Have you ever wondered how wonder woman would be as a marketer?

Well, that’s me. The newest addition to TeamKinetic’s team. Here is my story and the reasons I chose Marketing as my “day” job.

Finding the job you want to do, is not always the easiest scenario. In many cases, students attend university and realise that what they had chosen is no longer what they really like. ‘Like’, seems to be the MAGIC WORD! Let me explain what I mean.

When I finished my studies in political science I realised that I gained a valuable set of skills, but no longer favoured the area of knowledge I had acquired. I had learnt to research, report, critique and build balanced arguments. I had gained valuable insight into the political world, understanding its systems, institutions and behaviours, but none of this left me feeling fulfilled. I was hungry for more energy, creativity and a bigger challenge in my everyday life. For this reason, I began exploring new career pathways.

I decided to attend several career guidance days. I learned things about different sectors and industries where I could apply my skills and passion too.  I then visited several companies to meet executives in various sectors and job positions. I had many discussions on the nature of their work and how their skills, knowledge and experience helped them in each role. This was the time when I learned about Marketing.

Marketing is about communication and psychology. You learn how companies target their consumers and build relationships. It’s about presenting services or goods using different tools. It’s about building brand awareness and increasing sales. I realise this is what gets me excited; business development through digital and social media marketing.

Just as Wonder Woman had journeyed from her exotic home, Themyscira, I left my exotic homeland Greece to begin a new adventure.  Arriving in the UK little over a year ago, I began studying for a Marketing Msc at the University of Salford. It was during my time studying, I noticed the number of third sector organisations including the non-profit’s, charities and NGOs.

It was during my time studying that I began volunteering for the “Green Impact Project”.  I took responsibility for the creation of marketing material designed to improve the environmental performance of the University. Volunteering was a great opportunity for me to make friends, practices my skills and help make my university more “green”.

Later in the year, keen to continue building my experience, I volunteered in a marketing role for a hotel in Southport.  I created a new website and increased brand awareness. The participation in volunteering has been greatly beneficial and has provided me with a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. For me, it was a unique opportunity to help other people, something I will certainly do again.

Upon graduating from my Masters, I was eager to search for a role where I could apply my previous working experience, my volunteer involvement and also developed the skills I had gained.

When the opportunity to join TeamKinetic arose, I was interested in how I could help them. I was attracted by the values of the company, the idea of helping to build communities and volunteers, and the opportunity to put my Masters into practice. I believe that I can bring my skills in communication, digital skills, research, analytical skills, initiative and creativity to TeamKinetic.

Learning about Volunteer Management will be a new challenge and opportunity, but gaining an understanding of the sector’s needs will be mutually beneficial as I develop my skills and help the team to develop their understanding of the voluntary sector.

I am excited to begin working with the best team I could have hoped for.

Feel free to get in touch elena@teamkinetic.co.uk

Here at TeamKinetic we often enjoy reading and sharing with one another articles that challenge and explore our values, opinions and actions. This week I received an article on appreciation. Having read the article, I felt that others should also be able to appreciate its message.

Just before you read this article, I encourage a moment of reflection.
Ask yourself: when was the last time I really said thank you? I don’t mean as you rush away from the cafe with your morning coffee or as you pass someone holding the door. When was the last time you went out of the way to show your gratification to another person?

Similarly, when was the last time someone went out of their way to appreciate what you did?

It doesn’t take long to realise how satisfying it is to be appreciated and to appreciate. For me the last time was at the end of my summer job, before I returned back to university.My manager, who I had only known for a couple of months at the time, gave me a handwritten thank you card and a gift voucher. The gift voucher was for our favourite coffee shop chain so that I could get my favourite coffee after stressful times, just as we would do after completing a hectic day at work. The unexpected appreciation and thoughtful gesture had taken me by surprise and has stuck with me.

I now welcome you to click through here:

http://jkglei.com/appreciation/

TeamKinetic is a company whose staff often demonstrate their appreciation for one another and I hope that appreciation flows on forward to our clients.
Kind Regards,

James

National obesity awareness week

We are well into January and already my new year’s resolutions are being tested beyond my willpower limit already, this year’s ambition, to do more and eat less, is already looking shaky.  That’s why National Obesity Awareness Week could not come at a better time.

