Difference between revisions of "Volunteers"

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[[File:helpheader_small.png|right]]
 
[[File:helpheader_small.png|right]]
  
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Volunteers are very important to the majority of Third Sector organisations, and the Charitylog system provides several ways of working with volunteers:
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[[File:volunteers1.jpg|400px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer button, highlighted in the contact management menu."]]
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* Storage of volunteer details, including details of courses and qualifications
 
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* Assigning a volunteer to a client, and creating/printing job cards for these appointments
 
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* Recording contacts with volunteers as part of volunteer management
 
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__TOC__
 
__TOC__
  
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Volunteer records are used on the system to both manage the volunteers you employ and assignments to clients.  You may have volunteers that simply work within your offices and these can also be managed on the system.
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{{#ev:youtube|k28CocNqrLM|790}}
  
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===Creating volunteers===
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==Creating volunteers==
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Volunteers, just like all the other people/organisations on Charitylog, don't exist only as volunteers. They could also be clients, and/or trustees, etc. So just like any other person/organisation, it's important to start the process of creating a new volunteer by searching the system to make sure they aren't already on it. Click the "Volunteers" menu item:
 
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[[File:aukst_vol_1.png]]
 
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We now need to do a search, just in case this volunteer is already on the system, just as we would do when searching for a client. If the volunteer isn't on the system, use the "New" tab to create one. However, there's a good chance that the person will be on the system as a '''client''' - if they are active in another project. So even if the search brings up no results, watch out for this message:
 
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[[File:aukst_vol_2.png]]
 
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That means, "although there were no volunteers by that name, there are organisations or people elsewhere in the system with that name". So you should click the "search all" button, just to make sure that the org/people elsewhere isn't the person you are working with...
 
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[[File:aukst_vol_3.png]]
 
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...and if it turns out that it '''is''' the person you're working with, use the "Make into Volunteer" button to make them into a volunteer.
 
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This will bring you back to the volunteer search, from where you can search to find your new volunteer. So however you've got there, you should find yourselves at a blank volunteer record, which you can fill in with the volunteer's details. How much information you demand from your volunteers is up to you, and will vary by project, but we suggest a minimum of:
 
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* Surname
 
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* First name
 
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* Address (first line)
 
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* Postcode
 
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* Telephone number
 
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[[File:aukst_vol_4.png]]
 
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Once you've filled in these details, click the "save details" button at the bottom of the screen.
 
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===Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest===
 
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At the bottom of the volunteer record you will find the Groups & Skills link.
 
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[[File:aukst_vol_6.png]]
 
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Clicking this link will take you to a screen where you can enter the volunteer's interests. You will need a start date logged against each one. The list of groups and skills is long, as it applies to lots of different people throughout the Charitylog system, but you should be able to find appropriate ones there - for example, someone might be interested in volunteering to do '''Admin''', '''Walks''' and be a '''Digital Photography Tutor'''.
 
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If the group/skill category you need isn't there, contact your administrators, who can add to the list.
 
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If the volunteer decides that they are no longer interested in that particular area, enter an end date. This way, you will still be able to report on (for example) "how many befriending volunteers did we have six months ago, and how has this number changed?"
 
  
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===Log the volunteer's induction date, DBS expiry date and more using the "Personal Details" and "Work Details" tabs===
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Volunteers, just like all the other people/organisations on the system, don't exist purely as volunteers. They could also be clients, trustees, etc. So, just like any other person/organisation, it's important to start the process of creating a new volunteer by searching the system to make sure they aren't already on it. Click the "Volunteers" menu item:
  
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These are found across the top of the volunteer record.
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You will now see the search form, just as you would for any other Type.
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_7.png]]
 
  
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===Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer===
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[[File:volunteers2.jpg|700px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer search page."]]
  
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As volunteers work with you, they may choose to go on courses to improve their skill set, and/or you may choose to send them on courses or help them gain qualifications. You can log these against the volunteer's record with the "Courses" and "Qualifications" links at the bottom of the screen:
 
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_8.png]]
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Run your search, and then click on the name of the matching person, or create them as appropriate.
  
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==Should my volunteers have access to Charitylog?==
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==Volunteer Details Sections==
  
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Remember that Charitylog '''does not charge you''' for having more users on the system. The system is priced on an "equivalent full time user" basis, so you can have as many different people logging on as you like (as long as you're not exceeding your equivalent full time users).
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Configuring sections for volunteers, and configuring where fields appear, is done on the [[Customise Orgs & People]] page.
  
