found that if sites became more technology based, or held more events, then visits would be more enjoyable for younger generations. In a separate matter, over a quarter of respondents cannot access all parts of heritage sites due to the lack of accessibility provided.
Based on the information from the survey, Young Scot highlighted gamification as a way to engage young people within heritage sites. Gamification is applying elements of games to other activities, normally completed as an online technique to keep people engaged. Heritage sites can use this as a technique to interest young people into engaging with their content.
The report created a number of recommendations for heritage sites:
Make sure that all facilities are accessible to everyone, without this, there is a barrier against those with disabilities from accessing the heritage environment.
Design new events, exhibitions and educate young people of the cultural changes within society.
Host events to celebrate minority groups and their heritage in Scotland’s history.
Make improvements to the website and the types of content it provides: specifically where people can go to learn more. One way to do this is to create hubs for different age groups. This, along with the introduction of gamification, creates an online community where young people can meet other, like-minded people.
Conclusions…
From Young Scot’s experience with engaging in the sector, there is a disproportionate underrepresentation of those from a variety of backgrounds. Heritage sites don’t reflect the diversity of the sector, the organisation, or Scotland as a whole. This barrier in particular needs to be overcome to make HES as accessible as possible for all young people.
The introduction of the latest technology can engage audiences at a younger age; paired with a strong relationship with schools, the historic environment can recharge younger generations of their love for Scotland’s culture, past and present.
Young Scot is hoping the recommendations made throughout the report can start conversations within HES on the future of younger generations in the sector. They encourage HES to continue involving young people in future plans to make a real impact.
Want to start engaging with your volunteers more?
Calling all heritage sites! We’ve worked with Volunteer Organisers Network and Historic Environment Scotland to create the Make Your Mark Portal, which can promote your heritage opportunities to new audiences and helps you with your volunteer management. You can find out more about Make Your Mark here.
If you’d like to know more about us here at TeamKinetic, and how we can help you manage your volunteers, you can access our website here.
If COVID-19 has proven one thing it is that adversity can really bring communities together. This is what has happened during the pandemic in Kenilworth. Members of the community came together and created ‘COVID-19 Kenilworth Support’, a mutual aid group, to provide support to the most vulnerable. The Kenilworth Support Group was formed right at the start of the Coronavirus outbreak. They were supported early on by various local politicians, the local police, local organisations, charities, and businesses.
Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to Nivvi Morales, a member of ‘COVID-19 Kenilworth Support’, who talked to me about their group and how they found using the TeamKinetic Volunteer Management System during COVID-19.
Could you tell me about what your group does and how you came about?
We came together due to the outbreak of COVID-19. We recognized that some people were vulnerable during this time and were in desperate need of support. The locals of Kenilworth wanted to provide this assistance to those in their town, who now needed support more than ever before.
With the help of all of our volunteers, we organise shopping collections, the delivery of food parcels, and the collection of prescriptions. As well as offering welfare checks and friendly chats.
Recently, we also also created a leaflet which contained information on what shops were offering home deliveries and what local take-a-ways they could get delivered to their doorstep. We was then was able to drop this leaflet at the houses of those self isolating so if they don’t have access to technology, or don’t necessary understand how to use it, they still have access to all the information they might need.
Why do you feel people wanted to join your group?
The people in Kenilworth have a real sense of community, so doing something for others comes quite naturally to the residents. For myself, I wanted to do something and be part of something, rather than sitting at home and watching the COVID-19 death rate go up on the news. We wanted to take action and do what we could to help other people who were more vulnerable during this time.
Why did you decide to look for a volunteer management system?
Early on into the creation of our mutual-aid group, we began to realise that the data we were handling was very sensitive and we wanted to ensure it was protected. We wanted to ensure that whilst we were helping the vulnerable, we were also ensuring their data was being safeguarded.
With this, we were originally using Google Sheets and WhatsApp to manage our data. This became too much hassle, so we wanted to find a volunteer management system where we could communicate efficiently, assign tasks, track tasks, and keep our data safe.
How did everyone find using the system , was it easy to use?
Initially, there were some teething issues as some of the volunteers were not big into technology so initially struggled to understand it. However, the majority found it easy to use. What I found really helpful was the ability to raise a ticket if they had an issue with the system, which would then be supported straight away. This really developed a sense of trust with TeamKinetic as we were never left feeling stuck and was always supported.
Which feature did you use the most and how did it benefit your group?
We used the community tasks feature, and it was honestly a LIFESAVER! Originally, we had such a big volunteer form which became very complex when it came to assigning tasks. This feature was a lifesaver when it came to assigning tasks to volunteers and following up tasks.
What other benefits have you received from using our software?
It just saves so much time and everything is from one central point of access, making everything so much easier to manage. Using TeamKinetic allowed us to follow up who has done what task, which we originally struggled with. It was if we were missing the final piece of the puzzle; TeamKinetic.
Is there anything you would like to say to any non-profit organisations considering using volunteer management software?
Make sure you are organised first. Using volunteer management software is extremely helpful, but it will not solve your problems if you are not initially organised. You must ensure your organisation is organised and efficient first in order to fit in with volunteer management software before first signing up.
What does the future hold for your group?
Well, since the coronavirus outbreak we have now become a registered charity! We want to continue to support those who are vulnerable, even after COVID-19 to ensure nobody ever feels alone. We want to ensure they never struggle to get support. We also want to start helping our customers connect with their family by introducing them to technology.
If you want to find out more about ‘COVID-19 Support Kenilworth’ you can visit their website, check out their Instagram, or visit their Facebook page.
