The latest minor release is out in the wild now. Here are the big things to watch out for in the new TeamKinetic update.
Tempo Time Credit Integration
This is super exciting and we will be covering this in some other posts and communications.
If you join the Tempo Time Credit scheme, your volunteers will be able to exchange hours they log in TeamKinetic for real-world rewards in their local area. It’s a fantastic way to reward and recognise your volunteers.
The process is fully integrated and volunteers can register and exchange hours from right within the TeamKinetic app. You can find out more on the Tempo website.
Another first for volunteer management software. We have integrated the First Advantage digital and criminal check service right into the TeamKinetic app.
As an admin, all you need to do is select the volunteer whose identity you want to check or perform a criminal check on and hit a single button! The volunteer will be contacted to download an identity check app to their phone, proceed to verify their identity, and then the criminal check will be performed and the results fed straight back into TeamKinetic. We expect most checks to be completed within 48 hours.
It’s also possible to perform in-person identity checks and just use the service to complete the criminal check if you are satisfied with the documents presented.
If you’re interested in integrating your identity and criminal checks directly into your volunteer programme, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ryvW7cs3yGJGNnV26
Gender and Birth Sex
We have now successfully decoupled our gender and birth sex questions. Previously we collected the birth sex answer as part of the gender question and you might have noticed that Female/Male was always appended to your own gender list.
We used this answer to define a birth sex of female or male so that if opportunity creators restricted an opportunity by sex we could correctly identify those volunteers that matched.
We’ve been monitoring the usage of the sex-restricted opportunities and it has been going down and down so we decided it was the right time to break this a little so we can get our gender/sex position correct.
You’ll see two new options in the Super Admin Settings > Options menu under the registration section that you can use to switch on/off the Birth Sex and Gender questions. If enabled the questions will be asked at registration and also within the volunteers profile.
If your organisation has no sex-restricted opportunities then the birth sex question will be switched off. We have also retained the female/male responses in your gender lists, but they are now editable, and if you wish you could remove them and use cisgender or whatever your organisation prefers.
Disability and Support Questions
We have also split up this section into two optional registration questions so you can choose to ask if a volunteer considers themselves disabled and/or if they have any extra support issues. We know that for some organisations it is not appropriate to ask or record if a volunteer is disabled but it’s still useful to know about any support issues you can help with.
These options can be found in the REGISTRATION section of the Super Admin Settings > Options menu.
Along with the now optional sex and gender questions you can now have a really minimal registration page which we would always advocate if you don’t need the extra data.
Auto Deletion of Volunteers
We recognise that storing old data can be an issue, both for GDPR and reporting. It has always been possible to delete volunteers based on a filter like login activity but it was manual. We have added a new feature where you can switch on auto deletion and enter the period of inactivity after which to remove the volunteers.
Matching volunteers will be marked for deletion if they have not logged in within the period you specify, which is 12 months by default. Then after 48 hours, they will be removed and their hours saved in the usual way for deleted volunteers.
Recording No-Shows
For some of our customers, no-shows can be a real issue and while it has been possible to check volunteers in via the day schedule report page, and for volunteers to self-report as a no-show, we’ve not supported an admin method to record the no-show.
You can now do this for single or multiple sessions in the past from the Log Hours section of the opportunity management page. This data is being recorded and once we have some more to work with we will be reporting this data back via the reporting pages and volunteer management page.
Volunteer Status
In the past we have had three possible statuses for a volunteer; newly registered with no access, access granted, and access revoked. We have extended this to include a retired status, a revoked due to safeguarding issues, and an under-review status. These status changes have also been added to the webhook actions so your connected applications can be notified when a volunteer’s status changes.
More Automated Notifications
We’ve added a few more email notifications to try and streamline the pre and post-session operation.
If you utilise the custom opp joining email to let your volunteers know more details about the opportunity once they have joined, then we will resend that email the day before a volunteer’s next session, just to remind them!
We have also added an editable post-opportunity period setting so that you can control how long after a volunteer’s last session on an opportunity they receive the post-opp reminder email (or you can switch it off entirely). If the opportunity has a post-opp survey or document this will be appended to the email.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will also notice in that screenshot that you can now also choose to include or exclude events in the weekly email newsletter that is sent every Friday.
There is of course, as always, the usual bug fixes and small changes that we hope make your day-to-day interaction with TeamKinetic better and better.
Many thanks to all our customers who open support tickets and new feature requests that helped shape this TeamKinetic update…keep them coming in!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
For alternative ways to fundraise, attract new volunteers, and excite existing volunteers, add a bit of seasonality to your volunteering opportunities! With Halloween just around the corner, it’s not too late to create volunteering opportunities on your TeamKinetic system. Take inspiration from the following Halloween volunteering opportunities and you’ll have a volunteer-involved event organised in no time!
Spooky Movie Screening
Some fundraising opportunities can be hosted entirely by volunteers! Hosting a screening of a Halloween film is minimal effort but can generate a significant reward. Guests will pay a small fee for an evening of frighteningly good entertainment. Whether this is a family-friendly event or a super scary horror night; consider what will be most appealing to your organisation’s audience and volunteers. Simply provide seating and project your film of choice. As an additional fundraising opportunity, include a Halloween bake sale or tuckshop.
