BMMC volunteering

[Shelagh]

Gosh, I'm "almost" glad that we won't have to wander through this for 2015. As I am so untechnical that even Googling never seems to work then I would be completely lost!

We used to get the forms with days and dates from various clubs, put them all on a sheet of (remember it?) paper and then decide which ones to do if there were options. It also involved a pen for crossing out/ticking and then pen was recycled to complete the forms. Mind you, it also involved writing on the calendar and using old-fashioned postage stamps. But you also knew where to book hotels or B&B for and could see at a glance where you were going to be next weekend.

Those were the days!

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by Mark Noble

This worked very well in the NW last year. It's only January, so there will still be bits and pieces to sort before mid March.

This has been created and maintained by volunteer marshals, who have put a lot of time and effort in to its launch, so a big thanks goes to them.

Originally Posted by deley

I believe an external company were paid for the system.

Nothing to suggest that in the code. But of course, unless we have coders as marshals (why not? We have everything else ) then some coders would have been brought in to tweek things.

Once the hiccoughs are ironed out, it'll be a good, reliable system. Last year's NW trial worked very well.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by deley

I believe an external company were paid for the system.

I think not! Why pay outsiders when you've got members with the expertise to do the job?

[Eric Ridler]

Just to correct any misconceptions, the volunteering system was developed for the BMMC North region by GreyPixel Design assisted by John Roberts and Allan Farrimond of North Region.

Early last year BMMC council tasked Greypixel with creating a new national database, volunteering database and a new website design. Also within this project was to be incorporated a new email distribution system.

Despite some teething problems the majority of the project is up and running with only the website waiting for completion. The whole system is linked together hence the need for members to register on the system which allows them to update their personal information and the club to keep in touch.

Like all new projects there will be a period of bedding in until things settle down and we hope you will bear with us. Your comments and suggestions will be taken on board to allow any necessary tweeks. If you have any constructive comments or ideas please contact John Roberts who has been tasked with managing the volunteering database. Nat.VolDev@marshals.co.uk

Eric Ridler
BMMC Webmaster

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

I think not! Why pay outsiders when you've got members with the expertise to do the job?

I was wrong. . . nothing new there!

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

I was wrong. . . nothing new there!

No. No. No. Never be wrong. Use the scientific justification - "In the light of new evidence I have revised my opinion."

[John_R]

HI All,

I've recently been told that this thread is running on here. To be honest I don't often visit but will try to be more active ......promise..!!

Reading through what has been written it does seem as if the feedback is generally good so thank you for this. The purpose of the online volunteering system is to make the roles involved in organising motorsport events easier for all, marshals, competition secretaries and event chief marshals. Last year it was a standalone system piloted in the North region, this year the system has been extended to cover all regions and a membership database has been created and the two tied together. Yes there have been issues created due to this but we will work to iron these out over the season.

To try to deal with some of the points raised in no particular order.

Marshals
The roles you can volunteer for are based on you grade currently held in the system. I had overlooked a flag marshal volunteering as Trainee IO, this has been rectified 'as if by magic' . If you find you cannot volunteer for an event in your chosen role this indicates that your grade within the membership database is incorrect. You should contact your regional membership secretary to have this checked before volunteering.
Once you have volunteered for an event you will see the role volunteered for beside each event, if you need to cancel there is a button to do this, if it after the event has closed then you will need to contact the chief marshal directly.

Competition secretaries
Their role in the system is to enter the event and add information as it becomes available. there are various fields and drop down lists for them to use to simplify the process, they should enter as much information as is available at the outset and add to it if more information becomes available. There is the facility to add documents to the system for example sign on instructions, event timetables etc. As marshals volunteer the volunteers are collated and saved. If a marshal is unable to volunteer using the online system they can still contact the competition secretary or BMMC registered chief marshal and they are able to add the name to the list prioviding the marshal is a BMMC member.
This removes the need for anyone to manually collate all of the BMMC volunteers.

Chief Marshals
If they are a BMMC member, they are available to be selected as the chief marshal by the competition secretary when each event is created, if the information is unavailable to begin with this can be added later. When achief marshal logs in to the system they will see their role as Chief Marshal selected already. They have access to the list of volunteers at any time they wish to check, there is a registrations button available to both them and the competition secretary. They also have the ability to download the list of names, download a mailing list, download address lables, and download pre prepared signing on sheets in both name order and duty order (separate page for each duty)
For none BMMC member Chief Marshal they do not have access to the system unfortunately at the moment, agreed this is a potential but the brief for the system was that it is for BMMC members. I will discuss this with Chris soon to see if we can invent a workaround.
Of course one of my problems is I do not know who all of the chief marshals are for each club and if they are BMMC members or not.

One of the problems I can see straight away is that in many cases the chief marshal has not been named on a lot of the events, I will get in touch with the competition secretaries and ask them to fill in this information if possible.
Peter, if you take a look at the 750 MC event at Donington on the 29th March for example you should have access to the full information.

