Individuals wishing to apply to volunteer to help homeless people at Crisis’ busiest time of the year can now do so online through the Crisis at Christmas Volunteer Community, which has launched at christmas.crisis.org.uk.
Developed by web-enabled technology specialist Totally Communications, the Community will automate the application and volunteer management process for over 8,000 people giving up their time across the UK, leading up to and during the festive period.
Every December, volunteers covering over 100 different roles will work with 3,000 people at nine local centres and one operations centre during Crisis at Christmas. In June of this year, Crisis selected Totally Communications to develop a web-based application that will completely automate the current time-consuming administration and paperwork. Through the Community, prospective and existing volunteers can apply for roles, view their shifts and request changes as well as communicate with other volunteers. Crisis centres benefit from full attendance monitoring and access to operational data in real-time.
“The Crisis at Christmas Volunteer management system introduces efficiencies by leveraging the power of the Internet to engage, manage and schedule volunteers in 80 different roles over multiple locations” comments Andy Margolis, Managing Director of Totally Communications. “By empowering volunteers to manage their own experience, and offering an online community to enhance this experience we expect reduce the number of volunteers who do not fulfil their commitments as well as boost the volunteer return rate year on year.”
“Totally Communications delivered an extensive project under extreme time constraints; experiencing first-hand Totally Communication’s Agile Methodology was enlightening and was critical in ensuring the project was delivered on time, on brief and within budget,” comments Ashley Bladon, Project Manager and IT & Systems Coordinator for Crisis at Christmas.
“Crisis at Christmas has provided vital services for homeless people for 40 years. Whilst we celebrate the lives changed we need volunteers more than ever to end homelessness for good. We have already had a tremendously warm reception to the Community internally and can’t wait to start seeing it buzzing with activity and enthusiasm,” he continues. “The application delivers so much value in that we can be confident that all the previously laborious processes are being automated and we can concentrate on what we do best – delivering Christmas.”
The Crisis at Christmas Volunteer Community is available from today and is taking applications at christmas.crisis.org.uk.
Totally Communications is a full service digital marketing company and developer of bespoke software that maximises the power of the web to drive efficiencies for business and the third sector. Established in 2002 and owned by the publicly traded parent company Totally Plc (TLY:LN), the company is strategically based just outside of the City and West end of London.
Totally Communications offers web-enabled bespoke software development, systems integration and consultancy as well as search marketing services via its Rise Digital brand.
Specialising in LAMP based open source technology, Totally Communications has created over 120 bespoke software packages/tools/websites for its customers; from simple databases to extremely powerful, web-enabled, business critical work-flow applications. The company is also expert in the consolidation and integration of front and back office systems, using the power of the web to drive efficiencies in data, workflow, change management and disaster/recovery planning.
Totally Communications is headed up by a team of highly qualified system architects, software developers and online marketing experts. The company delivers a full service to its customers, from consultancy and development, to the successful execution of web-based software and services. Its customer base covers a very diverse range of markets and sizes, ranging from large corporate companies and individuals, to the charity and non-profit sector.