Trick-Or-Treat QR Codes
Encourage your volunteers to take home stickers with a ‘scan to donate’ QR code or QR code linked to your TeamKinetic site. Stickers can be placed on buckets taken out treat-or-treating or placed on a bucket containing your own treats for treat-or-trickers to take from. Volunteering has never been so easy! Besides donations, this is also a great way to raise awareness of your organisation. QR.io is a useful free tool for generating QR codes.
Halloween Sweet Treats
A Halloween bake sale can be a stand-alone event or incorporated into a larger volunteering opportunity like a games night or movie screening. Encourage people to bring along Halloween-themed treats and the hard work will be done for you! Be sure to indicate that all proceeds will go to your organisation’s worthy cause. Task volunteers with running the stall or even making or preparing items for sale. Click here for some fun Halloween baking ideas!
Now it’s your jack-o’-lantern!
Don’t give up the ghost; engage with seasonal events! Halloween is perfect for fundraising events that are also great volunteering opportunities. Remember to signpost your Halloween volunteering opportunities at your organisation location and across your website, social media and TeamKinetic site itself. This is essential to boost volunteer registrations in a short time period!
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
In-person, or place-based, signposting is often the first step in a volunteer’s journey. A visual queue can be very provoking! Just like you might update your current noticeboard with news and events, update it with ongoing and new volunteering opportunities. Signpoisitng volunteering opportunities on-site or across your organisation’s locations is a brilliant way to inspire those who have an existing affinity with your organisation, or, are simply passing by.
TeamKinetic aids the creation of physical volunteering opportunity advertisements with the ‘Print’ tool. Press ‘Print’ on an opportunity to generate a poster. The poster includes the opportunity details you entered and a QR code to the opportunity page. Existing employees can also download a volunteering opportunity list as a CSV or PDF. This is especially useful when looking to fill skill-based opportunities that may be best suited to those with existing knowledge of your organisation.
If you want to get even more creative, Canva and Adobe are useful tools for creating free signage or posters. Design your poster to be visually appealing and informative. Don’t forget to include the opportunity QR code linked to your TeamKinetic site! With the QR code, volunteers can scan, view and join the opportunity via their mobile phone.
Best Practice Inspiration
This is an example of best practice in-person signposting by A.C.E. A.C.E’s inclusion of location and contact details and a thorough ‘Opportunity Description’ make for an informative poster generated using TeamKinetic’s ‘Print’ tool.
More Signposting Best Practice!
For guidance on other best practice signposting methods including website signposting, search engine signposting and social media signposting, click here.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system. You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
The Importance of Signposting for Search Engine Optimisation
You may be surprised by how many people scout out volunteering opportunities online before inquiring or joining an opportunity. Even with all the best in-person signposting, you will not appear in an online search without effectively signposting your volunteering opportunities on your organisation’s website and TeamKinetic site! The aim of search engine optimisation (SEO) is for your organisation’s TeamKinetic site to appear at the top of the search engine, e.g. Google, results page. Therefore, an important element of best practice signposting is search engine optimisation. As outlined below, effective signposting for search engine optimisation includes updated content, location data, detailed opportunity descriptions and links.
How?
When creating an opportunity, be sure to provide a detailed ‘Opportunity Description’, list any ‘Benefits & Perks’, ‘Skills Required’ and ‘Search Tags’. Therefore, when people are searching for volunteering opportunities, either on a search engine or within your TeamKinetic site itself, there is more likelihood that the keywords used will match up. If a volunteering opportunity is long-standing, it is a good idea to update the ‘details’ so that your site’s content is accurate and fresh. Websites that have regularly refreshed content tend to rank higher on the search engine results page.
Besides being a crucial element of a volunteering opportunity, including location data in your volunteering opportunity is a factor in search engine optimisation. When creating an opportunity, select ‘Pick the Location’ and enter the address details. Those browsing online for volunteering opportunities will be doing so via an IP address linked to their location. If your volunteering opportunities contain location data, those who are nearby are more likely to see your TeamKinetic site at the top of their search results page.
Including inbound links to your own website, news feed, or blogs can also boost your chances of ranking highly on the search results page. A good place to include a link to your organisation’s website would be the ‘About Us’ and ‘Home’ pages on your TeamKinetic site. Volunteering opportunities could include a link to your volunteering-related website news feed within the ‘Opportunity Description’. As with signposting on your organisation’s main website and social media, including links to your TeamKinetic site adds continuity across your organisation’s online platforms. High online presence raises SEO.
Best Practice Inspiration
An example of best practice signposting for search engine optimisation is Glasgow Life‘s TeamKinetic ‘Home’ page. Glasgow Life has included various outbound links; linking to their organisation’s main website under the ‘Back to Glasgow Life Volunteering Homepage’ button, to volunteer registration under the ‘Register Now!’ link, a ‘log in’ link, and registration buttons depending on whether a site visitor is ‘Interested in Volunteers?’ or ‘Recruitng Volunteers?’.