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It will depend on the volunteer's duties as to whether they have access to Charitylog as a user. If they are dealing with clients in the office, or dealing with outside organisations, it will be very useful for the volunteer to be able to log their own work. In fact, as Charitylog becomes the standard place to store client contacts, details etc, it will be difficult for a volunteer to engage with clients ''without'' having access to the system.
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Volunteer records are set up the same way as any other Type, but here's an example configuration:
  
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A system administrator will need to create them a user record. The volunteer can be linked using the '''"User Name (if applicable)"''' field on the Work Details tab of the volunteer record...
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===General Details Section===
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_10.png]]
 
  
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[[File:volunteers3.JPG|800px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the general details section."]]
  
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...or if they are not on the system as a volunteer yet, the administrator can create both the user record and the volunteer record in one go.
 
  
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For volunteers who interact with clients and create formal workloads for themselves, like volunteer support workers or Home From Hospital workers, it will be very difficult for them to do this effectively without being a Charitylog user.
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The same as you'd see on most other Types - general, non-sensitive information.
  
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For volunteers who mainly interact with clients on a casual basis but don't do any paperwork, such as befrienders, it is useful but not essential for them to have access to the Charitylog system. Ideally their time still needs to be tracked -  the more tracking you do, the better the reports - but it's not too burdensome for a project co-ordinator to do this on their behalf, as long as the information being reported isn't too complicated.
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===Personal Details Section===
  
  
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===Using volunteers to help out at Clubs and Clinics===
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[[File:volunteers4.JPG|800px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the personal details section."]]
  
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If the volunteer helps to run a club or clinic, you can log them as the "Usual Staff/Volunteer" on the Club/Clinic record...
 
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_11.png]]
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Again, similar to other Types - personal and sensitive information, required for reporting but perhaps not required day-to-day.
  
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===Work Details Section===
  
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...and in addition, if they come into the office regularly, and/or can spare the time, you may like to make them a user of the Charitylog system so that they can print their own transport lists, register sheets and so on.
 
  
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===Volunteers in the office===
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[[File:volunteers5.JPG|800px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the work details section."]]
  
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You will almost certainly need to make these volunteers Charitylog users. They will then be able to log their own interactions with clients, assign work to other members of staff, and so on.
 
  
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==Volunteers who are assigned to clients one-on-one==
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There are various standard fields which can be enabled that are useful for volunteer details, shown here on the Work Details Section.
  
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These volunteers, such as Befrienders, can be managed with the job card system. Volunteers are assigned to a client and a job card is created. The volunteer manager/project co-ordinator can choose to create one job card per appointment, or one job card per client assignment. Most of the time, one job card per assignment will do, but sometimes (when the interaction between client and volunteer is tightly managed) one job card per appointment is more appropriate. For more info on this, contact Charitylog support, or ask your Trainer.
 
  
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==Assigning a Volunteer to a Client==
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===Matching Criteria Section===
  
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Record a Contact with the client in the usual way, but also use the "Assign Volunteer/Carer/Staff" link in the "Options" section.
 
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_12.png]]
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[[File:volunteers6.JPG|800px|alt="a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the matching criteria section."]]
  
  
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This will pop up a new page with the pool of available volunteers. You can use the "Staff or Volunteer search list" section, in the top left, to narrow your search - enter the criteria and click "Search".
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This section is used to show when the volunteer is available for work. This will be used in calendars.
  
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* TIP: This search works well with the first half of a postcode, if you want to find a local volunteer.
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===Unavailability's Section===
  
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* TIP: Use Groups & Skills here to quickly find suitable volunteers.
 
  
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* TIP: You can use the 'Details' to search the Notes section of the Staff or Volunteer records for useful matches.
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[[File:volunteers7.jpg|700px|alt="a screenshot of the unavailability's section of the volunteer record."]]
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_13.png]]
 
  
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This section is used to log when the volunteer may be away or unable to work, because of holidays etc. This is used by calendars.
  
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Once you have found a suitable volunteer, click the "Assign" link next to their name. This takes you to a screen with a series of options. Once you are done, click "Assign To Client", then "Confirm and Complete" on the next screen.
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==Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest==
  
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Back on the Record A Contact screen, enter work done/work to be done as normal. A Job Card has been created in the background, so you don't need to put anything in the text boxes about that. You might like to use the "Further Action Needed" box to create a reminder for yourself to contact the client, and/or the volunteer, to check on progress. Once you are done with the contact, click "Continue".
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At the bottom of the Volunteer Details screen you will find the [[Groups and Skills]] link.
  
