Client: The Norfolk Reading Project, a volunteer organisation that places volunteers in schools to help children with reading
Project type: Custom CRM to manage volunteers, from sign-up through to placement
Timeline: Around five months, including planning and meetings
Tech used: Custom application built on Laravel
Key result: Nearing 700 volunteers and 200 schools registered on the system since launch
Challenge
The Norfolk Reading Project ran on a spreadsheet and emails. Nothing was shared between the team, and it became hard to know which volunteers were still active, where they were placed, or whether someone had joined or left. Important details were easy to lose track of.
Theplan
This was a single build rather than a phased rollout. Since launch last year, we've kept developing it based on feedback from the people using it day to day.
Theproduct
Volunteers can register and book onto training courses through the system. From there, it manages onboarding, including references and DBS checks, right through to placing someone in a school.
Schools can request volunteers and leave feedback through the same system. Each year, volunteers and schools also get an automatic reminder to check their profile is still correct and up to date.
Results
Since launch nearly 700 volunteers have been onboarded onto the system and placed into nearly 200 schools.
Plus, it has recorded over 200 individual pieces of feedback that really help shape the future of the charity.
Keeping track of our volunteers was a job in itself, juggling spreadsheets and emails. Now everything happens in one place and it's freed up so much of our time to focus on getting more volunteers into more schools. We've been able to grow in a way that just wasn't possible before.
Anne Thorley, Co-founder, The Norfolk Reading Project
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If you'd like a CRM to manage your organisation or business, projects like this typically start from £20,000 to £30,000. You'll get a dedicated project manager, plain-English updates, and no confusing lock-in contracts. Find out more about how we approach custom web development.
Call Mark Ellaway on 01603 513080 or email mark@bigfork.co.uk to discuss your project.
Keeping track of our volunteers was a job in itself, juggling spreadsheets and emails. Now everything happens in one place and it's freed up so much of our time to focus on getting more volunteers into more schools. We've been able to grow in a way that just wasn't possible before.Anne Thorley, Co-founder, The Norfolk Reading Project