More Signposting Best Practice!
For guidance on other best practice signposting methods including in-person signposting, website signposting and social media signposting, click here.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system. You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
For most organisations, their website is the go-to destination for information about what they do, where to find them and who to contact. Therefore, signposting your TeamKinetic site on your organisation’s main website is best practice. Showcasing your current volunteering opportunities inspires involvement with your organisation. Continuity between your website and TeamKinetic site helps to create a more rounded picture of your organisation. This way, volunteers can have insight into their impact and how this benefits the purpose of your organisation.
How?
If possible, be sure to update your volunteering website features regularly. This is key for ensuring you come to the top of online search results. If you have an existing ‘news’ feed, recent and current volunteering events will fit in nicely. Entice those browsing your website with past and present volunteering projects, events and initiatives. Also, collect volunteer testimonies and feature them alongside the opportunity details. Hearing from a volunteer helps to assure prospective volunteers that your organisation is welcoming and personable.
Include a call to action button! For example, ‘Volunteer with us’ or ‘Volunteer now!’. This can be in addition to more detailed opportunity descriptions, or as a stand-alone prompt. If you have less time or resources to create a volunteering news-style feed, simply linking to your TeamKinetic website via a call to action button will be effective. You can link to any relevant area of your TeamKinetic system; specific opportunities, your TeamKinetic homepage or volunteer registration.
Using volunteering-related keywords in your website will mean that those looking for volunteering opportunities with your organisation, or similar, are more likely to be directed to your organisation’s website. Signposting volunteering news and opportunities on your website is a simple way to increase your chances of ranking higher in search results. Optimising your TeamKinetic page for Google search is explored in the TeamKinetic Best Practice – Search Engine Optimisation Signposting guide.
Best Practice Inspiration
An example of best practice website signposting would be Wiltshire Wildlife, who have a tab on their main organisation website that links directly to their TeamKinetic site. In addition to this, their ‘Blog’ and ‘News’ tabs feature regular volunteering opportunity-related updates and information.
More Signposting Best Practice!
For guidance on other best practice signposting methods including in-person signposting, search engine optimisation signposting and social media signposting, click here.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system. You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
TeamKinetic is perfect for showcasing your volunteering opportunities, but how do you make the journey to registering as a volunteer clear and simple? You may already be doing one or more of the following, depending on the nature of your organisation. But, as you will see, it is vital to effectively signpost your volunteering opportunities across in-person and various digital spaces! This way, you will maximise your volunteer reach and outcomes.
Click any of the above for guidance on how and why to incorporate each signposting method.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system. You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
If you are a volunteering-involved organisation, don’t be quiet about it on social media! Social media signposting is best practice for attracting volunteers to your TeamKinetic. After creating an opportunity on your TeamKinetic site, there is an option to ‘Share’ to multiple channels including your organisation’s social media accounts under the ‘Promote’ tab on the left-hand toolbar. If your organisation already communicates with existing and prospective volunteers via their Facebook page, for example, then posting about volunteering opportunities on Facebook will increase your chances of attracting enthusiastic volunteers! Similarly, where enabled, your volunteering opportunities can be shared between different organisations’ TeamKinetic sites or national brokerage sites such as Do it, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) or the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).
In addition to your website, regularly update your social media page with volunteering news. Post links to opportunity pages on your TeamKinetic site, and engage with other sector voices. For example, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) or Volunteer Scotland. Engaging with sector voices over social media draws attention to your organisation’s social media profile, and, in turn, drives traffic to your TeamKinetic site. Ways to engage with other organisations’ social media pages are; reposting and adding some of your thoughts, commenting on another page’s posts, or simply being active and liking posts that are of interest or relevance to your organisation. If links to your website and TeamKinetic site are present on your social media pages, either in your page’s ‘bio’ or within posts, your TeamKinetic site will be easy to find!
Best Practice Inspiration
An example of best practice social media signposting would be One Knowsley, who post a volunteering opportunity of the week feature across their social media pages. Including the opportunity link makes it quick and easy to view the opportunity page. Mentioning Guide Dogs improves One Knowsley’s chance of achieving a wider audience reach on Twitter.
More Signposting Best Practice!
For guidance on other best practice signposting methods including in-person signposting, website signposting and search engine signposting, click here.
Ensure you follow us on our social media pages to receive regular updates about the voluntary sector and learn more about the TeamKinetic system. You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Join Steve in this TeamKinetic Masterclass on improving your volunteers’ experience. He covers the key areas in which administrators can configure their TeamKinetic site in a good or bad way, with examples of both.
TeamKinetic offers a lot of flexibility for how your system can look and perform. Some of our users configure their systems with tight deadlines, which can mean areas are overlooked or not given the appropriate attention. The result is a difficult navigation experience for volunteers. This session covers how to improve your site’s look and feel, about us page, onboarding, automated emails and document hub.
You can check the latest training dates from within your system. Just go to ‘Help & Support’ → ‘Extra Training’.
If you’d like to suggest a future TeamKinetic Masterclass, please let us know. We’d be happy to develop one on any topic! You can get in touch via our website, email, phone, or social media. See all the important links below.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