TeamKinetic
TeamKinetic helps to build better volunteer communities by providing great tools for volunteer managers that save time, increase impact and improve insight. Our goal is to make volunteering easy for everyone no matter what. But don’t take our word for it, why not check out our customer reviews.
For more information on how we can assist with your volunteer management and getting the best out of all your volunteers visit our website or contact us on – 0161 914 5757
We know that the world feels a little uncertain right now and for many of our customers and users, there is significant unease about how they will be able to fund some of their services during this crisis and beyond.
So when we hear of a potential funding source we like to try and share that information with our customers and users. The Community fund has been around for a long time and is a tried and test source of funds for community organisations of all sizes.
They are prioritising funding for communities affected by COVID-19 with a new £200 million fund.
Prioritising projects and organisations supporting communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. To apply for funds click the links below:
If you know of other sources of funding that might be of benefit to our other TeamKinetic users and would be happy to share that information please feel free to get in touch and we will do our best to share that information.
Happy World Book Day, not just to the children but to all the volunteers across the UK helping to support our Libraries.
Across the last decade, over 500 libraries have been handed to volunteers. More and more libraries are still becoming staffed only by volunteers, instead of paid staff, provided by the council. This is due to the council making budget cuts. However, this is still better than the alternative of closing down local libraries, inhibiting children of what still is an exciting adventure out the house to somewhere new where their imagination can run wild!
Libraries create opportunities for children to:
Learn
Develop and grow
Interact with other children
Get help with homework
Give mum and dad a break
And generally, have fun through the power of imagination!
Libraries are being revived
Despite some towns being deprived of their local library services. Many libraries still continue to run each day through the commitment of local community volunteer groups. Where members of the groups will rotate working shifts allowing the library duties to be split equally amongst the volunteers. Many community-run libraries have been revived by volunteers. This is because the previously paid staff before weren’t local, therefore naturally they didn’t have the incentive to be as engaged with the community as current local volunteers are now.
Volunteers helping communities
Community volunteers are performing amazing tasks in order to keep libraries fresh and welcoming to all local communities. Our current client MCRVIP in Manchester have been advertising volunteering opportunities for libraries across the whole of Manchester, opportunities at Manchester libraries can include:
Lego Club volunteers
Once a month Film and craft volunteers
General Community library volunteers
IT volunteers
Homework club volunteers
Saturday club volunteers
More roles than you would have realised, it shows that it’s not all stacking and scanning books, but actually helping the community and interacting with the children and adults that go.
So thank you to all the volunteers for helping our community libraries.
By now, students will be settled into their year at university. Whether you’re in your first or final year, you’ll have already completed seemingly endless amounts of assignments. Now, of course, university isn’t for everyone. However, as someone who has spent two years at university (so far), I can say that it is hard. It’s hard to balance all these new aspects of your life – self-motivated study, meeting new people, house-hunting, food shopping, finding a club that your random mix of mates can all enjoy, cooking, and actually finding the time and summoning the effort to clean your house. Despite this, I’m about to tell you to add volunteering to the mix.
Now, I’m not going to pretend like the majority of students don’t see volunteering as a CV booster. But these same students then realise that volunteering can offer so much more than a bullet point on a piece of paper. It can offer you essential life skills that you can’t develop anywhere else. The issue is that these benefits aren’t often highlighted by universities. As a result, students may not be getting into volunteering in the first place.
The Benefits of Student Volunteering
Meeting new people
Whether you’ve been at uni for a few years already or you’ve just started this year, it’s never a bad time to meet new people. These people could become your friends, best friends, or even future partners. Even if you never talk to them again at least you’ve met someone you can give an awkward wave to when you pass them in public.
Aside from gaining some mates, volunteering could also be a good opportunity for networking. Sounds strange but you never know who you might meet through volunteer work. Also, in a recent catch-up with El Afzal, she noted that people have contacted her through LinkedIn about her vast volunteer work and offered her potential future work.
Giving back to the community
Let’s face it – the vast majority of us have had a few embarrassing nights as a result of the student lifestyle. What better way to say sorry to our local community for all the drunken shouting and traffic cone theft (yes, it’s a big thing) than to volunteer for a local cause. Whether it’s the classic charity shop work or a local park clean-up, you can give back to the community you’ll be calling home for the next few years.
Relieving all that student stress
I don’t mean to scare any prospective students, but university is stressful. It’s all fun and games during fresher’s week but suddenly you’ve been there for two months and are already drowning in assignments and lecture notes you should have somehow organised. Volunteering can be a great way to distance yourself from all the hustle and bustle of university life for a couple of hours a week (or more!) You may be wondering how you’ll fit volunteering into such a busy schedule, but you’re lying if you say you don’t procrastinate for at least a couple hours a day – whether you’re scrolling through social media or binge-watching that new TV show.
Also, research shows that if you volunteer during your student years, you’re likely to continue throughout your life. Wouldn’t it be nice to live a life full of voluntary work? I think it would.
How can TeamKinetic help?
Are you a student looking to get into volunteering? Check with your university’s student union or sports department for any active opportunities. You could also give this blog by The Student Room a read – it includes some helpful information about student volunteering!
Perhaps you work for a university wanting to commit more to student volunteering? This blog might be better for you! Find out how TeamKinetic can work with you to recruit, manage, and retain your student volunteers byvisiting our website or calling us on 0161 914 5757.
Whether you’re student or staff, you can find us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. We share and create content suitable for anyone interested in volunteering!
You can also read our other blogs on student volunteering here and here.
