Tag: volunteer management software UK

Overcoming Volunteering Barriers

By

On 19th August 2019

In Community, Volunteer Management

This blog has been inspired by Rob Preston, a senior reporter at Charity Finance Magazine and the author of a recent article highlighting that fewer people are volunteering.

The article (Fewer people volunteering, says DCMS survey), highlights that only 36 per cent of people volunteered at least once in the year to March 2019. The lowest level recorded by the survey, which was run by The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. However, here at TeamKinetic we are committed to knocking down those barriers!

Childcare issues

Milo and his son intensely playing with Lego!

I know from being a parent myself looking after your child can be, to say the least, a tiring task. However, it is highly enjoyable, especially if you love playing with Lego as much as they do!

Childcare constraints do not need to stop you from volunteering, many volunteering opportunities can be done with your children.

MCRVIP has many child-friendly opportunities around the city like the cleaner city opportunity and the park maintenance opportunity, these are just two examples of where you and your children could volunteer and bond together. Not only is this something to do instead of being housebound but, it teaches the children the importance of volunteering and giving back to your community.

Having an illness or disability

Never let a disability hold you back, is the advice from Nicola Taylor, who didn’t let her disability get in the way of what she wanted to achieve in volunteering.

“I have cerebral palsy and am a wheelchair user. I felt very isolated as I had no social outlet. Previously I was invited to a presentation evening with Volunteering Matters and started talking to Mandy, from the SAFE project. About doing some volunteering for the project with her as I wanted to do something for myself and help others.

I have a particular interest in working with those with autism spectrum disorder as I have a nephew who is on the spectrum. When Mandy told me she would be starting a group with girls from the integrated autism service, I was very keen but felt there  might  be a financial impact as I would have to get an accessible taxi from my home. However, Mandy assured me that Volunteering Matters would cover the travel expenses – and that the venue would have disability access.

I am now co-facilitating the group and love it! I am helping others receive important messages and  love seeing them gaining confidence week by week. Volunteering has helped me a lot; I feel pretty good about myself and I have also learned a lot from the workshops. I am keen to learn more and help out at further workshops in the future.”

Nicola Taylor

I hope Nicola’s story can inspire people to give volunteering a go. Volunteering has made a life-changing impact on Nicola’s life and It might just be able to do the same to yours.

Study commitments

Being a student myself I know the workload can be high, especially around deadline dates. So I understand finding spare time can be difficult. However, I recently got to chat with the successful student and volunteer El Afzal. El has been volunteering for quite some time now, some would say she’s a bit of a volunteering athlete!

How did you get into volunteering whilst at university? 

“Through my tutors on my course (Event Management), and also through the MMU Sports TeamKinetic portal. I had very little experience in Events and really wanted to give myself the best start to my university time and career. My tutor guided me to a matchday volunteering with Manchester Futsal, running the reception and ticketing on matchdays. And I found my own volunteering through TeamKinetic where I volunteered at BUTL (British University Taekwondo League) UK Regional Taekwondo championships.”

How do you manage Studying and Volunteering at the same time? 

“Despite most of it being linked to my degree and my career goals, I find the volunteering I’m doing to be my downtime. I have such a variety of volunteering under my belt that now I know what I’ll enjoy, and what will help me relax. So the first week of every month I go to Desert Island Discs with Manchester Cares in Ancoats, and have a brew with older neighbours and laugh and dance to some music. Or having post-match wings and drinks with Manchester Futsal team is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I do make sure that with my studying I have at least one evening off working and revision to do something I enjoy and that makes me feel happy, it helps keep a balance and stop me from getting too bogged down.”

Do you feel volunteering whilst being at university has helped you, and if so why?

“Yes, definitely! Volunteering has opened a lot of doors for me. It’s led me onto new roles in organisations I already volunteered at which has led to further job offers.

Volunteering genuinely has helped me develop some vital skills and industry knowledge which I needed. Also, it’s a fantastic way of naturally networking with others; I’ve had fellow volunteers wanting to help and offer introductions and work experience/internships with people they know.”

