Tag: volunteer Page 9 of 15

It’s time to recognise and celebrate your volunteers!

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On 26th May 2022

In Community, Volunteer Management

Today is the day! The beginning of Volunteers’ Week is here (in the UK). Are you ready to celebrate your volunteers and the impact they’ve made?

We know how important volunteers are to organisations across the UK – Volunteers’ Week is a time to show your gratitude. This year Volunteers’ Week crosses over with the #MonthofCommunity, have you thought about the ways you can incorporate your community in your celebrations?

Celebrate the achievements.

The main focus is to celebrate your volunteers and their hard work, but it can be a time to raise awareness of the benefits. This goes for those volunteering and those whose volunteering efforts have helped.

Benefits for volunteers include connecting with others, increasing a volunteer’s social skills and making new friends. Volunteering can also help a volunteer’s mind – mental health is important and becoming a volunteer can help this. For those looking to advance their career, volunteering is a brilliant way to gain develop skills to help with this.

There are a plethora of benefits to volunteering; Volunteers’ Week can show those on the fence that volunteering really is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

Celebrate your volunteers’ impact.

Show your volunteers just how much they have helped your organisation- show them the numbers (so to speak!) People are much more likely to start volunteering, or get up and volunteer again if they’re able to see first-hand the impact they can/are making.

Letting a volunteer know what they’re impact is can be the greatest way that volunteers are celebrated this week. While there are many ways you can measure the impact a volunteer has made, just by simply letting them know about the difference they’ve made can raise spirits.

We know for many organisations they rely solely on volunteers to run- without them, what are organisations supposed to do? Keeping volunteers onboard is crucial, and Volunteers’ Week can help you keep them closer than ever.

What are you waiting for?

Why don’t you combine Volunteers’ Week, the #MonthofCommunity and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee? Celebrate all three at the Big Jubilee lunch tomorrow – a day of milestones for many. Whichever way you decide to thank your volunteers over the next week- let us know! Tweet us over at @TeamKineticUK or find us on Facebook and Instagram under the same name- we want to hear from you!

How to recognise the hard work of your volunteers

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On 25th May 2022

In Volunteer Management

There’s just one week to go until Volunteers’ Week 2022! How are you planning to recognise the hard work and effort of your volunteers? We all know the value volunteers bring to organisations, but more often than not, many volunteers go unnoticed.

With Volunteers’ Week right around the corner, it couldn’t be a more appropriate time to thank your volunteers for everything they do. Struggling for ideas? We might be able to help….

Why is it important?

Spending time rewarding your volunteers throughout the year is so important for retention. Whatever their reason for volunteering, volunteers want to feel valued. For many it may be the reason why they volunteer with you… They’re given an incentive to volunteer as much as they can.

Even just a simple ‘thank you’ after an opportunity can boost a volunteer for the rest of the day. It’s that feeling of being wanted- being valued- that you can really tap into during Volunteers’ Week. Your volunteers deserve it, and not just between 1-7th of June.

Focus on the impact!

Your volunteers spend so much time helping organisations without ever realising the impact they’ve made. While they will know who they’re volunteering for and the values that each organisation has, they might not think so much about their own impact. Shouting from the rooftops the exact impact they’ve made will help them feel valued like never before.

There are a number of ways you can celebrate your volunteers during Volunteers’ Week, no matter the budget you might have. Why don’t you set up a social event? It can even be online or a hybrid event to reach as many volunteers as possible. You could highlight the work completed over the year, or even show them how their skills have helped others.

The power of social media..

Use the hashtag #VolunteersWeek and show off your volunteers’ hard work and efforts to the rest of the world – they deserve it! Your organisation may also get some organic exposure. In the weeks after Volunteers’ Week, you may have a bunch of new volunteers signing up.

Not only can you promote your volunteer efforts, you can also use social media to thank them. There’s no doubt organisations have a group chat with volunteers to keep them informed. Why not use that to your advantage. Jump into the group chat and let your volunteers know how valued they are. Start conversations with volunteers about their motivations behind volunteering and what they’re thankful for.

Social media is a strong tool that everyone uses. We’re constantly connected, for organisations with a small budget, social media may be the best tool to use this Volunteers’ Week!

Finding gifts at a low cost…

Whether your budget only covers something ‘low-cost’, or you’re just looking to try something new, there are a number of low-cost options you can go for to celebrate your volunteers…

It could be a card, or even a postcard commemorating a volunteer’s hard work and effort. We’ve found that sometimes, volunteers love a good badge. Despite the low cost, volunteers will feel appreciated and let everyone else know about the difference they make.

