Impact reporting
“One of the challenges is to capture all the good stuff that’s happening" she says. "You can put the processes in place, have platforms like Digital Unite, remind them on a weekly basis but .. for whatever reason, people forget.”
It’s tricky because volunteers are often busy and for a Champion, recording what they’ve done might seem like the least important part of the job. But for an organisation that wants to understand impact, it’s crucial.
(At Digital Unite, we've worked with Digital Kent to modify the way their Champions record data and we’ll monitor what effect it has. Here's more about customising the Champions Record).
Volunteers' recruitment/ management
Kent has a great record of retaining Champions, but ongoing recruitment is another common challenge, especially for big projects and for ones that cover rural areas, where there are more barriers to volunteering (like transport links). It helps that as the project matures, there’s more ongoing activity that people can see and get involved in. Kent are using their 44 Digital Hubs not just as a place to spread skills but also to recruit new Champions.
And they’re making sure that they provide lots of support and opportunities for networking and learning, whether that’s regular open-door get-togethers or extra training on things like the NHS App or supporting vulnerable residents.
