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The volunteer management system allows programs to define volunteer opportunities, collect signups from interested individuals, and coordinate volunteer activities during events. It handles both the volunteer-facing signup process and administrative management.

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Volunteer System Overview

The volunteer system uses a request-and-offer model:
  • Volunteer Requests: Administrators create timeslots with volunteer needs
  • Volunteer Offers: Individuals sign up for specific timeslots
  • Volunteer Management: Administrators track and coordinate signups
Volunteers can participate without requiring a pre-existing account, making signup accessible to community members.

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Volunteer Registration Workflow

1

Create Volunteer Timeslots

Administrators define when volunteers are needed:Access: /manage/[program]/[instance]/volunteeringCreate Request Process:
  • Click to add a new volunteer shift
  • Fill out the shift form:
    • Select or create a timeslot
    • Set number of volunteers needed
    • Add shift description
  • Submit to create the request
  • Repeat for all volunteer needs
Timeslot Properties:
  • Start and end time
  • Event type: “Volunteer”
  • Description (e.g., “Registration desk”, “Class monitor”)
  • Can span multiple hours or be short shifts
Managing Requests:
  • Edit existing volunteer requests
  • Delete shifts if no longer needed
  • View number of signups per shift
  • See who has volunteered for each slot
2

Import Shifts from Previous Programs

Save time by reusing volunteer schedules:Import Process:
  • Click “Import shifts from another program”
  • Select the previous program
  • Choose start date for the new program
  • Preview the shifts with adjusted dates
  • Select which shifts to import
  • Confirm import
What Gets Imported:
  • Timeslot times (adjusted by date difference)
  • Number of volunteers needed per shift
  • Shift descriptions
  • Event types
Automatic Adjustments:
  • Calculates time difference between programs
  • Shifts dates and times accordingly
  • Preserves duration and time-of-day
  • Creates new timeslots (doesn’t duplicate existing ones)
3

Volunteers Sign Up

Individuals register to volunteer:Access: /volunteer/[program]/[instance]/signupSignup Form:
  • Name, email, and phone number
  • Select available timeslots (checkboxes)
  • Optional comments
  • Submit to create volunteer offers
Account Creation:
  • If user is not logged in, an account is created automatically
  • Account uses provided email and contact information
  • User can log in later to manage signups
  • Logged-in users use their existing account
Pre-filling Information:
  • Logged-in users have form pre-filled with their profile data
  • Can update contact information if needed
  • Previous volunteer information is remembered
Authentication:
  • By default, no login required (accessible to public)
  • Can require authentication via volunteer_require_auth tag
  • Balance accessibility with data security needs
4

View Volunteer Signups

Administrators review who has volunteered:Management Interface: /manage/[program]/[instance]/volunteeringInformation Displayed:
  • List of all volunteer requests/shifts
  • Number of volunteers signed up for each
  • Volunteer details (name, phone, email)
  • Comments from volunteers
  • Current vs. needed volunteer counts
Color Coding (if implemented):
  • Green: Fully staffed shifts
  • Yellow: Partially staffed
  • Red: Understaffed shifts
5

Export Volunteer Data

Download volunteer information for offline use:Access: /manage/[program]/[instance]/volunteering/csvCSV Export Includes:
  • Activity/shift name
  • Time of shift
  • Volunteer name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Volunteer comments
Uses for Export:
  • Print volunteer schedules
  • Contact volunteers about changes
  • Coordinate day-of assignments
  • Track volunteer participation
  • Import into other systems
6

Check Individual Volunteer Schedules

View and edit specific volunteer commitments:Access: /manage/[program]/[instance]/check_volunteer?user=[id]Admin View:
  • See all shifts a volunteer has signed up for
  • Add volunteer to additional shifts
  • Remove volunteer from shifts
  • Update volunteer contact information
Volunteer View: /volunteer/[program]/[instance]/volunteerschedule
  • Volunteers can view their own schedule
  • Print their volunteer commitments
  • See shift details and times
  • Get reminders of when to arrive

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Volunteer Time Grouping

Timeslots can be displayed grouped or ungrouped: Ungrouped Display (default):
  • All timeslots shown in chronological order
  • Simple list view
  • One checkbox per timeslot
Grouped Display:
  • Enabled via availability_group_timeslots tag
  • Contiguous blocks shown together
  • Uses prog.getTimeGroups(types=["Volunteer"])
  • Helps volunteers understand shift structure
  • Useful for programs with many short timeslots

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Volunteer Categories

The system tracks different volunteer groups:

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All Volunteers

  • Query: volunteer_all
  • Everyone who has signed up for any shift
  • Used for mass communications

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Shift-Specific Volunteers

  • Query: volunteer_[request_id]
  • Volunteers for a particular shift/request
  • Targeted communications by activity
  • Example: volunteer_42 for request ID 42

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Querying Volunteers

Programmatic access via volunteers() method: 
vol_dict = program.volunteers()
vol_dict['volunteer_all']  # All volunteers
vol_dict['volunteer_42']   # Specific shift
Returns Q objects or user querysets depending on QObject parameter.

