Tag: Volunteers Page 2 of 3

5 Reasons Why We Need Volunteers

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On 18th November 2019

In News & Views

More than 1 billion people volunteer globally, as you can imagine that is a lot of volunteering hours to be added up. In fact, this is equivalent to 109 million full-time workers. Safe to say that volunteer managers have their work cut out for them, but why do we need so many volunteers?

1. Richness is not what you think

You can spend endless money on watches, clothes and gadgets. But how much have you spent being there for the ones we love and care about the most?

Do possessions make you rich? Well, I don’t have that type of richness. My richness is life forever.

Bob marley

Volunteers are not there for the money, but only to be of assistance to others they can work and connect with. Not because they’re employed to, but because they want to. They put their needs before others without monetary requirements – it’s purely from the heart. Here at TeamKinetic, we have been able to witness millions of logged hours from thousands of volunteers, it’s simply astonishing to see and we hope to see many many more wonderful people engaging with fantastic volunteering opportunities.

2. The greatest gift of all

Volunteers truly grant their greatest gift of all. Time. We’re all constantly caught up in the rat race of busy working lives, sometimes I think a few extra hours in the day would be a blessing.

Volunteers give their time day in, day out. This value can not be quantified or replaced, but it can be valued and respected. We can all agree that without volunteers’ generosity, many services and experiences would be much worse off.

3. Lights in the darkness

Volunteers provide comfort for those who are going through difficult times in their lives. A small light in the darkness can really affect someone in a million different ways. It’s the light that sparks hope that someone cares and is willing to spend time but most importantly listen. Read more about how volunteers are making others feel better about themselves, visit Samaritans and see the true difference being made by volunteers for yourself.

4. Resilience and reliability

Volunteers weave safety nets within various organisations which give organisations a resilient and reliable backbone of support which can help the structure and workflow within many organisations.

Volunteering creates solidarity and connections among people by working together to build resilient communities. At TeamKinetic we know the importance of being able to build and unite people through volunteer management. Management allows volunteers to be able to join and find opportunities easily within communities.

5. Irreplaceable value

We take many things for granted in life, how many of us allow ourselves to sit back and take a moment to appreciate one another?

The same goes for volunteers.

The value a volunteer holds is irreplaceable. Every volunteer is different in their own way. Although volunteers may be completing the same opportunity, each will have characteristics which make them uniquely valuable.

Five seems such a small collection and I assure you, there are many more reasons why we need volunteers. We champion the idea, that our customers and users, to value and respect volunteers more often. They achieve a lot more than we sometimes imagine, they truly are the backbone of many brilliant organisations.

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

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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.

World Mental Health Day

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On 8th October 2019

In Community, News & Views, Volunteer Management

World Mental Health Day is a day of global mental health awareness and education, which aims to eliminate the stigma behind mental health. Life, as we all know, can be difficult and these problems can arise and affect many of us in a whole range of ways. How our bodies cope with this can have different effects on our mind and soul. Before we judge one another be mindful of what that person may have gone through, what wars they may have battled and what obstacles they may have overcome or maybe overcoming. It’s time to leave our judgmental thoughts and started looking after each other. The world we live in today faces too much animosity and hostility. We must all learn to love and get along with one another, we all live in one world – it’s time we became one and start working together.

Mental Health in the UK

Around one in four people in the UK will suffer from mental health issues each year, while only one in eight people are receiving treatment for mental health. One in six people in England each week suffer from a common mental health issue such as depression and anxiety.

A total of 70.9 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were given out in England in 2018 by the NHS. This is an increase of 3.4 million from 2017 to 2018. From 2015 to 2018 the number of prescriptions for anti-depressants for young people increased by almost 1 million! From these figures, it is clear to say mental health is an issue which is rising in the UK.

Causes of mental health issues

Mental health issues can affect people for a wide range of reasons. Trauma, loss, isolation, abuse, unemployment and the list keeps going. For many individuals, it’s a various combination of factors/experiences which have lead to negative outcomes. Yet everyone is different, one person’s mental stability will have different variances to what they are more tolerant of than others.