Even small things, such a tea bag, or a packet of coffee – so your volunteers can have a cuppa on you. It’s often the small things that volunteers appreciate the most, little can sometimes mean a lot.

Enjoy Volunteers’ Week!

Hopefully we’ve helped you conjure up some ideas for Volunteers’ Week, the main thing is your volunteers feel valued. But it shouldn’t stop after the 7th! Your volunteers deserve to be honoured all year round.

TeamKinetic Awards!

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On 18th May 2022

In Awards and Prizes, News & Views

We don’t normally like to toot our own horn, but over the past few years we’ve been involved in some exciting projects and we’ve won some awards too! Much like with volunteers, we have to celebrate our hard work and give ourselves a little bit of a round of applause… 

iNetwork Awards

The iNetwork Awards celebrate and share innovation across the local public sector and its partner organisations. 

In 2021 we won two awards: 

  • The COVID-19 Response Recognition Award. A brand new category, which recognises the response and recovery to the unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • The Partner Excellence Award. This celebrates innovation, collaboration, efficiency and going the extra mile in partnership working.

Both awards were won alongside Halton and St Helens Voluntary and Community Action (HSHVCA) for our combined work on their Volunteer Portal. The programme had a significant impact on supporting local residents through the pandemic. Over 32,000 people were supported by volunteers who registered on the portal to support others. The portal and the app, displayed how volunteers and community tasks can be managed more efficiently through a collaborative, digital approach.

You can read our blog post about the awards or have some information about the work with Halton and St Helens. 

TechForce-19

In August 2020, NHSx (in partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) asked the Health Innovation Network (HIN) to undertake an evaluation to better understand digitally supported micro-volunteering models operating in the field of health and social care. This report presents learning from the evaluation and is aimed at an audience of commissioners and policymakers to inform their strategies around micro-volunteering.

TeamKinetic was selected to be one of the products evaluated after being commissioned through Techforce 19 in direct response to the COVID crisis. The lessons from the last 2 years as identified in this evaluation are digitally supported voluntary action that is delivered right in the heart of local communities is essential to resilience and should be considered an essential part of commissioners and policymakers thinking when looking at developing stronger neighbourhoods and communities and social care support.

TeamKinetic is proud to be part of this work. We have seen micro-volunteering as one strand in a wide range of potential interventions that broaden accessibility and inclusion in volunteering as well as the wider voluntary sector. Meanwhile, they also provide a lower-cost solution to community-based social care. Local digital solutions like ours allow local stakeholders to take direct ownership and control, empowering communities to become more resilient with much greater levels of trust and agency.

You can read the evaluation and take a look at our thoughts for more information. 

LGC Awards

Council's climate response shortlisted for national award | News Centre - Official news site of Calderdale Council

The LGC Awards exist to identify, celebrate and help spread the finest example of innovation and quality delivered by councils on a daily basis. Winning an LGC Award has become the most sought-after accolade in local government.

In 2021 we made the shortlist for two LGC Awards: 

  • Campaign of the Year. For our #StHelensTogether community response to COVID-19 in collaboration with St Helens Borough Council.
  • Technology. For our work with Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action (HSHVCA) on their volunteering portal at the start of the pandemic.

Kindocoin SBRI Challenge

Launch of Health Innovation South East Scotland website - Edinburgh Bioquarter

This was a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by The Can Do Fund and hosted by Health Innovation South East Scotland Innovation. HISES is the East Region Test Bed in NHS Scotland. The aim was to develop a prototype solution to increase volunteering in the community to support delayed discharges. 

We were awarded a contract to work with five test beds across Scotland in 2020. Our task was to develop a feasible solution that will enable people awaiting discharge from hospital to be connected with a volunteer who, with their approval, will be available to support them in safely getting settled back in their home.

You can read more about the SBRI project on their website, in preparation for the launch of Phase 1 in August. 

Impact Storytelling: How to connect with your volunteers.

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On 29th April 2022

In Community, Volunteer Management

We all know how impactful storytelling can be. And we’re sure that at some point we’ve been affected by a story told to us in a range of mediums (We’re inclined to think that everyone has also spent 6 hours crying through channel 4s It’s A Sin).