Here at TeamKinetic, we work with a wide range of organisations that provide sport, wellbeing, health and fitness opportunities, so I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss the importance of volunteers and voluntary organisations when we talk about weight management.

Behaviour change is difficult; we as human beings, are not good at making daily decisions that are good for our long-term health with the many temptations that provide short-term satisfaction so easily available.  When we think about it, it’s easy not to go to the gym or to eat that cake as often that is in the short term the easiest or most pleasurable path forward.

When we think about getting more active, its difficult to remain motivated by the thought that in 12 months I may be slightly lighter and fitter. With this in mind, we need to think about other forms of motivation, how we can make the road to the goal more “sticky” and easier to stay on.

What the research seems to suggest is that developing friends and having a strong social setting around your physical activity makes you much more likely to stick with it.  Having people who understand what you are going through and are there to offer support and a friendly face mean your motivations are not just based on fitness, but on a desire to spend time with your friends and peers.

Whether you’re a participant, a volunteer, a coach or just someone who supports the group and helps out at the start and end of sessions, you are part of that team or group; you provide that peer network and you play an essential role in making that group “sticky”.

As we recognise national obesity awareness week, I say thank you to all of you who make all these activities take place, whether you’re a helper, a coach or just making sure people feel welcome when they decide to come along.

Keep up your essential work people.

Manchester based TeamKinetic has been working alongside some of sport and leisure’s biggest names. As part of a larger consortium, led by Sport and Recreation Alliance, TeamKinetic, Volunteering Matters, Jump and Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) have grouped together to explore how volunteering can be grown within communities and enable people to live healthier and happier lives.  Katie Ellis, GLL’s National Community Engagement Manager, explains the shared vested interest:

 “Volunteering is relevant to all spheres of life and volunteers are making a positive impact on economic, social, cultural and environmental issues. Volunteering can empower people and communities to fulfil their potential and contribute to social change. It can also engender a greater sense of ownership of ‘bettering’ their community. Volunteering supports the delivery of council outcomes, local well-being, public health, social cohesion and economic growth”

Many Local Authorities have identified a need to support and manage volunteers as part of their community work, but realise that the lack of internal resource and support to be able to do this. This has resulted in many local leisure contracts now including volunteer management as a requirement and it is expected future tender documents will also have KPI’s related to volunteer recruitment and management. TeamKinetic has already been successful in providing volunteer management software to many of these bids, including Glasgow Life, Cardiff County Council and Manchester Council.

As part of their work, TeamKinetic and GLL have decided to explore the role leisure can play in achieving this goal. TeamKinetic is one of the leading providers of volunteer management software and believes teaming up with GLL, who already run community engagement projects supported by local authorities and sport clubs, will create the perfect opportunity to do this.

The two organisations are planning to launch a pilot programme that will tap into the unused volunteering opportunities within leisure, from those that are involved with the facility, to the potential use of community space that leisure centres could offer, thereby embedding volunteers within the community. As the leading leisure operator in the UK, GLL is capable of extending the piloted programme across the nation.

This project will produce the findings used to evaluate and showcase how the investment of time and resource in developing volunteers within the leisure sector can provide a big return on investment, which will be produced in collaboration with Join In and Sport England.

The project which is proposed to kick off early in the New Year will see one local authority pilot the project before being scaled up across the GLL estate.

Steve Hall, one of the Directors at TeamKinetic: “To play a fundamental part in research that showcases the value of volunteers is something that excites TeamKinetic greatly. It is something we have always believed; we hope the evidence will reflect it”

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

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

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

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

1. Volunteer management software is too expensive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Chris Martin, Founding Director

As the festive celebrations are in full swing, it seems fitting to take a moment to reflect on the last year and consider what the next twelve months might hold.

With political affairs, scandals and a host of natural disasters, 2017 will certainly be one for the history books. On a personal level I will remember the year for quite different reasons and as one of the most challenging and rewarding years, I wanted to self-indulgently share my experience of the year.

I kicked the year of with a New Year’s Day swim in the Irish Sea, supporting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. I was rather excited to be taking part in it all, but it did include some slight moments of embarrassment, as I was in a wetsuit and the 88-year-old lady next to me was only sporting a bikini!  This really struck me in a metaphorical sense; the year ahead may be hard and challenging, but it was important to just go for it and get it done.