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The Job Card is now created.
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[[File:volunteers8.jpg|700px|alt="a screenshot of the groups and skills entered on the volunteer record."]]
  
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==Viewing Job Cards==
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See [[Groups and Skills]] for more information on this feature.
  
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Use the "Job Cards" link in the Volunteering Options submenu.
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==Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer==
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_14.png]]
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As volunteers gain qualifications and attend courses, these can be logged by clicking the [[Courses]] and [[Qualifications]] links at the bottom of the Volunteer Details screen.
  
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[[File:volunteers9.JPG|700px|alt="a screenshot of the courses entry page for volunteer details."]]
  
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This will show you the job cards on the system. Narrow the search using the fields across the top of the screen.
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[[File:volunteers10.JPG|700px|alt="a screenshot of the qualifications entry page for volunteer details."]]
  
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==Printing Job Cards to give to Volunteers==
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You'll need to configure the lists before using these features - see [[Courses]] and [[Qualifications]] for more details.
  
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Use the "Job Cards" link in the "Reports" section of the Volunteering Options submenu.
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==Volunteers who run Clubs and Clinics==
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_15.png]]
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If the volunteer helps to run a club or clinic, you can log them as the "Usual Staff/Volunteer" on the Club/Clinic record.
  
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[[File:volunteers11.jpg|700px|alt="a screenshot of the club and clinic general details page, with a field for 'usual staff / volunteer'.]]
  
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You can print job cards for a date range, a certain volunteer, a certain job card number range, and more.
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==Should volunteers have access to the system?==
  
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The job cards will print with page breaks automatically inserted in between. Your volunteers can now take these job cards with them to their appointments and use them to log their work and time spent (if they don't have access to Charitylog themselves).
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The simple answer is yes. We don't charge you for having more users on the system, so you can have as many different people logging on as you like. Therefore you don't have to worry about using valuable resource on getting volunteers set up on Charitylog, and allowing Volunteers to log their own activity will save others having to do large amounts of data entry on their behalf. This removes the requirement for information to be passed from Volunteer, to Volunteer Co-ordinator, before it reaches Charitylog. Instead, information can be passed from Volunteer to Charitylog directly.
  
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==Filling in Job Cards with volunteer timesheets==
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Each volunteer should have their own user account. Avoid creating shared accounts called "Volunteer 1" and so on; this will mean that in the future you will not be able to tell which person has entered information.
  
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For volunteers who mainly interact with clients on a casual basis but don't do any paperwork, such as befrienders, it is useful for them to have access to the system. Ideally their time still needs to be tracked. The more tracking you do, the better the reports.
  
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Use the "Job Cards" link in the Volunteering Options submenu.
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It might be worth considering allowing Volunteers access to their assignments, but restrict their activity so they can only see clients they've been assigned. This means you reduce the amount of administration you have to do as volunteers could update their own activity in a secure manner.  
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_14.png]]
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You may find the below webinar useful. Or you can call the support team for advice and guidance.  
  
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===Creating a volunteer/user record===
  
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Access the job card itself by clicking on the job card number.
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If you need to create a user account and also a volunteer record - for a new volunteer who will have access to the system, for example - the easiest way to do this is to create both at once. Start by creating a user account, and in the "Organisation/Person record?" select "Create New Volunteer"; Then continue as normal. It would be advisable to check with your HR department to see if they have already created the volunteer record for recruitment purposes.  
  
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[[File:aukst_vol_16.png]]
 
  
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[[File:volunteers12.jpg|600px|alt="a screenshot of the 'group access' field in the user record, with the group 'volunteer' selected."]]
  
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Use the "New Timesheet Records" button to add information to the job card (date, start and end time, and a description of the work done), then click "Save and Close". Alternatively, if you have several job cards to enter, you can do them all, using the "Save and Add Item" button after each one.
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===Linking an existing volunteer record to a new user account===
  
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Once, and if, the client/volunteer assignment comes to an end, you can complete the job card by entering a date in the "Completed Date" box.
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Create the user account, and in the "Organisation/Person record" select "Assign to existing organisation record"; then in the field below, look up the name of the volunteer you want to link it to.
  