Being impacted by someone else’s story ignites something in us to get up and do something. It could be learning more about a topic, or thinking about a topic in a different light. What organisations can do is share their stories- to drive volunteers into action and reach larger audiences…

What is impact storytelling and why should you use it?

You might be wondering what exactly impact storytelling is. It’s sort of completely covered in the name- storytelling that impacts someone sees it. Impact storytelling can be posters, videos, a blog, anything that gets your impact out there. It’s important because it can be one of the most valuable sources of communication an organisation can use- no matter who it is you’re trying to reach.

Organisations should be using this to connect with their potential audience (or potential volunteers). Let them know how your organisation helps others- show the difference you make! You want people to become invested and interested in your organisation.

By connecting with people’s emotions, you can inspire them to get up and help make a difference where they can.

Best practices…

When you look to start creating an impact story, you must first get to know your audience. Or the audience you’re targeting. What are the main motivations for those coming to you to volunteer? Or get involved in a particular way? Are there any interests that stick out amongst your audience you could latch onto and highlight?

Knowing your audience as best you can, really helps when planning your impact story. Therefore, you’ll be using the appropriate actions/communications to reach your target audience…

Once you know how you’re going to put your story out there- it’s time to find the story to go with. Build up relationships with colleagues, volunteers or even those who your organisation helps. You might find that sharing real stories will give more of an impact to your audience.

Make sure to ask those involved in your story if they are okay with sharing it, and if they wouldn’t like their name involved- anonymise it as appropriate.

The stories you share should be focused on your organisation, and the impact that you make. Show the depth of your organisation- you want your impact storytelling to touch everything that your organisation does… 

On one final note…

On a final note, make sure to evaluate your impact. What do you think could be changed in your approach to have a better response to your impact storytelling? By evaluating you can see what did work, and what might not have been effective. Evaluation is key.

Hopefully we’ve been able to help you get started on your impact storytelling journey, or at least got your brain following for ideas!

How Your Fundraising Can Inspire Others…

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On 20th April 2022

In Charity, Community, News & Views

Bean baths, vows of silence and walking mountains- the ways in which people decide to raise money for a charity are vast. But they all give people a sense of adventure and purpose. Our day-to-day looks at the volunteering done by organisations, as opposed to the fundraising aspect. That doesn’t mean we don’t love hearing the stories of people bathing in beans or walking the 3 peaks for a charity close to their heart. Sometimes, those fundraising inspire others to do the exact same thing. 

We also love helping when we can! Which is why we’re bringing you Allen’s story- some of you may know him as Tiny- currently cycling from Cornwall to Scotland for a charity helping the veterans of this country…

Allen’s Story

We first heard of Allen’s story through our Lead Software Developer- Rolf. Residing in Wales, Rolf welcomed Allen in for some well-earned kip and to get cleaned up and fed for the rest of his journey.

Having served in the foreign legion for many years (having first signed up at the age of 17!) He has set himself the task to raise £40,000 by the time he’s completed his cycle. Not only is he cycling, but apart from the odd couple of nights recuperating, Allen has decided to sleep roadside too battling every kind of weather (quite literally- Britain eh?)

Amazingly, Allen has pledged to start on another route if his target isn’t met by the time his cycle is over. An incredible commitment already, Allen’s determination to raise money for a cause so close to his heart is as inspiring as it is remarkable. We hope that Allen’s story only encourages others to get out there and fundraise!

Read more about Allen and his journey and donate if you can.

Inspire Others.

For many, signing up for a run/walk/swim/cycle can be daunting. Stories just like Allen’s may be the push you need to put pen to paper and get started. It isn’t just Allen who’s set themselves tasks this year…

Mother and Daughter duo, Lucy and Greta are among a group just shy of 50 soon to set off on a trek of the Sahara. Having 90% of the funds raised already, the group is focused on sending the money to funding a construction for a new and larger hospice in Pease Pottage. 

This is just another example of those pushing their comfort zones to raise money for where it’s needed most. We’re wishing Lucy and Greta, along with the rest of the team all the best ahead of their upcoming hike!

It comes as no surprise that hearing others fundraising stories inspires so many others to start their own. People might think that they’re too small to make a difference- this shouldn’t stop you from getting up and fundraising for an organisation you love. Any difference, big or small, means so much to charities and organisations. A difference, big or small, is still making a difference. 

Wondering how you can fundraise?

Stories like Allen’s, like Lucy and Greta’s, inspire people every day to donate or start a fundraising journey of their own.