We settled into new offices early in 2017, located in Manchester and it was around this time Sport England announced their first allocated funding for volunteering. This was an exciting proposition for the sector, finally, the hard work and development had become recognised at a national level.

For me, the start of the year had a different kind of excitement and anticipation. My second child, George was born on the 6^th of February and as much a bundle of happiness he is, I have not managed a solid 8 hours sleep since. The following months seemed to flash by and before I realised, we were in May.

TeamKinetic joined Altius Sports and British Cycling in launching the HSBC City Ride, a fantastic series of participation events. The same month also saw our first major update to TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software which introduced a host of new features and updates.

This all happened just in time for our annual Volunteering Conference which TeamKinetic runs in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. Amongst the guests, we welcomed industry leaders, our beloved clients and our first international delegates from Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.

With Yvonne Harrison, CEO of Greater Sport, as compère the stage first welcomed Carwyn Young of Sport Wales, Jenny Betteridge of Sport England and Emma Boggis from the Sport Recreational Alliance. Discussing the differences between borders, acknowledging the similarities and noting the importance of a national volunteer strategy created an insightful talk. Chris Jones, CEO of England Athletics closed the event in the most entertaining fashion, sharing his family’s experience volunteering, and how that has influenced his perspective and the strategic direction of England Athletics.

The event was a big success and was a brilliant platform to share how organisations are developing volunteering. This video by Sport Wales is a brilliant example of how to motivate volunteers.

A week after the conference was my wedding – I clearly forgot to check my diary when planning both events. June became an extremely busy and stressful month, but my fiance was not accepting my excuse of being too busy to get my suit fitted. Thankfully both events went without a hitch and I didn’t look too shabby on the big day.

More good news arrived in the form of a pilot project with England Athletics, naming us as its selected partner to better manage officials, events and volunteers. We will be sharing more on this in the New Year.

TeamKinetic went international in 2017. Our first overseas customer was Africa Pearl, who we collaborated with to deliver a fantastic project in the Gauteng Province. This ambitious project took mentors into schools, with the aim of addressing the behavioural and social drivers of HIV/AIDS and TB. The programme is designed to constructively engage out-of-school youth in supporting learners in schools and consequently offering these young people a living and long-term future. The programme will also up skill and provide practical experience resulting in a recognised qualification, thereby empowering all those involved.

Our second international customer was from the USA. Humanity Road use innovative technology and social listening platforms to connect people, animals and emergency officials with help and resources when disaster strikes. It provides impacted areas, often overwhelmed in confusion, with a lifeline to services that otherwise can be impossible to access. Using TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software, Humanity Road manages a voluntary workforce that supports the work of local officials and emergency response teams.

Closer to home TeamKinetic welcomed many new organisations that were keen to manage volunteers in a better way. TeamKinetic began working alongside Energize CSP, Cannock Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, Monmouthshire County Council and an expanded the work at Glasglow Life to include all aspects of their work

We continue our mission to be the best volunteer management software and community platform in the world, resulting in some big developments this year. This included the iOS and Android Apps for the mobiles; a newly developed interface to Salesforce; Integration into Do-it.org; and a new functional API allowing our customers to access their data and integrate with their existing software.

What I have learnt from 2017 is that even in a world challenged by austerity, Brexit and Trump (to name a few), there is still a huge amount of positivity, created by the good will and positive nature of us all. This is evident in the time, effort and support individuals continue to provide to the causes they care for.

As I look towards 2018, I feel energised knowing that we can continue to make a difference in our communities and in the causes we care. We need to continue reminding ourselves and others of the importance to help others and realise the larger social responsibility we each have.

The next year already has promised to bring just as much excitement and nervousness as the last. TeamKinetic has some big projects already planned, that we look forward to officially announcing in the New Year. On a personal level, I am not planning as many life milestones but hope to enjoy those days of significance with my family, with a few Birthdays and my first anniversary to add to the list.

The political climate might look to be more challenging than last year, which I did not think possible, but I believe the balance will return. I am regularly reassured by the regular act of selflessness that I am frequently reminded of through my work.

On that note, I would like to thank you for joining TeamKinetic through 2017 and the team here would like to extended a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Warm Regards,

Chris