Social media


Over the last decade, social media has grown dramatically making each and every one of us more connected than we ever have been. Developing relationships which are halfway around the world is now a reality. On average a person in the UK checks their phone 28 times per day! It often makes me think what has the world come to, is this right? or is this wrong? or is this just the world we live in today and this is merely just evolution?

Implications of social media

The bottom line is that social media can have a detrimental effect on our mental health. Especially on the younger generation. Who are almost dependable on their mobile device, almost feeling lost without it. I know myself only being 20 that I do find it hard to break away from my device, I’m not proud of this and I do wish I could separate away more easily. Essentially social media is minimizing the human connections we make with one another. Limiting our social and communication skills in the real world because our heads are buried way beneath endless tweets and trending hashtags. Taking us away from the real world and keeping us trapped in virtual reality. Where we only care about our virtual selves and how others view us on various social platforms.

Low self-esteem is something young people suffer with when scrawling down photoshop perfect Instagram profiles. Where the immaculate and perfect image is captured – after hours upon hours of makeup editing and light adjustments! A study found people suffer from envy and self-doubt, as a result of comparing their own lives to those which are deemed to have the perfect lavish lifestyles we apparently all crave.

This leads me to say that it’s no wonder that social media is leading to unhappiness in people if used without caution. Causing anxiety and depression. We’re in a constant battle with ourselves to be better than everyone else, to look and dress the best, when really we should be happy and comfortable in our own skins. However many of generation Z have realised their infatuation with their smartphones and social media and have begun to quit various platforms. In an attempt to restore their mental health.

Volunteering and Mental Health

Volunteering can significantly boost your mental health and well-being. Mental and emotional well-being was found to be better in those who volunteer frequently, and worse in those who didn’t offer their help in any form. Recently universities in Birmingham and Southampton conducted a survey of 5,000 households across the UK. Those that volunteered regularly scored six per cent higher on the health and wellbeing.

Older generations

Voluntary work done by those over the age of 65 is set to be worth £5bn more in 2020 than it was in 2010. Volunteering provides a purpose and meaning, especially to older people who may find themselves more isolated than they used to be. Allowing them to build a social network of friends in which they can meet up with on a regular basis improving the well-being of the volunteer. The association is simple, the higher your well-being the more inclined you will feel to help others. Vice versa, the more you help others the higher your state of well-being.

Unemployed

Those in unemployment tend to have lower self-esteem and mental health. Without employment, people find it hard to motivate themselves for the day ahead. They have no structure, paid income, and feel they have less of an identity. Voluntary work will be able to benefit someone who is unemployed, helping them regain structure in life. Although the work is unpaid and will not be able to replace that aspect, it still gives people meaning and purpose.

Employers are more likely to employ someone has done voluntary work, over someone who has not. Volunteering allows you to acquire skills and knowledge which can be put to good use in employment, demonstrating higher levels of productivity as a potential employee. Also, it’s not just about what you know, it’s who you know to get you in the front door! Volunteering allows people to network giving them the opportunity to meet people they may never have met before, which could lead to great employment opportunities further on.

On a final note

As many of you already know TeamKinetic is a strong believer in volunteering and all the good in which can come from volunteering. But today the most important message of all is to be aware of mental health issues globally. If you suffer from mental health issues seek help and seek advice, don’t be afraid to talk to.

See below specialist mental health services.


The Samaritans offer emotional support 24 hours a day, in full confidence. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.


Mind provides information on a range of mental health topics to support people in their own area from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday. Call 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk.

Anxiety UK runs a helpline staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety from 9:30-5:30, Monday to Friday. Call 08444 775 774.

MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for all adults.

Is volunteering worth more than we think?

