Using IT Volunteers - Getting IT Help for Free

Using IT Volunteers - Getting IT Help for Free

Introduction

About ICT Hub, iT4C and me • ICT Hub www.icthub.org.uk • iT4Communities www.it4c.org.uk • Anne Stafford, iT4Communities Making the Most of Free ICT Support

About this workshop • The right volunteer • The right project • In the right place at the right time • Realising success • Getting specific • Over to you Making the Most of Free ICT Support

The Right Volunteer Making the Most of Free ICT Support

What do volunteers want? • To make a difference • To use IT more creatively than the day job • To be involved (as much as they want to), to know what you do and why • To get in, do the job and get out (usually) • To be appreciated and respected for what they do • To be treated professionally Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Selection process • Do they have the technical/management skills • Are they experienced (being over 21 helps) • Do they have qualifications • Do they have (informal) references • Have they done this sort of thing before • Do they fill you with confidence (or despair) • Are they too keen or too flash • Are they on the make • If in doubt, kick ‘em out Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Working with volunteer professionals • They’re human • They used to being very professional not ad hoc • They might not understand voluntary sector culture (break ‘em in gently) • Communicate effectively and timely • Time is money to them if not to you • Deliver what you agree when you’ve agreed it • Co-operate e.g. access to databases and password-protected websites (DPA) Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Project Management Making the Most of Free ICT Support

When free support costs you more money • All volunteers need to be managed (=staff time) • Project responsibility lies with charity NOT volunteer • Sometimes it’s quicker to pay someone to come in and do it than find a volunteer and brief them • Bad communication leads to volunteer walkouts and boycotts • No brief = scope creep and project hiatus Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Skill sharing with volunteers • Value of external advice • Helps internal staff to think differently • Helps internal staff to learn new skills • Learn from your volunteers (but don’t necessarily expect developers to be trainers) • Pick their brains (but leave them some for later) Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Strategy and planning • A fresh pair of eyes always helps • Small business IT strategy and voluntary sector IT strategy are similar • They’re aren’t many full-time IT strategists in the voluntary sector • If they’ve seen the problem before, they know how to try and fix it • Technology management consultants are worth their weight in gold (as long as they understand small organisations as well as big ones) Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Management buy-in • Management buy in is critical – are they bothered? • Too many projects are wildcards run by one person • Without it, if the contact leaves, the project dies • Make sure there is a single point of contact for the volunteer Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Users benefit? (Staff buy-in) • What’s the ‘business case’ – why are you doing this? • Are users involved in the decision? • Who benefits? • Why do they benefit? • Do they know they’re going to benefit? • Change management is hard – don’t create what you can’t use Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Long term & cost free solution? • Volunteer support isn’t sustainable – they come, they go – availability/flexibility is an issue • Volunteers need to be managed (and need a ‘single point of contact’) • Volunteers can’t solve problems without internal support • You need to work with them to define what needs to be done • They won’t read your mind and create a solution by magic Making the Most of Free ICT Support

The Strategic View Making the Most of Free ICT Support

What makes a good consultant? • Previous experience of the project (or similar) – no virgins • Previous experience of the voluntary sector (in some form) • Do you like them? • Are they easy to get on with? • Do they act and talk rationally? • If they’re technology obsessed – start worrying • Do they care? PASSION + TALENT = SUCCESS Making the Most of Free ICT Support

How do you know what you need? • Needs analysis • Strategy and planning • Project definition (what, why, when and how) • Don’t get overwhelmed by tech wizardry • If you don’t know what you want, ask! • Not always the same person to design and develop Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Project management • Define what needs to be done and why – ‘common goals’ • Agree the definition in writing –simple contract • Keep an eye on things all the time – weather-view not micromanage • Be responsible for events • Keep scope/sustainability in check – be realistic • Tie up the loose ends and thank the volunteer • Work it out, get it done – volunteering lifespan is max. 3-6 months Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Overview of volunteer capacity • Varies with location and skills needed • More technical people than strategists • The higher the value of the job, the less chance of getting a volunteer • More volunteers in urban areas or around larger IT ‘conurbations’ • Someone, somewhere can do your volunteer job – do they want to? Making the Most of Free ICT Support

What volunteers can/can’t do • Respect someone’s skill level and their needs and wants • People only volunteer for things they enjoy, which reward them (emotionally or socially) and where they feel valued and respected • Strategists write strategy, techies do tech work, less qualified volunteers may be able to help with the admin • Volunteers aren’t responsible for 24/7 and have other commitments Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Successful Projects Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Delivering Great Projects (1) • No unrealistic promises (from either side) • If in doubt, keep it simple • Make sure all key parties have agreed on the project definition • Check that the management is committed to the project • In complex projects, project management role is best located within the charity Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Delivering Great Projects (2) • Project MUST be sustainable without the volunteer • Cover potential risks and liabilities • Finishing projects well is an art in its own right • Spread the good news • Do it again Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Case Study The Hornsey Trust See Case Studies section at www.it4communities.org.uk Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Workshop Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Workshop • What are you hoping to take from today? Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Workshop • What does your organisation do? • How do you make sure IT meets its aims? • How do use IT? Do you use volunteers? • What might an IT volunteer do? • Managing volunteer resource • How will support make a difference Making the Most of Free ICT Support

How does ICT meet your aims? • Strategy • ‘Compliant with aims’ • BE SPECIFIC • Business objectives run an organisation, not technical ones (woof!) • IT is a fundamental, not a luxury Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Workshop • What makes a good IT project for volunteers? • Not mission critical • Flexible • Valuable with strong charity buy-in • Stimulating but not stressful Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Project Examples • Website • Database • Tech support advice/mentoring (not networks) • Strategy and systems review • Training (tricky one!) Making the Most of Free ICT Support

What difference does it make? • New perspectives • Experience helps • Better planning, meets objectives • Financial savings (through planning) • It’s not just about time and money! Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Washington Millennium Centre "The man you recommended to help, Olu, turned out to be a real gem. He worked closely with all members of the project staff to ensure we had exactly the system we wanted and were happy to operate. This included a number of rewrites and team meetings. Olu fast became a friend and trusted advisor, he was more than helpful on a number of IT matters effecting the project, saving the project a small fortune on purchasing inappropriate software and equipment." - Campbell Barrow Making the Most of Free ICT Support

GALE "We have been delighted with IT4C. We live in a very remote area, hundreds of miles from any of the volunteers, yet have managed to benefit from the project via e-mail/telephone communication with the volunteers. We were pleased to be able to carry out the projects at our own pace doing as much of them ourselves as we could and having continuous support from the volunteers. Both projects will in due course help our organisation to become more efficient, saving valuable resources and enabling us to spend more time on practical work within our community." Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Finding the right volunteer: • know what you want first • think about risks and risk minimisation - ensure that the project is suitable/ ensure that a volunteer is a suitable solution • iT4C Project Definition can help with the above • be prepared – have questions to ask/ resources ready • be prepared to interview and select set aside plenty of time to monitor project and support volunteer • iT4C has online resources to assist with checklists and can mediate Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Where to find the right volunteer: • advertise widely and succinctly • ask for what you want in the right places • Professional brokers - iT4C, Pro Help, Media Trust, BiTC • Volunteer Centres, • Universities, • Local businesses – ask their staff • Local press • but be prepared to only work with someone who you trust knows what they are doing – many IT projects are not suitable for students or the inexperienced Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Tel: 020 7796 2144 • Email: info@it4communities.org.uk Making the Most of Free ICT Support

Using IT Volunteers - Getting IT Help for Free