If you’re feeling inspired, why not start your fundraising journey today! You might be wondering what activity you can take on. We’ve got you covered with some simple fundraisers you can take on to start your passage…

Runs and Walks: 5k, 10k or marathons, walking up (and down) mountains. The weather is getting warmer- so why not get out there and put one foot in front of the other. If you’re looking for something more casual, why not try a step challenge? 100,000 steps in a certain time frame?

If walking or running isn’t quite your forte, why not follow in Allen’s footsteps. Find a route, jump on your bike and start pedaling. Become your own Allen! With the East Coast and Scotland left to go- we’re sending Allen all the best. You can read more on his story and donate if you can here.

How to develop an inclusive and accessible volunteer experience

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On 13th April 2022

In News & Views, Volunteer Management

Being inclusive and accessible are integral to modern society – particularly so in the third sector. Allowing as many people as possible to get involved is great for everyone. This is something that we aspire to at TeamKinetic – we’re constantly striving to be as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Inclusive vs Accessible – What’s the difference?

A variety of people are pictured, promoting an inclusive and accessible environment.

Accessibility focuses on designing a user experience that meets the needs of everyone in your audience. Ensuring something is accessible is likely to be the difference between a user being able to do something or not.

Accessibility involves a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities. Everyone deserves the same levels of access and no one should feel excluded.

Inclusivity, on the other hand, involves creating an experience with a wide range and variety of users in mind. This includes thinking about their various abilities, environments, situations, and contexts.

While inclusivity doesn’t address a specific user need, it does ensure that there are a range of tools and features that help all users feel comfortable. Inclusive measures (or lack of), are likely to be the difference between someone wanting to do something or not.

What are TeamKinetic doing?

With regular system updates, we’re continually looking for ways to improve the inclusive and accessible nature of our features. In the past, we have integrated several key accessibility measures into our system.

Now, our system has in-built adaptive technologies to help open the door for everyone to volunteer, from screen-readers to WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Our inclusive design looks at how we broaden our appeal so all users have an equal opportunity. We have done this via:

  • Dual language interface for our work in Wales.
  • Introducing blind recruitment processes.
  • Add-ons such as Recite-Me provide tools such as multilingual screen reading.
  • Site size and colour contrast adjust.
  • Other site translation (integrating Google Translate).

Organisations must adhere to laws surrounding accessible design, you can read more on the UK law here.

How can my organisation be more inclusive and accessible?

  • Do you face problems with attracting volunteers from diverse backgrounds?
  • Does the thought of creating a fully inclusive and accessible onboarding process overwhelm you?
  • Have you experienced barriers to making changes?

If you find that your organisation is struggling with any of the things mentioned above, the Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) hosted a great session on this.

Event: Making an inclusive and accessible recruitment and onboarding experience

During the event, we heard from Amy McGarvey (Research Manager) from NCVO who shed light on the effect of the pandemic on volunteering. The key findings were:

  • Volunteer numbers in general decreased from pre-pandemic numbers. It is estimated that there is around 1/5 fewer people volunteering now in comparison to figures from 2019.
  • The number of volunteers with a disability has decreased.
  • Digital solutions are seen as a barrier and an enabler. Some felt excluded by the move to digital methods, whereas it may have opened the door for a more inclusive pool of volunteers.

We also learned that organisations have various barriers to inclusion. These are:

  • Lack of resources, time, and capacity.
  • Recognising everyone is different and being unaware of how to cater to every individual need. 
  • Volunteers not being honest about extra support they may need. 
  • EDI not being valued as much as it should be and facing resistance from others in the organisation when trying to make changes.

We learned that the volunteer experience can be made more inclusive by seeing volunteer well-being as a the focus. Cost-effective actions that celebrate volunteers and their differences are seen to be effective, e.g. celebrating a variety of cultural events, using diverse imagery in promotional materials, and ensuring all language is inclusive. Overall, making sure volunteers feel supported is a foundational aspect of improving your inclusivity.

Find out more about the event by going to the AVM website. 

You can also read our Is Your Pool of Volunteers Diverse and Inclusive? blog. It includes the latest sector stats as well as advice on how you can improve your own diversity and inclusivity.

Interested in volunteer management tools?

Why not take a look at TeamKinetic? You can even start a 30-day free trial with absolutely no payment details required. Just head over to our website.

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.

Are you getting the best from your opportunity descriptions?