By

On 7th October 2019

In News & Views

There are many alarming issues highlighted in today’s society. Unemployment, lack of funding in the NHS, the destruction of our environment, and of course Brexit – just to name a few! However, not all stories are so negative. There are thousands of volunteering stories that are challenging some of these issues.

Unemployment

Currently, 3.7% of the UK are not in work – that’s around 2.5 million people! Now, some of you may be thinking “what’s that got to do with volunteering?”. Many studies & statistics show that volunteering can help boost employment for individuals. Sports clubs, in particular, have done a lot to boost employment opportunities through volunteering.

Newcastle United FC transformed the life of one of their staff who came to England from Syria as a refugee. Hikmat didn’t know much English or have many qualifications, but his attitude and desire to learn were unmatched. Despite his lack of experience, Newcastle took on Hikmat in a volunteering role, giving him a chance to prove himself. Since starting in 2013, he has been directly involved in many Premier League projects including helping out at children’s hospitals over the busy Christmas period.

Helping the elderly

volunteering, volunteers, volunteer management, volunteer management software, volunteer management software uk, volunteer management system

Numerous elderly people in the United Kingdom have no living children or close relatives to help them in their daily care. Many relocate to areas which are far from their hometown, making it nearly impossible to provide the assistance required. As a result, many seniors spend much of their time living in isolation and loneliness. They often rely on the services of volunteers to provide services and opportunities for socialisation and entertainment.

The work of volunteers can help to drastically improve how easy it is to complete everyday tasks. Engaging in volunteering activity has also been found to significantly improve mental health which is an ever-growing problem worldwide.

Can volunteering even reduce crime rates?

The power of volunteering is so great that it can even reduce crime rates! Research shows that the more a person volunteers, the less likely they are to commit a crime. A specific societal experiment was constructed by Add Health in order to test this hypothesis, here’s a summary of what they found:

  • Those who self-volunteered had less involvement in crime than those who did not volunteer:
  • People aged 18 – 28 recorded 11% fewer illegal behaviours, 31% fewer arrests, and 39% fewer convictions.
  • People aged 24 – 34 showed 28% fewer illegal behaviours, 53% fewer arrests, 36% fewer convictions.

These findings imply that adolescent volunteering may increase resilience over time and that school-based volunteering programs may help prevent criminal involvement over the course of a person’s life.

It would also suggest that volunteering from an early age is likely to mean that you are less prone to getting into trouble with the law. This will be beneficial to today’s society and it lays down a foundation for future generations.

Inspire the adults of tomorrow, today!

Building on the point of reducing crime rates, giving the youth of today a positive role model is important. Young people aspire to be who they look up to and who that person is can change the course of their life. Because of this, by pushing young people to volunteer the chances are they are less likely to look up to people who may be a bad influence, and more likely to want to be someone who brings something positive to society.

In 2018, only 39% of people aged 16-24 volunteered and even some of those people only said that they did it once a year. A lot needs to be done to drastically increase this number if we want to improve society and produce a higher amount of upstanding adults. Highlighting the charitable work that celebrities do would be a good way to inspire the youth to volunteer.

People such as Angelina Jolie, David Beckham, and Miley Cyrus have all been heavily involved with charitable work in the past (stay tuned for a blog on celeb charity work!). These role models can help give a positive stigma around the way charity work/volunteering is viewed.

Volunteers make great events

It’s not only the deprived that can use volunteering to change their lives. Many major events use volunteers and without them, the events simply wouldn’t be possible. In the 2012 Olympics over 70,000 “games makers” made the games what they were. Many international fans and athletes described the volunteers as “world-class”, see the video below for more.

A further event that was made successful by volunteering was the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament had a total of around 2,500 volunteers with roles that varied from; welcoming fans to organising matches and helping out the media. The volunteers were given their own space: The Volunteer Centre. This was described as a friendly, hospitable space, where volunteers could get together, chat about their experiences and have some fun when they are off duty. Hear more about the World Cup volunteers in this video.