What would you say to any student who is studying at university but is apprehensive about volunteering? 

“I’d say to do some research and find a role you actually want. Don’t volunteer somewhere if it doesn’t interest you because you won’t get as much out of it. Try looking at something that could fit your current skill set, or is with a company/charity you actually want to work with. But volunteering is more rewarding the more you put in, so you have to go in and be willing to get out of your comfort zone. So research, apply, enjoy and get stuck in!”

Never considered it or not aware of groups that need help

Many people don’t really know how they can get involved in volunteering, it can be on your doorstep, or abroad. Many just have never given it a second thought. But I hope I can enlighten a few people to give volunteering a go, all you need is your laptop, mobile or tablet to get started on your first opportunity near you. Here are a handful of sites which could kick start your volunteering opportunities.

Your local city or town council is the perfect place to start. Your council website will additionally assist you in being able to volunteer locally. For first time volunteers, I would highly recommend trying your council’s website as your first call to action.

Volunteer centre


You may not have realised it yet but local accredited volunteer centres are everywhere. They’re an excellent way for first-time volunteers to get involved, by understanding your interests they can match you with suitable volunteering opportunities.

Try volunteering

TryVolunteering.com ran by us here at TeamKinetic, encourages all people from all walks of life to get involved in volunteering. TryVolunteering.com also allows people to set up accounts as opportunity providers, providers can then advertise volunteering opportunities – but don’t worry its all FREE!

Do-it.org

Don’t just do it for yourself, do it for someone else. That’s the true motivation behind volunteering. Do-it.org connecting volunteers to volunteering opportunities from all around the country.

Charity Job

Charity Job is the UK’s largest site for charity jobs and volunteering. Thousands of positions can be found up and down the UK, no matter your location there will be something near you.

A final note from TeamKinetic

Life can throw up many barriers, some of which are hard to get over and may challenge us along our paths. But it’s the journey of how we get over these barriers and what we can learn from climbing over them. The secret is passion. Martin Luther King said, “A man who has not found something he is willing to die for, is not fit to live.” Perhaps an extreme sentiment, however, the point is very clear. We all must find a passion in life which we care about more than ourselves; this will give you the motivation, and inspiration to do more in life. Your passion may be volunteering and helping to improve other peoples lives; whatever it maybe it doesn’t matter, as long as your passionate – then you can overcome anything.

How volunteering improves mental health

By

On 7th December 2018

In News & Views

Mental health is a growing problem, approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, as reported by Mind. Women are most likely to suffer from a mental health issue but males are more likely to take their own lives, at 78% of all suicides. While it can’t be the answer to everything, it has been said that volunteering improves mental health.

Causes Of Poor Mental Health

Many believe that the NHS is underfunded for the treatment of mental health. The King’s Fund reports that 23% of NHS activity is dedicated to treating mental health whilst only 11% of the budget is allocated to the issue.

Demand for help is up, but services are diminishing as a result of austerity. Recent figures show a 30% fall since 2009 in the number of hospital beds for people with acute mental health conditions. This follows the revelation in November 2017 that two-thirds of children referred for specialist mental healthcare are not receiving treatment. The charity Barnardo’s warned that ministers were “sleepwalking” into a deeper crisis in children’s mental health, after the government’s response to a parliamentary select committee report and green paper failed to promise urgent action to plug “gaping holes” in services.

It’s believed that social media plays a massive role in poor mental health. A study of 1,000 young people in the USA found 41% of respondents stated that social media platforms make them feel anxious, sad or depressed. The suggestion is social media makes young people feel anxious. Ben Jacobs, a DJ who has more than 5,000 followers on Twitter, decided to go on a hiatus from the platform in January 2016 and has found the break really beneficial. “Twitter did indeed make me feel anxious from time to time as it slowly dawned on me I was concerning myself with the feelings of the thousands of strangers I followed, while they didn’t necessarily know who I was.”

