Update December 2024

The latest update to Volunteer Plus offers some improvements to the user experience and some additional features, in particular the inclusion of the Camapigns module. It also strives to improve the Volunteer Journey. The changes are summarised below:

New, improved user interface

The first thing Volunteer Plus users will notice is a new interface.  A new colour scheme (not the Menu colour bar) and the font has changed.  Not just a change for change’s sake but to remind users they are in the new version as some aspects of the system will operate slightly differently.

Throughout Volunteer Plus we have also implemented new and improved tools, such as date pickers.

Some aspects of Volunteer Plus, such as the Settings, now have a different look and feel - meaning they are now even easier to use.

Two Factor Authentication

For your security and security of your data, two factor authentication (2FA) is now a mandatory part of your login sequence.

When logging in, an email will be sent to you with an authentication code for you to enter.  This will allow access to your system throughout your session.

You also have the option to add your phone number to receive your code on your phone.  This is recommended as the most secure option and, for most people, the most convenient. Go to 'Your Profile' from the More menu.

Campaigns - ability to design and send newsletter style emails to volunteers and organisations

A few Volunteer Plus installations had a ‘Campaigns’ option. You can now design and send newsleter emails directly from Volunteer Plus. It is also an enhanced module compared with that previously offered.  For those also using AideCRM, the Volunteer Plus module now replicates that in AideCRM.

Campaigns allows users to create lists of Volunteers or Organisations for bulk emailing by passing a filtered list to a Campaign List, create a designed email and send this to the Campaign List.

There is a series of articles in the Volunteer Plus Knowledge Base to explain the whole process.

Advertisement of opportunities on Get Volunteering

Volunteer Plus now automatically links to Get Volunteering, PipeMedia’s platform for extending the advertising of volunteering opportunities, nationwide. Now all of your opportunities will receive greater expose on the Get Volunteering website.

In case a potential volunteer does not find your Volunteer Centre when looking to volunteer, Get Volunteering, with thousands of opportunities from all our Volunteer Centres, is most easily found online.  They can then find local opportunities and be directed straight to you.

The Get Volunteering website operates as a directory - meaning that once a volunteer has found an opportunity they are interested in - they are directed to your local Volunteer Centre website to register and enquire for the role.

Mobile app for volunteers (Get Volunteering)

Volunteers can download the Get Volunteering app and search for volunteering opportunities on their smart phones, and of course make an enquiry about the opportunity straight from the app.  These are then directed to you.

Mobile push notifications to volunteers

Within the app, Volunteers are able to set notifications so they receive relevant opportunities directly to their phone.

Google Jobs integration

When someone searches for a volunteering role on Google a listing known as "Google Jobs" will sometimes be shown. Now Get Volunteering is integrated with this function, so your opportunities can appear in this Google listing - providing greater visibility to get an even better chance of being seen and taken up.