Volunteers at both these events had to pay for their travel to and from some paying huge amounts to get to do their particular roles. However, many said that it was the best experience of their lives and it was all totally worth it.

Read more about how volunteering has helped sporting events here.

How can TeamKinetic help?

Managing volunteers can often be a big struggle for people in the third sector. This is where TeamKinetic can help you. We offer a volunteer management system that can help you recruit, manage and retain your volunteers. If you would like to find out more please do not hesitate to visit our website and book a free demo today!

Alternatively, you can contact us on our social media pages:

Or by phone: 0161 914 5757

Do You Have Pride in Volunteering?

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On 24th July 2019

In Community, News & Views

Manchester Pride Parade, volunteering, pride volunteers, LGBT, volunteer management
Manchester Pride Parade

Pride season is in full swing and many events across the UK have already run smoothly thanks to the work of thousands of volunteers. However, it’s not over yet as we look ahead to one of the biggest Pride events in England: Manchester Pride. The festival is taking place over the August bank holiday weekend – as it does every year. There are plenty of activities to get involved with. This year, these activities are spread across Deansgate, Gay Village, and Mayfield.

This year’s festival takes place from the 23rd to the 26th of August and is still looking for volunteers. They plan to have 300 volunteers, covering a range of roles including:
– Stewards
– Fundraisers
– Parade Troupe
– Green Team
– Superbia Weekend

Why Volunteer at Manchester Pride?

Like most voluntary work, you will be given a new opportunity to enhance your social skills, meet new people, and give back to the community. You don’t have to be part of the LGBT+ community to be a pride volunteer – it’s open to anybody and everybody!

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, volunteers will receive a range of benefits, such as free entry to the festival. This includes the live Saturday and Sunday acts such as Ariana Grande and Years & Years (if you’re over 18)! This may be especially effective as an incentive after Manchester Pride ticket prices increased heavily for 2019.

(Note: you must be over 16 to volunteer at Manchester Pride.)

We are currently looking through volunteer applications so if you’d like to apply we’d recommend doing it as soon as you can.

Manchester Pride (23/07/2019)

Find out more from Manchester Pride themselves:

Lack of Pride in Volunteering

Sometimes we forget the importance of volunteers. Tens of thousands of people attend Manchester Pride every year, making the work of volunteers all the more important. Without them, the event probably wouldn’t be able to go ahead. In fact, Isle of Wight’s 2019 Pride was cancelled due to a lack of volunteers. Later, thanks to community help, it was announced that the festival would return. This situation may highlight the lack of awareness around volunteering and it’s necessity for public events like these. Pride events are incredibly special to a range of people worldwide and depend on the generosity of volunteers to run efficiently.

Can’t Volunteer at Manchester Pride?

Even though pride season is coming to an end, there are still a large number of volunteering opportunities you can get involved with this summer across the country. If you’re under 16 or can’t get to Manchester but still interested in volunteering for LGBT organisations or events, check out more places to find opportunities here and here. Alternatively, you can search for volunteering near you through the Do-it site for a wide variety of opportunities.

For more information about TeamKinetic’s volunteer management software, visit our website or call us on 0161 914 5757

Introducing TeamKinetic: Alex – Rising To New Challenges

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On 3rd July 2019

In News & Views

How My Marketing Journey Began

Marketing was never something I thought about properly until year 10 in school when I chose business studies as one of my GCSE options. Marketing was a big part of the subject and I loved it. Studying it in depth throughout GCSE and A Levels made me realise that I had secretly always had a love for marketing, even when I didn’t know exactly what it was. The ability of adverts, a simple 2-minute video, to make people feel emotions they couldn’t even experience in some 2-hour films was amazing to me. Basically, I’m talking about every John Lewis Christmas advert ever!

The bear and hare from John Lewis' 2013 Christmas advertisement.
The bear and the hare from the 2013 John Lewis Christmas advert.

