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

By

On 21st September 2018

In News & Views

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

volunteers in a circle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alternative text for images

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

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

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

Symantec Layout

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

Keyboard input

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

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

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

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

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

TeamKinetic’s 4th annual volunteer conference Day 2 – A success!

By

On 18th September 2018

In Events and Conferences, News & Views

#TKvol

On the 12th September 2018, TeamKinetic hosted their 4th annual sports volunteering conference at the Manchester metropolitan university. The aim of the second day of the conference was to make people aware of what TeamKinetic offered as a brand and what the world of volunteering has in store for the future, as well as what issues we are facing today. To give an overall better experience for the volunteer.

The attendees on the day were from a wide range of sectors which we feel helped when debating. We had the likes of the Liverpool football club foundation and Sport England from the sports industry as well as MMU and the University of Manchester from the education sector. Finally, we as also had many charities/Volunteer centres in attendance such as the Youth hostel association and The volunteers association Wales.

The day had a clear structure in terms of what was going to be to be involved. This included: Breakout sessions, Panel talks with both volunteers and industry leaders and also a lunch break which gave TeamKinetic a great chance to interview attendees and get some personal feedback on their experiences.

OPENING TALKS

After being welcomed by the TeamKinetic receptionist’s all guests were given an introduction speech and welcomed by our sales director Chris Martin who explained who was talking and what was going to happen over the course of the conference in order for the day to run smoothly.

The first speaker of the day was BBC unsung hero Denise Larrad who gave her talk on what volunteering meant to her and her good and bad volunteering experiences. Denise also very kindly brought along her award which many guests had the privilege of getting their pictures taken with. 

Another ‘Big name’ for the day was Kirsten Stephenson who is head of volunteering at Sport England a national organisation with a good reputation for governing sports all over the country. She gave a very insightful talk about how cross-sector collaboration can unlock the potential of volunteering in sport and physical activity. You could sense within the audience that everything she said was getting high levels of engagement. We saw this through how much interaction we were getting through twitter whilst her session was on.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

We then led all attendees to different breakout sessions in which they got the option of which ones they wanted to attend. The three sessions available were hosted by Chantel Scherer who spoke about using behavioural sciences to retain volunteers more effectively. This particular talk proved to be very successful as it drew the biggest crowds on the day. Claire Jones, Head of volunteering at St.Helens volunteering centre also spoke during this breakout session regarding the benefits of good support to volunteers. Again this was another one of the sessions that made for good social media traffic as many people were interested in what she had to say.

A further speaker was Mike Howlett who touched on the importance of diversifying volunteers in order to engage the wider community. I attended this session myself and all in the room were very impressed with both Mike’s industry knowledge and the points he was raising. People from the industry said after his talk: “I am definitely now more well informed about the voluntary sector than I was before”. This was very promising to hear from a TeamKinetic point of view as it is exactly what we wanted to get out of the conference.

LUNCH AND NETWORKING

Lunch followed the first breakout session of the day. It was provided by the catering staff of MMU and everyone seemed to enjoy it. During this interval, it gave people the chance to network with each other which also proved to be a good part of the day as many people from the different sectors were able to merge their ideas together and discuss the issues they faced every day to see if others could possibly have the solution.

TeamKinetic also used the break to optimise what we got out of the day. Marketing coordinator Ash interviewed many of the guests to get their thoughts on the volunteer management service that we provide and also volunteering in general. This will be good for us from a marketing perspective so we can get a greater understanding of our customers.

Speaker on the day Nick Lowden from Greater Sport said that “One thing I liked was the networking at lunch, it was good to have time to speak to other people in the industry”. Comments such as this are very positive as it also gives us things to build on for the next conference.

Potentially the most insightful part of the day was the Panel session which was led by Chris Martin with panellists; Fiona Liddell, Kristen Stephenson, Nick Lowden and Denise Larrad.

During this particular session, we allowed the floor of industry members to ask about the current pressing issues of the day and what the future holds for the volunteering. Once again the social media engagement for this part of the day was brilliant with many people using the #TKvol. Despite this perhaps the best part of the panel session was the number of questions that were being asked by the floor, it was very promising to see so many people taking a genuine interest in the answers of the panellists.

CLOSING SESSIONS

The day ended with one final breakout session, again split between three speakers; Fiona Liddell, Laura Hamilton and Chris Martin. The attendees got the choice of what session they wanted to go to and it was nice to see a good number spread out evenly across all of the sessions which just highlighted the calibre of speakers on the day. We hope that at least one of the speakers

Overall the 4th annual volunteering conference by TeamKinetic will go down as a success. We would like to thank everyone that contributed to the day as everyone played a role and we look for to seeing more people next year!

