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Managing IT Volunteers
Mark Walker, SCIP
ICT Champion for the South East
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Managing IT Volunteers
• Where to find them
• Which projects are appropriate?
• Which ones aren’t
• Where to get help
• Working with groups
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Today’s Programme
• Where You Are Now
• How IT Projects Work
• The Right Project
• Recruiting IT Volunteers
• Where to Get Help
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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?
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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
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About You
• In pairs
• Name, organisation, role
• Your experience with IT Volunteers
• Two questions you want to answer today
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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?
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Volunteers are rarely 'free’
• Staff Time
• Management
• Training
• Sustainability
• Associated costs e.g. hardware, web hosting, software
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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
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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’
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but there can be cons…
• Mismanaged
• Misintentioned
• Mismatched expectations
• Poor risk management
• No project management support
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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
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Getting IT Projects Right
• Preparation – Permission– Buy in– Resources– Expertise– Leadership
• A Brief– Define the problem
• Project Management Issues– Timescale– Scope – Budget
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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
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LUNCH
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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
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Web Site Brief Can Include
• Audience• Objectives/Targets• Timetable• Milestones• Budget• Roles
• Research• Statistics• User Testing• Content
Management• Site Structure
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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
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www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/websitebrief
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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
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Possible Problems
• Volunteers enthusiastic but unskilled
• Time commitments of volunteers
• Unsuitable solution
• Inappropriate implementation
• Culture/communication complications
• They leave - the knowledge leaves
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Suitable for a Volunteer?
• Volunteer qualified and experienced
• Project well managed, by organisation and volunteer
• Volunteer well-supported
• Teamwork
• Buy-in
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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
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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
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.“
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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!”
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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.”
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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
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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
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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
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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
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www.it4c.org.uk
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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!
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Where to get help
• www.it4c.org.uk
• www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk
• www.ictchampions.org.uk
• Mark Walker