Getting Into Volunteering

I grew up with quite a big family. Having three separate households of aunts/uncles/cousins on one road, you could say that we were quite close! This strong family presence shaped me as a person and introduced me to my first volunteering experiences. My grandad and uncle were both pastors at our local church and once I was old enough, I started to help around a lot more.

My first proper role came on the annual church holiday where members of churches across the UK would come together for a week. I volunteered to help run a class for kids aged 4 – 7. This involved helping to plan and carry out activities for them, ensuring they all had fun and that everything ran smoothly. Although it was a lot of fun, it was also challenging as I had no experience looking after a group of children of this size prior to the event. I certainly had no experience trying to sort out the drama that somehow arises between such young children! On the whole, it was a valuable experience for me as I had proper responsibility over a group of children and could help to positively shape their holiday experience.

Social Media Surprises

Let’s go back to summer in 2016 for a minute. Most people were out enjoying the sunny weather after breaking up from school for the holidays while I was stuck in bed, feeling ill, binge-watching The Great British Bake Off. Sounds like a boring way to spend part of your summer but it actually changed my life a little bit. After watching endless episodes of the show, I decided, in my boredom, to create a Twitter account based on the things contestants say but taken out of context. No Context Bake Off was born – an account that now has around 116k followers and has highlighted to me how quickly things can spread on social media.

No Context Bake Off Twitter page. Social Media.
Screenshot of the No Context Bake Off Twitter account.

Volunteering Numbers On The Rise

Back to the present day now! I sit here reflecting on an incredible holiday in France watching the Women’s World Cup with a true appreciation for the volunteer work that has contributed to the success of the tournament so far. I remember sitting in PSG’s Parc Des Princes stadium for the USA v Chile game as the announcer told us that there were 2,500 volunteers for the World Cup that year. This is an increase on the 2,000 that were at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada. I hope it’s a figure that increases further at the 2023 Women’s World Cup too.

Volunteers at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019. Volunteering in football.
Volunteers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019.

Although I am yet to sign up to any opportunities, I did sign up to the MMU Sport volunteering page after I joined the women’s football team in my first year at university. Little did I know I’d be embarking on a placement year at the company who runs the page!

On a Personal Note…

My biggest regret of the past few years is not throwing myself into volunteering opportunities. I was too nervous to do things alone and because of that, I’ve probably missed countless chances to do something of value and really grow as a person. This regret is fuelling my willingness to learn and grow over the course of this placement. Hopefully, I’ll put myself forward for volunteer work in the near future.

I’m excited to start at TeamKinetic and get some proper hands-on experience in marketing. It will also give me a chance to learn more about volunteering and volunteer management. If like me you have a sudden urge to do some voluntary work, you should head over to TryVolunteering to find an opportunity that works for you!

For more information on volunteer management software visit our website or contact one of our team members on – 01619145747

Why Do You Need Volunteer Management Software?

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On 28th June 2019

In News & Views, Volunteer Management

Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail!

Strategy and planning is one of the most important parts in being successful regardless of you’re doing. The right software can help ensure that you stay on top of all your volunteering opportunities far more efficiently than a spreadsheet. With TeamKinetic you can have your own customised volunteering portal where you can monitor everything that is going on within your organisation and start to plan.

TeamKinetic has a whole host of features aimed at enabling your volunteer programme; reminder notifications for volunteers via text and email, automated weekly newsletters that include the volunteer’s sessions, new events and opportunities, great searching so volunteers can find the best opportunities for them, and comprehensive reports to guide your strategy.

We have organisations from many industries who all have had great success using our volunteer management software and you can find out all about how TeamKinetic works for them.

Reward To Retain

Although many volunteers do great work without expecting anything back, it would be naive to assume that giving them something in return for their efforts would not be a factor in improving retention. These incentives do not have to be large or valuable, just tokens of your appreciation which go a long way in showing that you care for the people who volunteer for you.

