Volunteer management can be a difficult and time-consuming task filled with uncertainties. Volunteer managers face numerous massive challenges as handling a large pool of volunteers and scheduling them to their most appropriate positions can be a highly time-consuming process. But most of these difficulties can be mitigated using the right volunteer management tool.

1. Limited Resources

Many organisations dealing with volunteer scheduling usually have very limited management resources. A small number of volunteer managers will often be stretched thin to fill all open shifts, especially when done with pen and paper or inefficient volunteer management tools.

A good volunteer management software system will drastically reduce the time spent on scheduling volunteers as the scheduling process, and communication will be automated and supported with other tools and useful features while providing options for advanced reporting. This can streamline operations and therefore save time and reduce management costs.

2. Finding Volunteers

As volunteers usually don't collect money and provide their work completely free, it can be challenging to seek out the right personnel for each project. The best way to tackle this issue is to collect all your volunteer sign-ups into one database. For an even better impact, the database should be a part of volunteer management software.

As the volunteer database grows, it can turn the process around when managing volunteers – managers can now invite volunteers to apply for open shifts such as sports events or concerts, and the shifts will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. But it is important to ensure that the considered volunteer management apps provide these options.

3. Volunteer Availability

Another challenge in volunteer scheduling is ensuring that volunteers are available when needed. This can be particularly difficult when volunteers have other commitments, such as work or family responsibilities.

Organisations may need to be flexible and offer a range of scheduling options to accommodate different availability, such as offering different shifts or allowing volunteers to sign up for the times that work best for them. It's also important to plan ahead and communicate scheduling needs well in advance to give volunteers enough time to make arrangements.

Using a good volunteer management tool can mitigate this problem as volunteers can set their availabilities or call in sick within the volunteer management system. This will reduce no-shows and uncertainties around availability when dealing with volunteer scheduling.

4. Communication

Effective communication is key to successful volunteer scheduling. Organisations need to ensure that volunteers are aware of scheduling changes and that everyone is on the same page. When managing volunteers, back-and-forth calls or manually sent SMS can be very time-consuming and exhausting.

A good volunteer management software solution will allow managers to automate communication via SMS text reminders, email reminders and in-app notifications. This provides massive savings and ensures that relevant personnel will be informed about all volunteer opportunities as well as provided with updates and reminders about shifts.

5. Matching Volunteer Skills and Interests

When you schedule volunteers, matching their skills and interests to the project needs is extremely important to maintain their future engagement. This requires careful planning but can help ensure that volunteers are engaged and motivated.

A dedicated volunteer management software platform can provide filters based on qualifications, locations and interests when scheduling volunteers to their most preferred and appropriate positions.

6. Ensuring Compliance and Avoiding Burnout

While volunteers are not considered employees, it is important to ensure fair labour practices and comply with child labour laws and safety regulations. Volunteers also need to be guaranteed protection from harassment while providing them with adequate training, tools and supervision.

Volunteers may also become burnt out if they are scheduled too often or for long hours. It's important to balance volunteer commitments and ensure that volunteers are not overworked. Volunteer management software allows you to schedule volunteers to manage their workload while providing training materials such as handbooks and keeping track of any assets they may need to use.

How to Solve These Challenges with PARiM Software?

PARiM is an ideal risk-free volunteer management software solution for overcoming all the challenges described above. It provides volunteer management tools to store data, schedule volunteers, automate communication, ensure compliance, track hours and provide advanced reporting.

Build a Large Volunteer Database

After recruiting volunteers, managers can create volunteer profiles in PARiM environment. This can be done risk-free, as PARiM offers no per-user pricing model, enabling you to have an ever-increasing database of volunteers. Compared to other volunteer management software providers, this is an affordable option that can save money.

Set Volunteer Positions and Qualifications

Most projects and events usually require volunteers to fill different positions, some of which may need specific qualifications, such as providing first aid. PARiM enables you to schedule volunteers to their preferred positions.

Each volunteer profile can have as many custom positions and qualifications as needed. You can also upload certifications and documents to profiles to confirm any training. Additionally, you can add language proficiencies, education and health background.

Have Volunteers Set Their Availabilities

Once you have finished volunteer recruitment, volunteer personnel should download PARiM app from Google Play Store or App Store. After logging in, they are provided with the staff view. This acts as the volunteer portal where users can set their availabilities.

Each user can then set their availabilities so that they will not be bombarded with irrelevant volunteer opportunities that they are unable to accept. When creating new shifts, volunteer managers can invite applications from only the available personnel.

Create Open Shifts and Invite Volunteers to Apply

After compiling a database of volunteers, providing them with PARiM app and having them set their availabilities, scheduling volunteers is the easiest part. When creating a new open shift, set the shift time, location and position. New open shifts will appear automatically as in-app notifications on your volunteers' mobile devices. Additionally, these can be sent out as SMS or emails.

Volunteers can then apply for open shifts. When confirming a volunteer to a shift, managers can decide on the proximity to reduce any no-show risks related to commuting. Qualifications can be another aspect of this decision-making as well as other information, even gender, when staffing women-only spaces.

Ensure Compliance

PARiM gives you the tools for overcoming any compliance-related challenges. Working hours can easily be tracked to ensure that every volunteer's work remains within a reasonable schedule.

To provide clear instructions, each shift can be updated with comments while adding specific jobs that must be done within a certain timeframe. Additionally, all learning materials and handbooks can be provided to volunteers from PARiM volunteer management software.

Try PARiM Volunteer Scheduling Software for Free

Test out PARiM for a free 14-day trial period with no credit card needed. To get going even smoother, book a free demo to have our experts guide you through the features that will benefit your organisation the most.

6 Challenges Volunteer Scheduling Software Will Solve