If you would like to know more about volunteer management software please do not hesitate to visit the TeamKinetic website https://teamkinetic.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

TeamKinetic’s 4th annual volunteer conference – Day 1

By

On 18th September 2018

In Events and Conferences

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

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

TeamKinetic Logo

Introduction to customer workshop

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

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

Update Overview

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

Weekly emails

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

Custom Fields

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

Mobile App

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

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

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

TeamKinetic customers at the volunteer conference masterclass

Lunch

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

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

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

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

Q /A and interviews

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

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

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

Carwyn Humphreys – Volunteer Manager (Mantell Gwynedd)

What have you found valuable from today?

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

Dawn Georgeson – Volunteer Lead (Liverpool FC Foundation)

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

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

Michiel Blees – Volunteer centre officer (PAVO)

how have you found today’s masterclass session?

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

Julia Manser – Swansea volunteer centre manager (SVS)

Interview setup for TeamKinetic customers

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

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

The Road Map

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

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

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

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

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

 

Find out more about TeamKinetic 

01619145757

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

By

On 10th September 2018

In Community, News & Views

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

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

Heres what they had to say…

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

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

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

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

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

What does the LFC Foundation mean to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you enjoy the activities at the LFC Foundation?

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

By

On 6th September 2018

In Community, Events and Conferences

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

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

Volunteering for the LFC Foundation

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

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

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

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

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

The impact of foundations on volunteers with a disability

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

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

Volunteering with a disability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Why attend TeamKinetic’s volunteering 4th annual volunteering conference?

By

On 6th September 2018

In Events and Conferences

On the 12th September 2018, TeamKinetic will be hosting our fourth annual volunteer management conference at the Manchester Metropolitan University.

There will be a host of exciting speakers, from award-winning volunteers to key members of the sector. After three successful previous events we hope to welcome back many of our delegates, but if you have not been before, why should now?

Let us help you make the right choice.

Blue banner displaying advertisement for TeamKinetic 4th Annual Volunteering Conference

1. NETWORKING

There will be people from right across the volunteering community at the event,  meaning this is the perfect opportunity for you to break out the old business cards and get networking.  The knowledge and experience available from the delegates in the room will be second to none and building that network of volunteer managers will only provide you with more help and support.

2. BE INSPIRED

We are lucky to work in a job that is never short of amazing and inspiring stories and anecdotes, and this event will bring some of these stories to life.  Our speakers all have stories to share and insight to impart.  Our opening speaker, Dennise Larrad the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Volunteer of the year for 2017, is going to open the event sharing some of her experiences as well as what it’s like to share a stage with Tom Daley.

3. LEARN (About TeamKinetic amongst other things)

Whether you have 10, 100 or 1000 volunteers, there will be learning and opportunity to exchange ideas. Our speakers have a wealth of experience and the format of the day leaves lost of opportunity for you to question them and to dig deep into their knowledge.   We also invite you to come and chat with us at TeamKinetics stand, our volunteer management software can cater to your volunteer management needs and is available at a price that might just surprise you.

4. GET A GREAT DAY OUT OF THE OFFICE! 

We will fill your day with interesting people, great knowledge and insight and some thoughts for you to take back to your organisation to think about.  On top of that we will put on a good buffet, so at worst you don’t go home hungry.

It would be fantastic if you could come along to this event and if you are interested you can purchase your tickets here

Jerome Pannell – Marketing Cordinator

Volunteering Conference – Getting to know Kristen Stephenson

By

On 5th September 2018

In Community, Events and Conferences

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

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

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

DAY 1 (TeamKinetic Customers only)

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

DAY 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your best or most memorable volunteering experience?

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

3 Reasons why you must have volunteer management software

By

On 3rd September 2018

In News & Views

Expensive, confusing and unnecessary. These are all words that can come to mind when thinking about volunteer management software. However, what people don’t think about is the benefits that volunteer management software can bring them. Here are 3 reasons as to why these systems will actually improve your work as opposed to hinder it.

1. It makes opportunities viral

By purchasing volunteer management software it enables you to make your opportunities viral for your volunteers. The reason this is so important is that your opportunities will get far more traffic the more people you share it with. By sharing it with multiple groups of people you are also able to give yourself a wider scope of volunteers. This is one of the major benefits to volunteer management software. The more people you can get to on your opportunities, the better reputation you will have as a provider.

2. Your time will become more productive

If you are using volunteer management software within your job of managing people you will not have to worry about anyone because of the software. This will now give you more time to think about and do the other jobs that are associated with your occupation rather than worrying about what people are where and if they’re doing the correct thing. Good volunteer management software will allow you to see what everyone has done and how long they have done it for, it will also allow both volunteers and providers to leave reviews on opportunities. This will help ensure that you do not send good volunteers to bad places but also that you don’t send bad volunteers to good places as they will no longer want volunteers from you.