Retention is a running theme in a lot of successful volunteers programmes so this should be a high priority. Teamkinetic volunteer management software uses a badge reward system. There are automated badges awarded for reaching volunteer hour goals and fully customisable OpenBadges that can be awarded for any reason. This is a great way to motivate your volunteers as it will give them a sense of achievement when they reach the next badge and level.

Make Your Time More Productive

If you are solely responsible for managing the volunteers in your organisation this will take up a large chunk of your time. With TeamKinetic we aim to make the managing of volunteers as easy and as quick as possible.

TeamKinetic will give you more time for high priority tasks rather than worrying about where people are and if they’re doing the correct thing at the right time, giving you more time to plan and effect your volunteer strategy.

Video Tutorials

Our YouTube channel is packed with videos that show you the different ways we can help you and your volunteer programme.

How Can TeamKinetic Help You?

For the last 10 years TeamKinetic have been making market leading volunteer management software for hundreds of organisations in numerous industries. If you are in need of recruiting, managing and retaining both new and existing volunteers please do not hesitate to get in contact. Our expert help lines are open 9-5 Monday-Friday (0161 9145757) where any questions you have about to system can get answered. Alternatively you can send any email inquiries to info@teamkinetic.co.uk.

Volunteer management – Understanding your volunteers

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On 30th January 2019

In Community, News & Views

Volunteer management isn’t easy, it takes a passion for people, commitment to your cause and bags and bags of organisational skill.

To have an effective and engaging volunteer programme, it is key to know your volunteers and understand what drives them to volunteer.

So can your volunteers be categorised and can that help you understand them better?

NCVO definition

“We define volunteering as any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. Central to this definition is the fact that volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual.”

Oxford dictionary definition

“A person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.”

Those definitions are pretty broad and all volunteer managers understand the danger of pigeonholing your volunteers,  definitions can be problematic! The term Volunteer holds very different meanings to each individual.

Every volunteer has their own reason, motivation or story to volunteer, and no volunteer is the same. What the data we have collected here at TeamKinetic has demonstrated is that there are some general volunteer categories and themes that we can use to gain a deeper understanding of the types of volunteers you may have within your organisation:

One-time volunteer and Event Volunteers 

One-time volunteers are individuals who volunteer as a one-off and move on to the next opportunity/event or are never seen again! These types of individuals can still be regular volunteers, but will only volunteer when they have the time to do so or do so at events or roles that excite them specifically.

They are often quite self-contained roles that are well-defined and associated with a high-profile and exciting event. That in itself generates excitement for the volunteer to say ‘I was there.’ These are often one-time positions that require minimal training and experience but are fun days out for the individual.

Some of you reading this might think; why would I want to invest in a volunteer that isn’t committed to helping me regularly? 

Research from Glasgow 2014 and London 2012 suggests many of the volunteers who applied were new to volunteering, and sadly many who did volunteer did not go on to do more volunteering after the event, even though the levels of satisfaction from being involved were high.

The sense of community, enjoyment and empowerment of being part of the event can quite quickly fade post-event, but on occasion, it can prove the catalyst some people need to start them on a journey to much greater community involvement.

Micro-volunteer

Research conducted by the NCVO suggests that micro-volunteering is on the rise and has the power to make a difference to organisations. In order to be impactful organisations must engage and appeal to these types of volunteers by providing quality volunteering opportunities that suit their aspirations and lifestyles.  These types of opportunities are often possible via technology, such as phones, tablets or computers. Others have referred to them as ‘Armchair Activism.’

These opportunities are attractive to individuals who often have limited time, but still, want to have the feeling that they are making a difference. Opportunities vary from, the ice-bucket challenge to tweeting your MP. This type of volunteering can also act as a gateway to individuals, and if their experience is positive and they feel they are making an impact, you can look to engage them in further work.

Skills-Based Volunteers

Skills-based volunteers are individuals who often assist with tasks that require additional and specialist knowledge, or they develop this type of knowledge through their volunteer experience. Skills can be varied, examples include updating website data, running the social media accounts, taking phone calls, and providing accountancy or legal advice.