Volunteering And Mental Health

Studies show that volunteering improves mental health. It allows you to get rid of negative feelings and emotions such as anger, aggression or hostility that have a bad impact on our mind and body. Engaging in random acts of kindness can help decrease these feelings and stabilise your overall health. 94% of people who have volunteered in the last twelve months say that it improves their mood. Statistics such as this suggest that volunteering can improve poor mental health.

Volunteering also improves self-esteem. As the statistic above proves, voluntary work can improve your overall well-being. It makes you feel better about yourself. Research shows that knowing you’re making a difference to someone else makes you more confident and content.

Another reason to volunteer is the amount of life satisfaction that it can bring you. NCVO say that volunteering can boost happiness, therefore reducing symptoms of depression and other mental health issues.

TeamKinetic – Proud Of Our Friends

We make volunteering easier for organisations that help others. They help to recover, improve and prevent poor mental health. In September 2018, members of TeamKinetic went down to the Liverpool FC Foundation. We spoke to a number of volunteers on the ‘Respect For All’ activity day. They all gave great praise for the work the foundation does. Many felt the foundation had a positive impact on them. One person even said ”The foundation means everything to me.”

We also work with several hospitals, such as Warrington Halton Hospital, and many NHS Trusts. They do remarkable work every day to contribute to the positive well-being of others. TeamKinetic are very proud to be associated with these organisations and show full gratitude for the work they do.

For those interested in a volunteer management software that can help you the same way we have helped many others, please visit our website to book a demo and we would be happy to talk with you further.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

Recruiting – Are volunteer managers doing it right?

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On 5th November 2018

In Volunteer Management

Volunteer numbers are stagnating while the number of opportunities rises each year. It is easy for volunteer managers to want to “recruit”, without assessing and placing volunteers in the most suitable opportunities.

TeamKinetic contend that it’s important for all volunteer managers to understand how to recruit volunteers. Equally, it is important to understand how to effectively manage them. Perhaps more important still – how do you retain them?

Volunteer management, recruiting volunteers, volunteer management software, volunteer managers

Recruiting volunteers

Let’s start with some figures that are important to know from a volunteer managers point of view. As this always helps to understand the context we are working with.

In giving, how much do we receive? The social value of volunteering (Andrew G Haldane, Chief Economist, Bank of England, 2014).

Clearly, there is an appetite by people to help shape their communities and give their time freely to achieve their goals.  How do you and your organisations make the best use of this amazing resource?

Advertising

How technology is redefining volunteer management…

Technology has been a powerful tool in allowing people to achieve things that once were not possible in the past. The developments have allowed billions of people to communicate, share stories and ideas from different locations and times. TeamKinetic uses technology to allow volunteer managers to complete tasks in a simple and quick manner. Technology is a tool that can create a number of benefits to organisations that is focused on providing volunteers with the best possible opportunities.

TeamKinetic work with a number of organisations such as; Do-it.org, volunteering-wales.net and VolunteerScotland to offer volunteers options across the UK. We believe that audience size matters and individuals looking for things they are interested in is made simple.

We believe it is possible to create an audience ecosystem for opportunities. every volunteer manager in the sector plays an important role in providing volunteers with access to a wide range of opportunities that will bring about benefits to the organisation and volunteer. TeamKinetic is assisting volunteer managers to carry out these tasks by providing a platform that allows them to create and advertise opportunities according to the organisation’s audience. The system also inputs all volunteers into one area after registering. This allows the selecting process of volunteers to be effective and time-saving.

Opportunities

Volunteer managers should always strive to create opportunities that are appealing and beneficial to the volunteer. Opportunities should allow the volunteer to gain positive and worthwhile experiences because at the end of the day they’re giving up their time to help you!

When advertising an opportunity it is important to consider the following:

  • Provide the volunteer with all the information regarding the opportunity.
  • Include some of the benefits of the volunteering opportunity
  • Highlight some of the key requirements of your opportunity

Here are some amazing opportunities that have been provided to volunteers by organisations using the TeamKinetic volunteer management software. When opportunities are well thought out and advertised they can have a big impact on the volunteer and their experience.