3. Build relationships

By using volunteer management software you could essentially turn it into or even replace a CRM system. If you are able to keep track of what opportunities people are interested in then you will be able who is best suited to what opportunities, by doing this you’ll get more enthusiastic employees because they will be passionate about what they’re doing meaning they are more likely to put in maximum effort into the opportunity. This will give you as a volunteer manager/organisation a good reputation as your volunteers will become more desirable than others.

Overall volunteer management software will make your job more efficient and manageable as well as allowing you to gain a good reputation within the industry.

If you are looking to get volunteer management software then look no further than TeamKinetic. We offer volunteer management software that works. Give us a call on 0161 914 5757, or drop us an email at info@teamkinetic.co.uk.

Understanding the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the internet for volunteer managers

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On 30th August 2018

In Community, Policy and Operations, Security and GDPR, Volunteer Management

TeamKinetic believes that the internet has the potential for transformation in our world comparable to the Gutenberg’s printing press , but if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the internet reflects both the very best and very worst of human nature. What do volunteer managers need to know about the internet to keep their volunteers safe?

I’ll provide some useful resources to give some context and understanding of the darker side of the internet and how we have used this to try and inform our policies and procedures as an organisation and what we think you should consider as an organisation as you become more reliant on digital platforms.

The internet provides almost limitless opportunity for grassroots social action, citizen journalism, voluntary engagement and so many other potentially positive outcomes, but we are naive if we do not recognise and consider the risks.

Jon Ronson, journalist and author recently wrote “So you’ve been publicly shamed” on how the networked effect of the internet can lead to individuals being ostracised.  His entertaining and occasionally dark work examined some of the difficult issues around user-generated content and how people’s mistakes are amplified and stored for eternity in the memory of cyber-space. Ronson’s storytelling introduces the reader to the inherent risk for normal people to get caught up in exceptional events and how little control they have over these events once a post goes viral.

Sarah Jeong, now of the New York Times Editorial Board, Vice and The Verge has written extensively on the internet’s inherent problems and her book, “The Internet of Garbage” gives informed insights on the risks and unintended consequences of poor policy and practice and how that can impact organisations and their users.   Jeong discusses at length some of the nuanced problems the modern internet has created for itself and how copyright law is being misused as a method of content suppression and removal, due in part to lack of other recourse to individuals who find themselves at the centre of a viral internet storm.

I mention these two texts as they are accessible and informed, and for those who are looking to understand the internet, they will help non-technology people appreciate the inherent risks of a highly networked world, the very real risks that can affect everyday users and voluntry organisations alike.

TeamKinetic is aware that our volunteer management platform has the potential to recruit volunteers in almost any situation. It is effective and easy to use and can be administered remotely with high efficiency to deploy individuals or teams of volunteers at short notice.  These characteristics are great if you run a charity, an event or a university internship program, but they are equally great if you are recruiting individuals to partake in less positive endeavours.   The creators of any platform which allows users to create content and communicate with each other must be aware of the risks as well as the benefits.

Recent legislation such as GDPR, goes some way to help individuals protect their privacy and increase their control over websites and platforms they engage with. It also gives businesses and organisations the chance to audit exactly what information they collect, why they collect it, and what they are going to do with it. This was a revealing process for us and was very worthwhile. All legislation, however well intentioned, runs the risk of “unintended consequence“. As responsible curators of TeamKinetic we have to embrace some basic values by which to manage our site.

What are our ideals and values?

As an organisation, we have put honesty at the centre of our company values. This is a type of statement that is easy to say, but much harder to live by. We aspire to offer honesty in our pricing, in our customer service and our product.

Our role in supporting the organisations that use TeamKinetic to manage their volunteers goes beyond the provision of software. We want to build a community of volunteers and volunteer managers that can share practice and policy, develop professional connections and work to strengthen the sector as a whole through the development of consistent standards in the wider information technology infrastructure of volunteering.

We want to be able to share expert knowledge and insight based on our user data and experience to help the sector become better at recruiting, deploying and recognising their volunteer’s hard work. We commit to making our data available to researchers, and the resulting insights and findings will be freely available to all who have a valid interest in the voluntary sector.

Finally, we want to create an amazing experience for all our users, that means the best technology, built in a way that is easy to use and importantly every user is protected by good policies and excellent support. Our volunteer-centric approach to development will remain the centre of our business operation.

We hope you will join us on our continued mission to be part of the ‘good’ internet and we look forward to your thoughts on how we can do this.

A day volunteering at Liverpool FC Foundation

By

On 29th August 2018

In Community, Sport

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

 

LFC foundation

 

The Journey

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

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

Getting to know the team

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taking part and volunteering

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

Liverpool’s Albert Dock Floating Pitch

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

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

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

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

Rounding up the day

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

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

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

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

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