Volunteers often have the desired set of skills that many organisations need. These individuals who possess these professional skills and offer them pro bono may have many reasons for their desire to be involved.  There is always a high demand for these types of Volunteers. As an organisation, it’s important to know why these volunteers want to be involved.  It’s also important to make them aware of the impact they have on the organisation. This can make the volunteer feel appreciated and that their skills are bringing value to the organisation.

Lifelong / Regular volunteers 

Lifelong or regular volunteers are often people who volunteer for an organisation that they feel a significant emotional connection to.  Regular volunteers are happy to help meet an organisation’s expectations and the individual’s commitment to the role can be significant. Roles can vary but include positions such as a charity shop assistant or a coach within a sports club.

Organisations depend on these volunteers as they are core members of the organisation’s community. Regular volunteers usually take on positions that require a higher level of responsibility and therefore need regular training and appropriate support to ensure that they can fulfil what is expected of them.

These types of volunteers are so important to the long-term survival of many organisations, they feel especially close to the cause and their work. They are often overworked and if not managed correctly they can make others nervous to get involved, as the levels of commitment they show are superhuman and this scares off other volunteers from getting involved.

Does Age Matter?

Research has shown that both the 16-24 and 65+-year-olds are the most likely groups to volunteer. This makes sense as many universities provide students with opportunities to develop skills and experience for the world of work, whilst helping great causes. Likewise, many older volunteers provide support to organisations due to being retired but still wanting to stay active and part of the community.

Age will certainly play a role in how you incentivise and communicate with volunteers. As well as the length/type of role, and level of commitment required from them!

An appreciation of your volunteer audience will impact your roles on offer. So it is important to be aware of how you advertise, the language you use and the types of rewards and recognition you may wish to offer. 

Good volunteer management!

The best and most effective way to understand your volunteer is the initial first part of their volunteer experience. By having a well-thought-out recruitment process, volunteer managers can make sure that volunteers are well selected and given roles they can excel at but also enjoy. This also ensures that volunteers are aware of the variety of opportunities available to them.

TeamKinetic’s volunteer management system allows all volunteers to create their own profile. This allows them to search and find opportunities that providers are advertising. Volunteers can also upload supporting documents to showcase experiences they have had in the past making the volunteer management process that much easier.

Volunteer managers are able to review volunteer profiles, run inductions, record data and get an insight into the individual and which roles they would benefit from. This is a key feature in allowing volunteer managers to distinguish between a one-off volunteer for an event, a volunteer with the desired skill set or someone that is able to commit to a regular role and who will form a long-term commitment with the organisation.

Additionally, the system allows volunteer managers to receive and provide feedback to volunteers. A perfect way to evaluate the effectiveness of roles and making sure volunteers are content with the tasks they undertake. TeamKinetic is centralised around helping voluntary organisations achieve their goals, which is why also offer a FREE version of our volunteer management system. 

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 Christmas Giveaway

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On 4th December 2018

In News & Views

The Christmas TeamKinetic is continuing its ambition of helping build stronger volunteer communities across the globe!

What’s Christmas without giving a little back, right?

volunteer management software UK, TeamKinetic, volunteer system

Gift

TeamKinetic Christmas Giveaway

Each year as we are growing across the voluntary sector, we are fortunate to work alongside some tremendous organisations that make a big impact in their communities.

Our volunteer management software allows organisations to manage volunteers no matter what size; big or small, and is providing opportunities right across the world. Seeing the great diversity our on our users and the impact their volunteering has on their communities fuels our commitment to build the very best software we can.

The festive season is a time of coming together and celebrating all the good in the world. It’s a time to think about being kind and generous (not to say that this cant is done all year round). However, this time of the year can also be a tad hectic and a long haul for voluntary organisations. Cuts made by the government have made it difficult, and often demand on services goes up during the colder months.

So this Christmas we wanted to give one lucky organisation the chance to win 6-months on TeamKinetic Enterprise, normally worth about £3000!