Liverpool FC Foundation – Respect 4 All 

Respect 4 All is a great example of a simple and easy to sign up volunteer opportunity created by the foundation. The opportunity is a regular ongoing event that is held every week that brings in a variety of volunteers. The Respect 4 All event is well advertised through the website and the mission of the event is clearly outlined. The Respect 4 All event is for girls and boys with complex and additional needs ages 5+.

This opportunity is perfect for an individual that has no experience and wants to get involved, as they are not required to have specific skills or experience. Once signed up the volunteer is provided with a full induction that allows them to get to know the volunteer managers and highlights what is expected of them.

The volunteer is provided with their own LFC Foundation Kit which is a good way of making them feel part of the team. Respect 4 All is a successful event and volunteers always leave happy, which is reflected in some of the reviews that are left.

“Lovely to meet the staff who made me feel very welcome as a newcomer. Really well organised, and would love to help again”

England Hockey – #IndoorHockeyUK

England hockey is another organisation that has used the volunteer management software to its potential by creating some fantastic opportunities. A good example of one of England Hockey’s opportunities is their spectator service role for the #IndoorHockeyUK event that is being held on the 28th of December.

The volunteer role is well defined with a clear outline of what is required (16+ and a criminal check). Additionally, the role expectations are outlined for the volunteer applying so they are fully aware of the tasks at hand.

England hockey has also used the volunteer system features to include what would be provided to the volunteer e.g a volunteer pack (including a t-shirt and water bottle), refreshments and meals. As well as the map feature which gives the volunteer and exact location of the event.

volunteer management software, volunteering, free volunteer management, volunteer managers
A diverse group of volunteers

Selecting

Matching the right volunteer in the role best suited to them is the best way to ensure success for your voluntary programme. Finding volunteers who commit to opportunities over a longer period of time is vital for organisational and volunteer development. All organisations are different and will have different expectations of what they require from the volunteer.

When selecting volunteers it is necessary to consider how difficult you wish to make it for them to have a positive experience. The type of role volunteers apply for will impact their onboarding process. it is important to consider whether they can apply and turn up to their opportunities or if you require a face-to-face meeting with them.

For example, tasters may require little to no onboarding and are ideal for the volunteer to try out opportunities. Supporting the volunteer to see what skills they have and how they may fit into an organisation. Whereas roles with greater responsibility may require references, DBS, and relevant experience.

TeamKinetic allows managers to set these guidelines for each opportunity they provide. Volunteers are never expected to provide more than is asked of them in the application process.

Dawn Georgeson -Volunteer Lead at the Liverpool FC Foundation had this to say about some of the issues volunteer managers face when recruiting volunteers.

“Reliability is one of the key things! Not that volunteers are not reliable but its more about what is a ‘regular’ volunteer for me. For one person every week could be a regular volunteering opportunity that they will continue to do. However, for some people, it could be once a month or even once a year and that regular to them, and it’s managing that. Discussing with volunteers on what their expectations are and what ours are, and making sure they marry up. That is one of the biggest issues in making sure people are fulfilling their opportunities.”

TeamKinetic allows volunteer managers like Dawn to set the type of opportunity on offer. Allowing them to better understand and manage how regular the volunteer will be. On the volunteer management software, TeamKinetic gives 3 opportunity options, which are:

  1. Repeating – (An opportunity that is regularly ongoing e.g coaching football every Tuesday)
  2. Non-repeating – (A one-off opportunity or event e.g Commonwealth parade)
  3. Flexible – (An opportunity that is irregular e.g befriending old people when you have free time)

These options help categories the opportunities and allow managers to have a greater understanding of what they would consider as a regular volunteer for their organisation. The TeamKinetic volunteer software makes selecting volunteers simple and easy for the managers. This allows more time to be spent on organisation goals and developments and less time spent on administrative tasks and micromanaging the whole recruitment process.

