Features to support recruitment, communication and scheduling

Before VolunteerLocal, OFOAMs Volunteer Coordinator relied on back and forth emails, phone calls and handwritten spreadsheets to organize volunteers for the annual Ogden Music Festival (weekend after Memorial Day). Also before VolunteerLocal, our volunteers didn't have as much choice about where and when their shifts were and the communication they received about their shifts was sometimes confusing. We had an unhappy Volunteer Coordinator and unhappy volunteers! When our Volunteer Coordinator quit this year (no surprise), with no replacement in the wings, we thought we'd be lost without her. We spoke with other local non-profits about our dilemma and the GOAL Foundation highly recommended your service. In desperation, I signed us up for the free version and began creating jobs and shifts. I found the set up to be very user friendly and our friends at GOAL helped me with some of the finer points along the way. Our biggest challenge was getting our volunteers to use the online sign up, since they had been used to the old way of doing business. Since VolunteerLocal, our communication with volunteers has been clearer, the job descriptions helped them know what to expect and the confirmation email gave them their schedule without me having to lift a finger! Happy (but still looking for a replacement) "Volunteer Coordinator" and happy volunteers... thanks VolunteerLocal!
- Reba Nissen, Director, Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music (OFOAM)

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