What’s this giveaway mean?

1 x TeamKinetic Enterprise Edition Volunteer Management Software (worth £3000) for 6-months.

This will allow the lucky winner to have their own fully customisable bespoke website with no limit on the number of volunteers they can recruit.

More information on what is included in the Enterprise system can be found here.

How can I win this fantastic festive giveaway?

To be in with a chance of winning this incredible Christmas giveaway all you have to do is one of the following:

Follow us on Twitter on @TeamKineticUK and retweet our giveaway post pinned to the top of our page

or

Follow our TeamKinetic Linkedin page.

 

It’s really as simple as that!

Spread the word to your volunteer manager colleagues and you could be responsible for them getting an early Christmas present.

Terms and Conditions

The TeamKinetic Christmas giveaway will run from the 2nd of December until 11:59 PM on the 31st of December 2018. One entry per person (This does not restrict different individuals in the same organisation to enter the giveaway). The winner will be announced on all platforms in the new year! Further information will be provided to the winner on how to access the prize.

For any more information or if you would like a demo of our volunteer management system, visit our website or contact us on 0161 914 5757

5 Reasons why we think volunteers are great people!

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On 6th November 2018

In News & Views

Looking for inspiration? For many of us, it’s a big part of modern life and everyone searches for that feeling in different ways. There’s a special group of people who are often described as inspirational! People that give up their time to do better by the world, to try and make a difference where they can: volunteers.

We call these people “volunteers”. Their motivations are varied, but often selfless or at least for a goal greater than their own satisfaction and here we will discuss the 5 reasons why we think volunteers are great.

“Volunteers don’t get paid not because their acts are worthless but because they are priceless.”

As crazy as this sounds volunteers are not paid! This in itself makes them special, but it’s not because they do it for free it’s what they actually do that sets them apart. They change the lives of people because they want to and not because they are employed to.  Here at TeamKinetic, we have been able to witness hundreds of thousands of logged hours from thousands of volunteers, it’s simply wonderful to see and we hope for many many more wonderful people engaging with fantastic causes.

“One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time.”

How do you value people’s time? Is it a cost replacement?  Or is it more subtle than that, is it their very presence and the joy or comfort they can bring? This is not even considering the value the volunteer places on their own time. Valuing your volunteers is very difficult and fraught with pitfalls, but one thing we can all agree on without those people who give their time many services and people would be worse off.

“Don’t live for what you get, live for what you give.”

It is often quoted that real happiness comes from a sense of fulfilment. We would suggest that aspiring to freely give your time may be a way to achieve that fulfilment, to feel part of something greater than yourself is a particular human trait. Not to focus on what you get, or what you have but on what you can do for others. Volunteers epitomise this way of life, this is the reason many volunteers give so much.  Don’t believe us about this? Read this and see what the research says about volunteers being happier and healthier.

“Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for kindness.”

We all have choices when it comes to how we choose to live our lives.  We can choose to be kind, and fulfil the potential every single one of us has. I’m not suggesting every volunteer is a saint – far from it. But those who volunteer are choosing to try and be kind, to try and improve their community or cause. We salute those who make that choice.

“You may not have saved a lot of money in your life, but if you have saved a lot of heartaches for other folks, you are a pretty rich person.”

The value a volunteer provides and also extracts from their experience is difficult to quantify. The idea that saving the hearts of others is worth way more to people that any amount of money sounds crazy.  But if a volunteer can help change a person outlook, improve their quality of life, share their time, wisdom and experience for the good of others, develop friendships, reduce loneliness, create opportunities for those that otherwise might not have them.  These are potentially life-changing events for the person the volunteer might help.

So we say volunteers are special, and we at TeamKinetic take this time to say thank you, volunteers, for your time, your commitment and for believing that you can make a difference.  We think you’re great.

Find out how TeamKinetic can work with you to recruit, manage, and retain your student 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.

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.

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