Difference between revisions of "Volunteers"
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| − | + | This page is for project co-ordinators or anybody who deals with the process of managing volunteers at AgeUK South Tyneside. | |
| − | = | + | =When someone is interested in starting volunteering at AUKST= |
| − | = | + | ==Making a new volunteer== |
| − | = | + | We will need to record our contact with the prospective volunteer, as a contact with that person. However, rather than doing a client search, we need to do a volunteer search. Click on the "Volunteers" link in the "Volunteering Options" submenu. |
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_1.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 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: | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_2.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 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... | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_3.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ...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. | ||
| + | |||
| + | This will bring you back to the volunteer search, from where you can search to find your new volunteer. So however we've got there, we should find ourselves at a blank volunteer record, which we can fill in with the volunteer details. How much information you demand from your volunteers is up to you, and will vary by project, but we suggest a minimum of: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Surname | ||
| + | * First name | ||
| + | * Address (first line) | ||
| + | * Postcode | ||
| + | * Telephone number | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_4.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Once you've filled in these details, click the "save details" button at the bottom of the screen. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==The "Volunteer Application Progress" extension database== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Extension Databases are used when the standard system doesn't quite do what we want it to do. In this case, the volunteer record doesn't have enough places to log the paperwork associated with a volunteer application, so if you look at the bottom of the volunteer record you have created, you will see a red box that looks like this: | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_5.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Clicking on it will take you to a screen where you can log the progress of the volunteer with their application from, CRB form and more. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Don't forget that you still need to log each contact with the volunteer as well as filling out these dates at the appropriate time.''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Once the application process is complete= | ||
| + | |||
| + | Once all the forms/references are completed and satisfactory, you will probably want to do the following as part of finishing the application. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest== | ||
| + | |||
| + | At the bottom of the volunteer record you will find the Groups & Skills link. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_6.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 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'''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | If the group/skill category you need isn't there, contact your administrators, who can add to the list. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 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?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Log the volunteer's induction date, CRB expiry date and more using the "Personal Details" and "Work Details" tabs== | ||
| + | |||
| + | These are found across the top of the volunteer record. Most organisations regard their CRB checks as valid for three years, but it's up to you. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_7.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer== | ||
| + | |||
| + | 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: | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_8.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==Estimate how much time the volunteer contributes per week== | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''This needs to be done.''' It's important for AgeUK South Tyneside to be able to do a rough count of how much volunteer time is contributed per year (or week, or month) in order to apply for funding. Completing the "Volunteer Hours Estimate" Extension Database is the way that this will be done. Rather than count every single volunteer hour spent (which would require a lot of counting), simply click the Extension Database at the bottom of the page: | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:aukst_vol_9.png]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ...and enter an estimate of how many hours this volunteer contributes per week. Management can then run reports on this extension database to see how much total volunteer time is given per week - and therefore multiply this to get monthly and yearly figures. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Don't forget to keep this updated if the volunteer changes their role.''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Using volunteers= | ||
| + | |||
| + | There are several different ways that you might use volunteers, and so there are several different ways of logging this in Charitylog. Consult this guide for information: [[AUKST volunteer guide]]. | ||
Revision as of 16:48, 16 January 2013
Contents
- 1 Volunteers in Charitylog
- 2 When someone is interested in starting volunteering at AUKST
- 3 Once the application process is complete
- 3.1 Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest
- 3.2 Log the volunteer's induction date, CRB expiry date and more using the "Personal Details" and "Work Details" tabs
- 3.3 Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer
- 3.4 Estimate how much time the volunteer contributes per week
- 4 Using volunteers
Volunteers in Charitylog
Volunteers are very important to the vast majority of our customers, and the Charitylog system provides several ways of working with volunteers:
- Storage of volunteer details, including details of courses and qualifications
- Assigning a volunteer to a client, and creating/printing job cards for these appointments
- Recording contacts with volunteers as part of volunteer management
Creating volunteers
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:
You will be presented with a search form.
You can now do a search for the volunteer to make sure that they aren't already on the system. It is most common to search for them by surname but you can also narrow the search by filling in more boxes.
This page is for project co-ordinators or anybody who deals with the process of managing volunteers at AgeUK South Tyneside.
When someone is interested in starting volunteering at AUKST
Making a new volunteer
We will need to record our contact with the prospective volunteer, as a contact with that person. However, rather than doing a client search, we need to do a volunteer search. Click on the "Volunteers" link in the "Volunteering Options" submenu.
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:
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...
...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.
This will bring you back to the volunteer search, from where you can search to find your new volunteer. So however we've got there, we should find ourselves at a blank volunteer record, which we can fill in with the volunteer details. How much information you demand from your volunteers is up to you, and will vary by project, but we suggest a minimum of:
- Surname
- First name
- Address (first line)
- Postcode
- Telephone number
Once you've filled in these details, click the "save details" button at the bottom of the screen.
The "Volunteer Application Progress" extension database
Extension Databases are used when the standard system doesn't quite do what we want it to do. In this case, the volunteer record doesn't have enough places to log the paperwork associated with a volunteer application, so if you look at the bottom of the volunteer record you have created, you will see a red box that looks like this:
Clicking on it will take you to a screen where you can log the progress of the volunteer with their application from, CRB form and more.
Don't forget that you still need to log each contact with the volunteer as well as filling out these dates at the appropriate time.
Once the application process is complete
Once all the forms/references are completed and satisfactory, you will probably want to do the following as part of finishing the application.
Use Groups & Skills to log the volunteer's areas of interest
At the bottom of the volunteer record you will find the Groups & Skills link.
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.
If the group/skill category you need isn't there, contact your administrators, who can add to the list.
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?"
Log the volunteer's induction date, CRB expiry date and more using the "Personal Details" and "Work Details" tabs
These are found across the top of the volunteer record. Most organisations regard their CRB checks as valid for three years, but it's up to you.
Log courses and qualifications obtained by the volunteer
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:
Estimate how much time the volunteer contributes per week
This needs to be done. It's important for AgeUK South Tyneside to be able to do a rough count of how much volunteer time is contributed per year (or week, or month) in order to apply for funding. Completing the "Volunteer Hours Estimate" Extension Database is the way that this will be done. Rather than count every single volunteer hour spent (which would require a lot of counting), simply click the Extension Database at the bottom of the page:
...and enter an estimate of how many hours this volunteer contributes per week. Management can then run reports on this extension database to see how much total volunteer time is given per week - and therefore multiply this to get monthly and yearly figures.
Don't forget to keep this updated if the volunteer changes their role.
Using volunteers
There are several different ways that you might use volunteers, and so there are several different ways of logging this in Charitylog. Consult this guide for information: AUKST volunteer guide.
