This month I wanted to share the experience of James, one of our volunteers who has supported us setting up a customer relationship management system. We really appreciate James’ expertise in this area and he has built a bespoke system for us which allows us to track and use information in a smart way.
Here’s more in James’ words:
Why did you want to volunteer at Signal?
Due to health reasons, I had multiple periods of unemployment and gaps in my CV. My confidence had deteriorated and I was anxious about returning to full time employment as I did not want to “fail” and end up back in the same situation, yet again. I thought that volunteering would be a good opportunity for me to utilise my skills and experience without the pressure and commitment of a full time role, especially working with new colleagues and the dreaded fear of open plan offices and small talk over the water cooler. I felt that it would be a good opportunity for me to give something back to the community and hopefully make a positive difference in the process. Having researched the charity, I value what Signal stands for and the work that they do to help and support people in the community.
What are the tasks you have been involved in?
Initially, I was involved in researching health services in the Shropshire area, collecting and compiling data to support the Hearing Loop audit. I then got involved in supporting the implementation of Salesforce which has involved cleansing and migrating data from multiple sources to the new CRM.
How have you found the role you have undertaken at Signal?
Amazing! I have really enjoyed my interactions with the team as everyone has been super-friendly, supportive and welcoming of any ideas and suggestions. It has been a fantastic opportunity to get my teeth into something that is varied, challenging and rewarding. There is always plenty of opportunity to get involved with new tasks.
What have you got out of volunteering at Signal?
So very much! It has given me more faith in myself and my abilities. I have gained exposure Salesforce CRM and it has inspired me to want to work for a charity/not-for-profit organisation in the future. Having come from a private sector background, I now feel that it is much more rewarding to be part of a worthy cause. I am a volunteer convert and completely committed to continuing giving my time for as long as I can.
Thanks James - we absolutely love working with you!