Find out how TeamKinetic has helped organisations simplify their management process and reduced time spent on micromanaging volunteers.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

6 Reasons to Attend a Volunteering Conference

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On 25th June 2018

In Events and Conferences, News & Views

In a digital age where it seems that everything relating to training, development and even networking can all be accessed online it can sometimes prove challenging to convince or justify time away from the office. We wanted to provide you with 6 reasons to get out of the office and hopefully, convince you to attend a volunteering conference in the future!

You owe it to your volunteers

Countless volunteers travel, give up their time and go out of their way for various volunteering roles. Whether it’s staying an extra couple of minutes to tidy up or responding to an urgent last-minute call to cover a shift, volunteers always have a knack for giving more than expected.

Yet, as volunteer managers, we sometimes forget to prioritise operational and strategic tasks which will provide a greater long-term benefit, becoming immersed by working in our volunteer programme instead of on it.

Sometimes we need to take a step away from our organisation’s day-to-day running to learn, exchange best practice and hard-learned lessons with your peers, or just simply reiterate the steps we need to ensure long-term value in our volunteering programmes. A focused conference can do just that.

If you stop learning, you stop growing (and so does your volunteer programme)

This nugget of wisdom often echoes through any informative or educational events marketing material. Yet, despite its excessive use, it remains true and is one of the most important factors for ensuring you prioritise your personal and professional development.

Without developing your skills and knowledge of the latest trends, technology and discoveries, you put yourself at a disadvantage. Ensuring that you spend sufficient time developing an awareness of new developments will ensure that you protect your volunteer programme and safeguard preparation for future changes.

Who said work should be boring ….have fun

We have all been guilty of slipping into a routine where we repeat activities daily, trying to reduce any distractions and focus on what matters. In doing so, we inadvertently remove the sources of entertainment, creativity and inspiration we previously amused ourselves with and used to fuel our work with the necessary passion it deserves.

Attending a conference provides an opportunity to find new inspirations in an environment that is fun, welcoming and different. Simply by removing ourselves from the confines of our office, we open our minds to new stimuli that can inspire a change in our approach. The opportunity to meet new people, learn new ways and experience new places, genuinely excites (most) of us.

Network, Network, Network

Meeting someone in person provides a real chance to connect. You notice their body language, facial response and their voice. Collectively these interactions have a much greater value which is longer lasting and valued.

The importance of building your network is beneficial to both yourself and your organisation. It could be as simple as identifying new suppliers or sharing approaches to a shared challenge. The value and potential of collaboration, open discussion and mutual interest make networking very worthwhile.

Industry Insight

The opportunity to listen to industry-leading figures can provide a chance to learn valuable information and insight that you may not have been aware of or had access to. As speakers want to be recognised for their experience and expertise they will supply their audience with an arsenal of practical and easy-to-implement takeaways; from bite-size easy wins to long-term strategic considerations.

Lunch, Lunch, Lunch

As every volunteer manager knows, it is important to keep your workforce focused and fed. So make sure you don’t miss out on the top lunch provided and enjoy a freshly prepared, wholesome and tasty lunch with refreshments.

So what are you waiting for, you owe it to your volunteers!

So there you go, 6 compelling reasons for you to give up your desk for one day, go on an adventure to discover, network and learn.

If you would like to find out more about TeamKinetic’s Annual Conference or Volunteer Management Software, please get in touch.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

Free and Paid Volunteer Management Software: What is the difference?

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On 30th May 2018

In Application Features and Tutorials, News & Views

TeamKinetic has been providing volunteer management software to third-sector organisations for over ten years. As part of our service, we also provide free volunteer management software to organisations through our national brokerage website tryvolunteering.com providing TeamKinetic FREE.

This is the perfect opportunity for organisations to test the benefits of advertising opportunities nationally, understand the benefits of volunteer management software’s reporting functionality and test the responsiveness of volunteers to join opportunities through an online portal. TeamKinetic FREE lets you manage an unlimited number of volunteers on one opportunity.

To help understand the benefits of volunteer management software, TeamKinetic have put together this short guide:

What is volunteer management software?