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On 6th April 2022

In TeamKinetic Features, Volunteer Management

Opportunity descriptions can make or break whether someone decides to volunteer for you. If a potential volunteer can’t find an opportunity that excites them, then they probably aren’t going to join you on your organisations journey.

With your descriptions you can describe to your volunteers, and potential volunteers what’s possible for them within your organisation- let them know how they can use their skills, talents and drive to add to something bigger than themselves.

Descriptions can sometimes be a little boring, and packed full of information and language that can make a volunteer confused or disengaged with the opportunity within the first few seconds or so… When written correctly, you can inspire and motivate volunteers to sign up and jump onto the opportunity there and then. Your description also helps you find the right volunteer for the role.

Descriptions can also help when volunteers have joined an opportunity; it can give you a checklist of sorts when supervising volunteers on an opportunity- if a volunteer isn’t meeting expectations- has your description been too vague on what you’re looking for? An opportunity description should have done the leg work to get you in touch with a volunteer (or volunteers) who are the best fit.

Opportunity descriptions can be such an important communication tool towards your organisation. So how can you make sure your description is well-crafted?

What to include in your descriptions…

We’ve collated together a list of 10 sections to include on your opportunity description that can help your volunteers find the right role for them, and your organisation gets the best out of each and every volunteer.

  • Opportunity Title. Think about whittling down your entire description, in just a few words- that’s what your title should be. The title is one of the most important aspects of your opportunity, you want to entice your volunteer to know more.
  • Responsibilities. For a quick snapshot of the roles and responsibilities within the opportunity- include a quick bullet point round up. This will help give a volunteer a concrete process of what they’ll be doing day-to-day.
  • Time Requirements. Let volunteers know how much time would be required from them- a quick way to cut those volunteers out who may be looking for less hours (or have more hours to give!) Many opportunities will have a beginning and end date, so including that can help a volunteer decide too.
  • Location. This is pretty simple and self-explanatory. Adding a location attracts the volunteers in that area and stops any of those volunteers from joining if they can’t make the destination provided.

You could also include…

  • Working Environment. Add whether there’s a dress code, or any physical requirements needed for the job. Anything along these lines will work really well here.
  • Skills/Qualifications. It doesn’t have to be a massive list or paragraph, just the essentials that are needed to complete the opportunity. These will be skills that you feel are required for the role.
  • Training. If there is any training needed to be undertaken by the volunteer letting them know in the opportunity description means they can start to get prepared. You don’t have to go in depth about the training, but letting them know how to access it can help them get training completed before the opportunity starts.
  • Support. In what ways will your volunteers be supported on this opportunity?
  • Perks? Is there anything while on the opportunity that volunteers will receive? For example, will they have access to a free lunch or free parking? Adding perks onto your opportunity gives extra ‘bonuses’ to volunteers- what do you have to offer? Let potential volunteers know!

Once you’ve written your description, make sure you read it over! If you saw this opportunity advertised, would you want to join up? Think about if someone who doesn’t know much about your organisation was to stumble across the opportunity, what would they think?

And there you have it!

While our checklist of opportunity descriptions may be quite long, you don’t want to overwhelm your volunteers. Your description should give them all the helpful information they need straight away- any other information can come afterwards.

Potential volunteers should be able to scan the page and know the jist of the opportunity and what is being asked of them. 

If you’re looking for a volunteer management system, don’t hesitate to get in touch! Give us a call on 0161 914 5757, or email us at info@teamkinetic.com. You can also start a FREE trial here! 

How TeamKinetic can help with UK-based volunteering for Ukraine.

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On 1st April 2022

In Community, News & Views, Security and GDPR, TeamKinetic Features, Volunteer Management

For well over the past month, we’ve been updated by news outlets about the war in Ukraine. From Snake Island and “Ghost of Kyiv” to young Amelia, symbolising hope with Let It Go (who has since performed the Ukrainian national anthem in Lodz); we doubt there has been a single person who has felt unaffected by what’s happening.

But it’s what people across the world have chosen to do in these times that we would like to focus on – and how we, as a volunteer management system company, can help. We see day in, day out the work and dedication of volunteers and the impact they’ve made to the lives of those they help; it’s why we do what we do!

At the beginning of the month, nearly 20,000 foreign volunteers travelled to Ukraine. While it’s been advised not to travel to Ukraine, the number of volunteers looking to help within their own countries has only increased. Volunteering for Ukraine continues to cover healthcare, travel and refugee assistance (just to name a few). It lies with refugee assistance we believe our system can be of most benefit.

