Managing IT Volunteers

Mark Walker, SCIP

ICT Champion for the South East

Managing IT Volunteers

• Where to find them

• Which projects are appropriate?

• Which ones aren’t

• Where to get help

• Working with groups

Today’s Programme

• Where You Are Now

• How IT Projects Work

• The Right Project

• Recruiting IT Volunteers

• Where to Get Help

VCS and IT Volunteers

• Good policies and processes

• Lots of experience of working with volunteers

• Innovative and resourceful

• So why are IT volunteers different?

• Are they different?

About Me

• SCIP: IT services and training to charities and community groups

• Social enterprise founded in 1996, based in Brighton

• I am also regional ICT Champion for South East England

About You

• In pairs

• Name, organisation, role

• Your experience with IT Volunteers

• Two questions you want to answer today

What is an IT Volunteer?

• In pairs

• Volunteers you have been involved with

• Projects you think may be appropriate

• Skills you think are available/required

• Where do they come from?

• Any examples?

Volunteers are rarely 'free’

• Staff Time

• Management

• Training

• Sustainability

• Associated costs e.g. hardware, web hosting, software

What sets IT Volunteers apart?

• Different working environment and style

• Highly skilled with specialist knowledge

• Same as any volunteer? e.g. may have to leave, other commitments, expect professionalism and respect, etc

There are pros…

• The ideal volunteer project

• Someone with the right experience

• Working in partnership

• A solution with minimal or manageable staff and resource cost

• It is your project - no ‘backseat drivers’

but there can be cons…

• Mismanaged

• Misintentioned

• Mismatched expectations

• Poor risk management

• No project management support

The Right Project

• Not mission critical

• Not in a hurry

• Supported by board and other staff

• Well planned – know your aims

• Well managed

• Well supported

Getting IT Projects Right

• Preparation – Permission– Buy in– Resources– Expertise– Leadership

• A Brief– Define the problem

• Project Management Issues– Timescale– Scope – Budget

Understanding IT Project Processes

• Identify Your Needs– Create a Brief

• Identify Your Options– Review your Brief

• Select a Provider– Issue Brief– Selection Process

• Delivery– Agree Specification – Design – Build – Test– Rebuild, re-test – Roll Out– Review

LUNCH

Understanding IT Projects

• Understand how they work

• Understand your role in them

• Understand how they are likely to run

• Understand expectations of the people you are recruiting

Web Site Brief Can Include

• Audience• Objectives/Targets• Timetable• Milestones• Budget• Roles

• Research• Statistics• User Testing• Content

Management• Site Structure

EXERCISE: Website Projects

• In pairs

• One of you wants to update website

• Describe the problem

• Create a brief for a web designer

• You have 20 minutes

www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/websitebrief

The Right Project

• Not mission critical

• Not in a hurry

• Not without the support of the organisation’s board/other staff

• Well planned – know your aims

• Well managed

• Well supported

Possible Problems

• Volunteers enthusiastic but unskilled

• Time commitments of volunteers

• Unsuitable solution

• Inappropriate implementation

• Culture/communication complications

• They leave - the knowledge leaves

Suitable for a Volunteer?

• Volunteer qualified and experienced

• Project well managed, by organisation and volunteer

• Volunteer well-supported

• Teamwork

• Buy-in

Ideal for IT volunteers

• Independent advice and guidance

• One to one training for staff/other volunteers

• IT strategy/IT planning

• Trustee – with technical expertise

• Working directly with clients

• Purchasing and supplier decisions

Exercise

• Green = suitable for an IT volunteer

• Amber = a possibility, but some aspects need to be checked

• Red = definitely not suitable for IT volunteering

• You may also like to suggest the budget if the project was being paid for

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “We are developing a new project targeted at unemployed youth. We need a simple website explaining the services that we will be offering, which needs to be ready for our project launch next month.”

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “I am responsible for the IT in our 10 person organisation. At present we have a mix of stand alone and peer to peer machines. We have just had a new server donated and I was about to install a network, but I have been offered another job and I’m moving on. We really do need the upgrade to a server-client network – it’s a fairly simple job and as my post won’t be filled for several months I’d like a volunteer to do the installation.

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “We have just raised some funding for a systems upgrade. We need someone to help us with the tendering process, and the selection of a supplier.”

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “We have obtained £30,000 funding to develop a web based resource directory for professionals and families who need to know about specific disabilities. We don’t really have anyone with a technical knowledge in our staff team and we would like to a volunteer to act a translator between us and suppliers.“

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “Our IT is a complete mess and we need someone to help us make sense of what we have and what we need for the future!”

Exercise: Red/Amber/Green

• “We are a small organisation heavily dependent on IT, and we are fed up with getting ripped off by IT contractors every time we have a problem. We would like to develop a long-term relationship with a volunteer who we wouldn’t need to see regularly but who would be able to fix any problems as and when they arise.”

Project Issues: Don’t forget

• Is your data safe/backed up?

• Passwords and basic documentation

• Who owns the project?

• Who is producing the content?

• Maintaining the site once the volunteer has gone

The Right Project

• Not mission critical

• Not in a hurry

• Not without the support of the organisation’s board/other staff

• Well planned – know your aims

• Well managed

• Well supported

Finding the right volunteer

• Advertise

• Professional brokers - iT4C, Pro Help, Media Trust, BiTC

• Volunteer Centres, CVS, Voluntary Action

• Universities & colleges

• Local businesses – ask their staff

IT4Communities

• Telephone-based service

• Create a project brief

• Share it with 3,000 IT professionals

• £85 p.a. for unlimited requests

• Includes follow up support

www.it4c.org.uk

Summary: Top Tips

• Choose the right project

• Define your needs clearly

• Choose the right volunteer

• Maintain ownership

• Allow time to run the project

• Communicate regularly

• Document everything!

Where to get help

• www.it4c.org.uk

• www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk

• www.ictchampions.org.uk

• Mark Walker

• mark@scip.org.uk