Futher expansions to the system do include different types of events, for example Hillclimb, rally but as these have different roles and grades we will need to wait until it is possible to put these into the system. There is nothing to stop them technically going in now but the roles available will be based on circuit roles and grades, not ideal at the moment but this is being worked on.
Looking at increasing the roles available for events is also something we would like to add but at present we have to base them on the MSA grades available, specific duties are often performed by some for example fire tender, rescue, radio controller, etc but as there is no specific MSA grade for this this is difficult to achieve.

I will check on here from time to time and try to answer any specific questions or please feel free to email me.

Regards,

John.

[John_R]

Back again......

Slight mistake in the instruction if you suspect your grade may be incorrect...

Please contact your regional GRADING OFFICER rather than your membership secretary. They should have the ability to check to see what is wrong and forward the details to the national grading officer to be corrected.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by numbersix

No. No. No. Never be wrong. Use the scientific justification - "In the light of new evidence I have revised my opinion."

Au contraire. . . "I was wrong" lulls the opposition into a false sense of security!

[deley]

Thanks John. This is the most useful and comprehensive information I have seen regarding the system and how it was intended to work.

I would just say that unless the volunteering information can sensibly and practically be accessed and used by CMs in a timely manner then the value of the system is somewhat diminished. After all there is little point in making volunteering better for marshals if doing so makes the CMs job harder by not receiving volunteer details in a timely manner. CMs should have been seen as stakeholders in the design of the system particularly as they are the primary recipients of the system output.

I would hope that the interaction with, and flow of information to, CMs will be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Dave

[Greem]

I've now worked out why I was having a problem with SSL certificates (and am happy to correct this here).

The initial email I received sent me to http://volunteering.marshals.co.uk (which works but is a plain old non-encrypted connection)

The site link on the BMMC website is https://www.marshals.co.uk/volunteering

Now I'm in the right place I'm a bit more comfortable.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by John_R

HI All,

I've recently been told that this thread is running on here. To be honest I don't often visit but will try to be more active ......promise..!!

Thank you for visiting, a very comprehensive and useful reply, shows again how well thought out this has been.

Futher expansions to the system do include different types of events, for example Hillclimb, rally but as these have different roles and grades we will need to wait until it is possible to put these into the system.

That tends not to be so important on hillclimbs as with fewer posts and a lot of regulars jobs get allocated on the day. Certainly for the three Midland hills it's merely a case of adding the dates, with the volunteers' data going back to the clubs.

[Mark Mitchell]

The advice. I have received from the BMMC today is that if you can't volunteer on the new system, due to your grade not appearing, then volunteer directly to the organising club!

[JimW]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

The advice. I have received from the BMMC today is that if you can't volunteer on the new system, due to your grade not appearing, then volunteer directly to the organising club!

A sensible interim measure which needs to be backed up by letting the Club know of the issue.

Jim

[deley]

Seems like the direct to clubs route still has a lot going for it

[numbersix]

Like Mark (I assume) I can't get my correct grades to appear. I have informed numerous people, and in the interim I will go direct to the clubs involved using the Chief Marshal information within the event information, which is very useful.

I think the mice have taken some bytes out of MySQuirreL, he said, casually demonstrating his unique comprehension of all things technical...

[Nadine J Lewis]

Originally Posted by deley

and as if by magic..... the option now appears

I have always been good at magic

There are a few issues with how grades are linked to members but it is being worked on

Access for Chief Marshals is also being looked at - however Regional Comp Secs can download latest volunteer lists and send to Chief Marshals on request - I believe this us how Donington ES have requested for example

[Mark Mitchell]

Why is Knockhill not featured?

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

Why is Knockhill not featured?

Because nobody from NE Region has input any data? A quick check shows Croft & Cadwell are also not listed (unless I've somehow missed them!).

Look on it as a work in progress!

[Pete Howarth]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

Because nobody from NE Region has input any data? A quick check shows Croft & Cadwell are also not listed (unless I've somehow missed them!).

Look on it as a work in progress!

NE region has only just appointed a replacement Comp Sec. give him time to settle in.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Pete Howarth

NE region has only just appointed a replacement Comp Sec. give him time to settle in.

I hope my post didn't come across as critical - like I said, a work in progress!

[deley]

The reminder email a week before the event is a great idea......... Sending the same email every hour is not

[deley]

Originally Posted by deley

The reminder email a week before the event is a great idea......... Sending the same email every hour is not

First one 00.00, last (it would appear) one 11.00
For those that resolved this, thanks
For those who caused the issue that needed a resolution .... Must try harder

[Mark Mitchell]

I changed region last week and emailed my regional grading person about not being able to volunteer as a PC. One day later, it's fixed!

[Mark Noble]

Originally Posted by deley

First one 00.00, last (it would appear) one 11.00
For those that resolved this, thanks
For those who caused the issue that needed a resolution .... Must try harder

I'm sure nobody caused this, for the umpteenth time there will be teething problems, they are being ironed out as we speak.

The system works well, will continue to improve, and be a fab tool for all concerned. Relax ��

As mentioned before, contact the relevant people directly to suitably express concerns. That will be helpful