In recent weeks, the government has announced that Britons will be allowed to open up their homes to millions of Ukrainian refugees displaced by current events- this route will work for an initial 12-month period, matching refugees with those who have offered up free accommodation. From national organisations to the local charities around you, help is needed. 

At TeamKinetic, we pride ourselves on the features in our system which allow for fast setup, recruitment and deployment of volunteers to help the set up of such schemes. Our tools help the rapid deployment of volunteers needed in situations such as the one facing Ukraine and its people.

Our instalment of DBS checks has only increased the pace at which volunteers can be approved and well on their way with helping those in need. While we may not know the ins and outs of every organisation’s recruitment needs, it’s been our promise from our very first day to continuously develop our system to accommodate as many organisations as possible. Our DBS checks are one of the many ways we employ important safeguarding within TeamKinetic while maintaining a swift recruitment.

To keep track of the thousands of homes opening their doors, reaching out a hand and the people they will be embracing, is a mammoth task. Our system’s functions can help with recording all information needed to ensure those refugees entering the UK for shelter know they are safe. Our personalisation means no matter what your organisation is looking to collect, or put out to volunteers, it is all accessible in TeamKinetic.

We have a number of organisations starting and developing programs to help Ukrainian refugees – something we are honoured to play a small part of. We want to ensure that anyone who needs a quick start, rapid deployment of volunteers and a platform to do so can find it at TeamKinetic.

It is easy to sit in a country, surrounded by our family members – the people we love – and think there is nothing we can do to help a country roughly 1,949 miles away. But it would be foolish to think such. We can help right where we are, helping those families who’ve travelled 1,949 miles to find safety; to find even a glimmer of hope that one day, they will be able to return to Ukraine. To return home. 

How to get your volunteers embracing management software…

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On 23rd March 2022

In TeamKinetic Features, Volunteer Management

Over the past few years, there’s been a real focus on walking away from stacks of papers, and investing in an online volunteer management system. While we may be biased, we have to agree! No matter where you are on your journey, keeping your volunteers in the loop will help volunteers start embracing your new system. 

So how can you give those encouraging pushes to your volunteers, to help them start embracing your online system?

Embracing Your Vision.

Let your volunteers know what you’re planning! Your volunteers are vital to your success as a program, so let them in behind the curtain of your volunteer program. While you might not be up and running straight away, keeping your volunteers in the loop brings a sense of community. Every milestone you hit can be shared, and celebrated, with everyone who adds to the organisation.

It can also be a time where you can be transparent with your volunteers as you work on understanding your new platform. TeamKinetic’s implementation is as slow or as fast as you like; whenever you’d like to debut your new volunteer management system, we’ll be ready!  If it’s going to take a little while longer- let your volunteers know! You’ll develop a stronger connection with your volunteers if you update them on how your organisation plans to move forward.

Remember, your volunteers don’t need to know everything that’s going on behind the scenes. Leaving them with a few updates along the way will excite them for what’s to come. Once you’re up and running, make sure to let them know the important ‘stuff’; how can you register? How to join an opportunity? Where can you reach us for support?

Volunteer Access.

For many organisations, some of their volunteers don’t have access to online devices like a computer or a smart-phone. So as you plan your transition to an online platform, think about the ways in which you can reach those volunteers who might not be online or internet ready.

Why not offer regular drop in sessions where volunteers can pop in, and register in-person. You can also support new volunteers who may need some training or a welcome chat! For volunteers who might not fully understand the system, show them the basics first! Build up from there and your volunteers will be embracing the system as they go. 

It’s not something we really have to say, but make sure you have a team supporting your volunteers. You’ve been using the system in training, and everyday use. Your volunteers will be using the system for the first time- so expect  a lot of questions from volunteers! Try encouraging your volunteers to spend time on the site getting to know where they can find everything and what the basic functions are…

Let your volunteers know about the features…

One way to indulge volunteers into a platform is to let them know about the features that suit them best. Some of the best features we’ve found that are loved by volunteers are…

Online registration. Volunteers have an easy-to-follow, easy to access registration process and profile that they can keep coming back to keep track of when they’re volunteering, the opportunities they like and what’s happening within the organisation. A volunteer site is a great place for all of this to sit!

