Fiona Liddell, Volunteering Development Manager WCVA, describes some of the assistance that is available to those looking for volunteers through the new volunteering platform.
The new volunteering website is up and running but it is still unfamiliar to most of us. It takes time to get used to a different system (especially, perhaps, a digital one).
The website uses different terminology and has different features compared to the previous one. You may have experienced confusion yourself in trying to navigate your way; some of you have identified ‘glitches’ and we are grateful to have these pointed out.
We do not yet have the perfect system and few of the features we are expecting are still under development. But the basics are in place and the potential is exciting; easy self-serve access to volunteering and a range of online management capabilities including digital awards and tools for monitoring and reporting on volunteers and volunteer activity.
Some of the features of the system have been described in previous posts (See The new Volunteering Wales platform – Help! Where do I start?; I’m on the new volunteering platform – what now? and New website helps you get into volunteering)
I want to clarify some of the different ways in which help is available to users of the system.
Online help
You can access a range of online help, from the Help menu at the top of the screen.
Type keywords into the search bar to identify relevant articles, blog posts or other guidance, provided by the developers, Team Kinetic . Guidance is in the process of being updated, following a major upgrade to the software in August. Nevertheless, this is a good place to start and may answer your questions.
Volunteering Wales FAQs
The system we have developed in Wales is essentially 19 linked county systems plus a national one. This is mainly about the organisation of administrative responsibilities and data ownership and should not affect users unduly. Your postcode will determine which county system your registration is directed to, regardless of where you log on.
This does mean that questions arise which are peculiar to our system in Wales and so we have put together our own list of FAQs.
Volunteer Centres and WCVA
Volunteer Centres and WCVA have administrative responsibilities for the system. One of them will have approved your registration and approves opportunities that are posted. You can contact your administrator through the Get in Touch button at the top of the page, or by phone or email.
Social media
Team Kinetic is active on social media and welcomes contact from users with any issues, questions or experiences. You can find them on facebook , Twitter @TeamKineticUK and you can subscribe to their blog site for regular news and updates.
Webinars
WCVA is hosting webinars with Team Kinetic on:
- 9 October 2018 – 11:00-12:00
- 23 January 2019 – 14:00-15:00
- 15 May 2019 – 14:00-15:00
We hope to release a video for participants to watch beforehand, addressing the most common issues that users have raised during our latest feedback survey. The webinar will be a chance for Q and A following this. Both the video and the recorded webinar will be available for viewing online afterwards.
So, one way or another we hope that you find the support and help that you need, to use the website in the way that you need to. Don’t struggle in silence, there is willing help at hand!
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