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Communication with Volunteers

Use the Communications Panel to contact volunteers: Recipient Lists:
  • “All volunteers for [program]”
  • “Volunteers for [specific shift]”
  • Individual volunteers
Message Types:
  • Confirmation emails after signup
  • Reminders before program
  • Day-of instructions and updates
  • Thank you messages after program
  • Schedule changes or cancellations

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Volunteer Schedule Printables

Volunteers can print their personal schedules: Template: Uses ProgramPrintables module template Location: volunteerschedule.html Information Included:
  • Volunteer name
  • All committed shifts
  • Shift times and descriptions
  • Where to report
  • Contact information for questions
Sorting: Shifts sorted by start time for easy reference

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Managing Volunteer Requests

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Creating Requests

Each volunteer request specifies:
  • Associated timeslot (when volunteers are needed)
  • Number of volunteers needed
  • Activity/role description

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Editing Requests

To edit:
  1. Click “Edit” next to the shift
  2. Form pre-fills with current values
  3. Modify fields as needed
  4. Submit to save changes
Editing affects:
  • Display to new volunteers
  • Does not modify existing offers
  • Updates volunteer counts needed

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Deleting Requests

To delete:
  1. Click “Delete” next to the shift
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Request and associated offers are removed
Warning: Deleting removes all volunteer signups for that shift

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Volunteer Data Model

Key database objects:

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VolunteerRequest

  • Links to Program
  • Links to Timeslot (Event)
  • Number of volunteers needed
  • Created by administrators

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VolunteerOffer

  • Links to VolunteerRequest
  • Links to User (volunteer)
  • Contact information (name, email, phone)
  • Comments from volunteer
  • Created when volunteers sign up

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Relationships

  • One request can have many offers
  • One volunteer (user) can make many offers
  • Offers are specific to program and timeslot

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Best Practices

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Planning

  • Identify needs early: Determine all volunteer roles before signup opens
  • Realistic numbers: Request slightly more volunteers than minimum needed
  • Clear descriptions: Make shift descriptions specific and informative
  • Reasonable lengths: Keep shifts to 2-4 hours when possible
  • Breaks: Schedule overlapping shifts to allow volunteer breaks

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Setup

  • Import from past: Save time by importing previous program schedules
  • Test signup: Verify the signup form works before publicizing
  • Set deadline: Use volunteer signup deadline to close registration
  • Backup plan: Have contingency for understaffed shifts

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Recruitment

  • Promote early: Advertise volunteer opportunities well in advance
  • Multiple channels: Use email, social media, and community partners
  • Clear benefits: Explain what volunteers gain from participating
  • Low barrier: Keep signup process simple and quick
  • Recognition: Plan to thank and recognize volunteers

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During Program

  • Print schedules: Have volunteer assignments printed and posted
  • Check-in system: Track which volunteers have arrived
  • Flexibility: Be ready to reassign volunteers as needs change
  • Supervision: Assign volunteer coordinators for each area
  • Support: Provide volunteers with breaks, food, and guidance

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After Program

  • Thank volunteers: Send appreciation emails promptly
  • Gather feedback: Survey volunteers about their experience
  • Document: Note what worked well for next time
  • Maintain relationships: Keep volunteers engaged for future programs

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Common Volunteer Roles

Typical volunteer positions at ESP programs:
  • Registration desk: Check in students and distribute materials
  • Class monitors: Support teachers and manage classroom logistics
  • Floaters: Fill in where needed and handle unexpected issues
  • Food service: Distribute meals and manage dining areas
  • Setup/cleanup: Prepare facilities before and after program
  • Information desk: Answer questions and provide directions
  • Activities: Run games, social events, or walk-in activities

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Volunteer Permissions

Volunteers may be granted special access:
  • View class rosters
  • Take attendance
  • Access onsite tools
  • Communicate with participants
Configure via user permissions and tags as needed.

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Integration with Other Modules

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Onsite Module

  • Volunteer check-in tracking
  • Real-time volunteer coordination
  • Access to schedules and assignments

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Communications Panel

  • Send targeted messages to volunteer groups
  • Automated confirmation emails
  • Schedule reminders

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User Management

  • Volunteer accounts created automatically
  • Volunteers can access their schedules
  • Reusable accounts for future programs

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Troubleshooting

Volunteers can’t sign up:
  • Check if volunteer signup deadline is open
  • Verify volunteer requests exist
  • Confirm signup link is correct
  • Test with and without login
Imported shifts have wrong times:
  • Verify start date is correct
  • Check timezone settings
  • Review timeslot event types
  • Import creates new events, check for duplicates
Export doesn’t include all volunteers:
  • Export includes all offers, not just confirmed
  • Check if offers were created successfully
  • Verify program association
Volunteer schedule is blank:
  • Ensure ProgramPrintables module is enabled
  • Check that user has volunteer offers
  • Verify template exists

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