Achievement badges. When a volunteer hits a certain number of volunteer hours, or has been awarded volunteer of the month at an organisation, an achievement badge popping up against their profile can be the biggest encouragement for a person to carry on volunteering. At TeamKinetic, we’ve seen first hand how achievement or participation badges have motivated volunteers to volunteer more. It also lets them know how much they’re valued at your organisation.

Communication. At TeamKinetic, we believe that two-way communication is a massive factor in keeping your volunteers coming back to volunteer time and time again. Not only can both pirates keep in touch with updates, but organisations can show that they’re around for their volunteers- check in with them and see how they’re doing! Where a volunteer feels valued and listened to, they’ll continue to return.

Time to start embracing volunteer management?

Hopefully this has helped you understand how to engage your volunteers on your new system or help them come round to the online space you’ve provided! If you’re looking for a volunteer management system, why not try a free trial with us at TeamKinetic over on our website.

Or book in a demo with us! Simply call or email on 0161 914 5757 or katie@teamkinetic.co.uk.

 

How are you matching your volunteers to the right roles?

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On 16th March 2022

In Volunteer Management

Volunteering is a two-way process. A volunteer has to decide whether the roles and responsibilities given to them by an organisation work for them. The organisation also needs to find volunteers who fit the opportunities they offer. Are both parties getting the best out of themselves? Do volunteers feel they’re helping out in the most effective way they can?

Make sure you take the time to really get to know your volunteers. Find opportunities that really fit into who they are and what they’re interested in. So, how can you find out what your volunteers are interested in?

The art of asking…

The simple answer is to ask. But really, there’s a lot more to unpack. As pandemic restrictions have come to a close in the UK, the chance to meet volunteers face-to-face is back. If you’re looking to meet with potential volunteers, keep it relaxed and informative. Let your volunteers open up to you.

The main thing is to make sure your potential volunteers feel at ease.

We’ve heard a lot of talk about post-pandemic social anxiety, so we’ve made a quick checklist to help ease your worries and make sure you have everything you need heading to a meeting…

  • Make sure your future volunteer has your contact details – it will be useful to them, just in case! 
  • Meet at an informal, relaxing venue. Why not position it as two people going for a coffee to catch up. Let them know it will just be an informal chat. 
  • Think about some open questions you could ask to get conversation going and learn more about why they would like to volunteer. Is there anything in particular they are interested in helping with? 
  • It’s a two-way process! Expect to answer some questions a potential volunteer might have about what they’ll be taking on.

Take a look at this Charity Comms post about how to communicate with your volunteers! 

Can unique interests help volunteer roles?

While many volunteers are matched to opportunities based on their capabilities, it’s a nice touch to see if they have any personal interest in exploring something new. Dig a little deeper into what types of opportunities your volunteers are looking for and if you can accommodate them, why not give them a chance!

We all know that while volunteers want to help, they also want to get something out of it too. By helping in roles/responsibilities they’re maybe not well versed in, they’re learning something new. This means your organisation ends up with a pool of volunteers with a wider range of capabilities on offer. 

If you can’t meet a potential volunteer, why not create a quick interest questionnaire? Completed questionnaires can help you understand more on how your volunteers want to use their skills to help the organisation and those in need. It also helps the organisation make no preconceived judgements on where a volunteer would be “most useful.”

In addition, this information helps determine what opportunities a volunteer tends to jump on. Knowing their interests can help keep them engaged and returning to help. 

Are you delegating or dumping volunteer roles? 

“Skilled delegation of volunteer team duties is an art that many managers, even experienced ones, struggled with.” 

Before matching volunteers, it’s always a good idea to double check your delegation. We’re all busy, and while we try to communicate with each other the best we can, your delegation could leave a volunteer feeling unsatisfied. You may find that a volunteer will have problems if their skills or interests are being ‘ignored’…

I’m sure some may have experienced a frustrated volunteer. They may feel opportunities or tasks are ‘dumped on’ them, or that they are left to complete tasks on their own. Not only does this decrease productivity but it also wears down team morale and retention rates.

If a volunteer feels under-valued, or they aren’t happy with how they’re volunteering, it’s likely they won’t return. How you delegate is something everyone should be taking a look at. Improving your delegation skills means you can meet everyone’s needs and gives you the strongest chance to make a difference within your organisation.

Looking for a volunteer management system?

Are you looking for a volunteer management system? Look no further. Start a FREE trial with us here, and take a look at all we have to offer!  

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