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[[User:Rob Kay|Rob Kay - manual author]] ([[User talk:Rob Kay|talk]]) 15:54, 19 January 2016 (GMT)
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[[File:volunteers12.jpg|600px|alt="a screenshot of the 'group access' field in the user record, with the group 'volunteer' selected."]]
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[[File:helpheader_small.png|right]]
 
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[[Category:Overviews]]
 

Latest revision as of 10:14, 17 September 2024

Helpheader small.png

"a screenshot of the volunteer button, highlighted in the contact management menu."

Volunteer records are used on the system to both manage the volunteers you employ and assignments to clients. You may have volunteers that simply work within your offices and these can also be managed on the system.

Creating volunteers

Volunteers, just like all the other people/organisations on the system, don't exist purely as volunteers. They could also be clients, trustees, etc. So, just like any other person/organisation, it's important to start the process of creating a new volunteer by searching the system to make sure they aren't already on it. Click the "Volunteers" menu item:

You will now see the search form, just as you would for any other Type.


"a screenshot of the volunteer search page."


Run your search, and then click on the name of the matching person, or create them as appropriate.

Volunteer Details Sections

Configuring sections for volunteers, and configuring where fields appear, is done on the Customise Orgs & People page.

Volunteer records are set up the same way as any other Type, but here's an example configuration:

General Details Section

"a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the general details section."


The same as you'd see on most other Types - general, non-sensitive information.

Personal Details Section

"a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the personal details section."


Again, similar to other Types - personal and sensitive information, required for reporting but perhaps not required day-to-day.

Work Details Section

"a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the work details section."


There are various standard fields which can be enabled that are useful for volunteer details, shown here on the Work Details Section.


Matching Criteria Section

"a screenshot of the volunteer record, showing the matching criteria section."


This section is used to show when the volunteer is available for work. This will be used in calendars.

Unavailability's Section

"a screenshot of the unavailability's section of the volunteer record."


This section is used to log when the volunteer may be away or unable to work, because of holidays etc. This is used by calendars.

Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest

At the bottom of the Volunteer Details screen you will find the Groups and Skills link.

"a screenshot of the groups and skills entered on the volunteer record."

See Groups and Skills for more information on this feature.

Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer

As volunteers gain qualifications and attend courses, these can be logged by clicking the Courses and Qualifications links at the bottom of the Volunteer Details screen.

"a screenshot of the courses entry page for volunteer details."

"a screenshot of the qualifications entry page for volunteer details."

You'll need to configure the lists before using these features - see Courses and Qualifications for more details.

Volunteers who run Clubs and Clinics

If the volunteer helps to run a club or clinic, you can log them as the "Usual Staff/Volunteer" on the Club/Clinic record.

"a screenshot of the club and clinic general details page, with a field for 'usual staff / volunteer'.

Should volunteers have access to the system?

The simple answer is yes. We don't charge you for having more users on the system, so you can have as many different people logging on as you like. Therefore you don't have to worry about using valuable resource on getting volunteers set up on Charitylog, and allowing Volunteers to log their own activity will save others having to do large amounts of data entry on their behalf. This removes the requirement for information to be passed from Volunteer, to Volunteer Co-ordinator, before it reaches Charitylog. Instead, information can be passed from Volunteer to Charitylog directly.

Each volunteer should have their own user account. Avoid creating shared accounts called "Volunteer 1" and so on; this will mean that in the future you will not be able to tell which person has entered information.

For volunteers who mainly interact with clients on a casual basis but don't do any paperwork, such as befrienders, it is useful for them to have access to the system. Ideally their time still needs to be tracked. The more tracking you do, the better the reports.

It might be worth considering allowing Volunteers access to their assignments, but restrict their activity so they can only see clients they've been assigned. This means you reduce the amount of administration you have to do as volunteers could update their own activity in a secure manner.

You may find the below webinar useful. Or you can call the support team for advice and guidance.

Creating a volunteer/user record

If you need to create a user account and also a volunteer record - for a new volunteer who will have access to the system, for example - the easiest way to do this is to create both at once. Start by creating a user account, and in the "Organisation/Person record?" select "Create New Volunteer"; Then continue as normal. It would be advisable to check with your HR department to see if they have already created the volunteer record for recruitment purposes.


"a screenshot of the 'group access' field in the user record, with the group 'volunteer' selected."

Linking an existing volunteer record to a new user account

Create the user account, and in the "Organisation/Person record" select "Assign to existing organisation record"; then in the field below, look up the name of the volunteer you want to link it to.


"a screenshot of the 'group access' field in the user record, with the group 'volunteer' selected."

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