‘Volunteer Management Software’ is a term coined to describe a built-for-purpose computer system which can be used by voluntary organisations to recruit and manage volunteers.  It creates an online portal for volunteers to access advertised opportunities, which in turn makes volunteering more accessible. There are various systems available on the market. Each provider of volunteer management software takes a different approach to delivering their software system and this is reflected in the functionality, features and design.

Who uses volunteer management software?

Volunteer management software is used by many voluntary, non-government, education, health and sport organisations. The staff that use the systems often include volunteer managers, community engagement officers, events coordinators, sports development officers, volunteer coordinators, HR and operation staff, and many more.

What does volunteer management software do?

Volunteer management software helps organisations to reduce the amount of time spent on administrative tasks. The software also helps to recruit and deploy volunteers. Depending on the software provider, additional functionality may be available, such as reporting features, social media sharing, communication tools and much more.

What is the difference between free and paid versions of volunteer management software?

Free volunteer management software often has limitations or simplified functionality. As more functionality, reports and functionality increase, so does the price of the software.

TeamKinetic provides several volunteer management software options to match the needs of different organisations. We have one free version and three paid versions of volunteer management software.

TeamKinetic FREE is a free volunteer management software system that is hosted on tryvolunteering.com. You can’t control the look at feel of the site, but you can advertise opportunities and invite volunteers.

TeamKinetic ADVANCED and TeamKinetic ENTERPRISE are both bespoke systems that are hosted on their own domain and include higher functionality features. You can find out more about this on our website.

What features and functionality does TeamKinetic FREE include?

TeamKinetic FREE is a national volunteer brokerage system with advanced volunteer management functionality; it acts as a virtual portal for volunteers to find voluntary opportunities. Removing the restrictions of traditional volunteering sign-up, your organisation will be bought into the digital age and will save valuable time, previously spent on administration tasks.

In all versions of TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software volunteers can access all of the same features. These features include:

  • the ability to join opportunities,
  • Create a profile
  • track achievements
  • add CPD and qualifications
  • track opportunities attended
  • log hours

Search for opportunities, events and training by:

  • keywords
  • categories
  • activities
  • distance and date
  • leave opportunity feedback
  • share opportunities on social media

As an opportunity provider you can:

  • Create a profile for your organisation
  • Create opportunities
  • Manage unlimited volunteers
  • Group volunteers
  • Check DBS
  • Request references
  • Access automated emails
  • Upload documents
  • Restrict opportunities
  • Share the opportunity onto Do-It

Using TeamKinetic enables you to report on essential KPIs and Data, including:

  • Gender of Volunteers
  • Volunteer Ethnicity
  • Volunteer Age Groups
  • Volunteer Group Membership
  • Hours Logged by Category
  • Opportunity numbers by category
  • Monthly cumulative logged hours
  • Unique Active Opportunity Sessions
  • Available Opportunity Sessions

All of this data is available for download in a CVS file.

What if my organisation needs its own system?

As mentioned, TeamKinetic also provides bespoke volunteer management software systems which can be integrated into your organisation’s current website. We are more than happy to discuss the pricing of the system, the specification required and which version would best meet your organisation’s needs.

Where can I find out more / Can I discuss this further with you?

TeamKinetic is always happy to help and support voluntary organisations and we will happily discuss which option of our software would be best suited to your organisation’s needs. Speak with one of our specialist Team today.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

TeamKinetic will be at NCVO Trustee event 10th Nov 2014

By

On 31st October 2014

In Events and Conferences, News & Views

NCVO

We are proud to continue our support of the NCVO and are happy to announce that we will be attending the NCVO Trustee event on the 10th of November 2014, taking a display stand at the event.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with the team or the opportunity to see the software in action at the event then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to talking to th delegates about how we can help them recruit, manage, deploy and retain their volunteer workforce for the future.

You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:

Twitter       Facebook       LinkedIn       YouTube       Instagram       Podcast

 

Have you enjoyed using TeamKinetic? If you could leave us a review on Capterra, we’d really appreciate it! We’ll even send you a little thank you.

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