Supporting The Future Melting Pot

Please find details of two new projects with The Future Melting Pot. 

The Future Melting Pot

Project summary (1):

Project: Transforming Communities: Statistical exploration of disadvantaged communities in the local area with the aim of developing strategies to address challenges.

Time commitment: max. 3 days

Location: All work can be carried out remotely

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Monday 27^th March.

Project summary (2):

Project: Transforming Futures Making People. To aid the organisation to:

1.      Develop strategy and operational improvements

2.      Improve methods of working with multiple stakeholders

Time commitment: approx. 5 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Birmingham

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Monday 27^th March.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

To improve the lives of marginalized young people (16-24 year olds) and communities.

Main activities of the organisation: 

We develop and deliver evidence-based research, involving young people to design targeted programs.

We facilitate the collaboration between organisations, providing a platform that ensures their efficient use of resources to maximize the social impact.

We align with partners delivering public services to achieve their strategic priorities.

We help the private sector organisations to make an impact by helping them to deliver Corporate Social Responsibility strategies and to engage with the wider community.

If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  Lastly if you would like to work on a project as part of a pair or with the support of a mentor please indicate on your application and we try to facilitate this. 

I look forward to hearing from you and once again thank you for your help and support.

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

Pro Bono project- Sustainability through management transformation

Please find details of a new project below with Brandon Trust.  I have provided a brief summary and then attached a detailed project scope.  

Brandon Trust

Project summary:

Project: Sustainability through management transformation – Helping Brandon Trust design a lean, efficient, fit-for-purpose management structure to lead and deliver vital services in the context of falling social care budgets.

Time commitment: approx. 5 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Bristol

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 23^rd March.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Brandon Trust exists to improve lifestyles, opportunities and to deliver greater independence for people with learning disabilities. The Trust’s central focus is on places to live, life skills, jobs and educational opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities. 

Main activities of the organisation: 

Residential homes/supported living, residential nursing and care homes, enterprises, outreach services, employment services, day center’s supporting children

If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  Lastly if you would like to work on a project as part of a pair or with the support of a mentor please indicate on your application and we try to facilitate this. 

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

New projects requiring volunteers with #ProBonoOR

Please find details of a new project below with Hestia, plus several other projects we are also recruiting volunteers for.  

Hestia

Project summary:

Project: The Hestia Approach Performance & Impact Framework - To create a performance and impact framework to measure the impact of the Hestia Approach transformation project within the organisation and upon strategic objectives

Time commitment: approx. 10 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: London

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 28th February.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Our mission is to deliver high quality and empowering housing, support, protection and care services in partnership with service users and local communities.

Main activities of the organisation: 

We support people fleeing domestic abuse, people who have been trafficked, people with mental health, older people, young people, ex offenders, people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Delivering support via accommodation based, outreach, community engagement and advocacy services.

We also have three other projects we are still recruiting for.  If you require the project scope as an attachment please sent me an email request.

NIDAS

Project summary:

Project: Activity analysis & cost recovery model: Develop a high-level process model of the organisation that can be used to capture where staff spend their time. For frontline delivery activities, quantify the proportion of costs that are recovered.

Time commitment: approx. 5 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Nottinghamshire (a lot of the work could be carried out remotely)

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 22nd February.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Area of benefit: Survivors of current or historic domestic abuse

Our core purpose is our fundamental reason for being

·        To keep people safe emotionally and physically

Main activities of the organisation: 

Support and advocacy, 1-1, group, specialist programs

EBP South

Project summary:

Project: Develop Performance Dashboard - EBP would like help to develop a Performance Dashboard to be used for internal management and Board Reporting.

Time commitment: approx. 4 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Portsmouth (could be carried out remotely)

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 22nd February.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

For the Public Benefit, to advance, promote and assist in the effective education and development of young people and adults in order to develop their individual capabilities, competencies, skills and understanding in subjects of educational value including career and life skills together with collaboration with local businesses and business organisations in England and Wales in such ways as the charity Trustees think fit.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Work Experience placements; Mentoring programmes for young people linked to volunteers from business; employability programmes in schools; enterprise activities; career inspiration events; careers guidance and education.

Fulham Good Neighbours

Project summary:

Project: Assessing the impact of Fulham Good Neighbours

Time commitment: approx. 5 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer(s) in the light of information gathered at their first meeting.

Location: Fulham, SW6 7QT.

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me asap (there is currently no deadline as the organisation is happy to wait).

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Our aims are to enable elderly, disabled and vulnerable people to:

-        Live independently and to contribute to society,

-        Help overcome isolation and loneliness,

-        Be at the heart of the local community.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Fulham Good Neighbours support mainly older people, including those with dementia, with practical tasks at home such as basic DIY, gardening, and decorating. We do what any good neighbour would: collect medication, escort to appointments, accompany shopping and take care of pets to name just a few of our free services delivered by over 50 volunteers, many of whom are older people.

If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  

Lastly if you would like to work on a project as part of a pair or with the support of a mentor please indicate on your application and we try to facilitate this. 

I look forward to hearing from you and once again thank you for your help and support.

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

New projects with NIDAS and EBP South #costrecoverymodel #dashboard

Please find details of two projects below with NIDAS (Midlands) and EBP South (remote or Portsmouth).  I have provided a brief summary and then embedded a link to a detailed project scope.  

NIDAS

Project summary:

Project: Activity analysis & cost recovery model: Develop a high-level process model of the organisation that can be used to capture where staff spend their time. For frontline delivery activities, quantify the proportion of costs that are recovered.

Time commitment: approx. 5 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Nottinghamshire (a lot of the work could be carried out remotely)

Please read project scope and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 22^nd February.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Area of benefit: Survivors of current or historic domestic abuse

Our core purpose is our fundamental reason for being

 To keep people safe | emotionally and physically

Main activities of the organisation: 

Support and advocacy, 1-1, group, specialist programs

EBP South

Project summary:

Project: Develop Performance Dashboard - EBP would like help to develop a Performance Dashboard to be used for internal management and Board Reporting.

Time commitment: approx. 4 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: Portsmouth (could be carried out remotely)

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Wednesday 22^nd February.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

For the Public Benefit, to advance, promote and assist in the effective education and development of young people and adults in order to develop their individual capabilities, competencies, skills and understanding in subjects of educational value including career and life skills together with collaboration with local businesses and business organisations in England and Wales in such ways as the charity Trustees think fit.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Work Experience placements; Mentoring programmes for young people linked to volunteers from business; employability programmes in schools; enterprise activities; career inspiration events; careers guidance and education.

If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  

Lastly if you would like to work on a project as part of a pair or with the support of a mentor please indicate on your application and we try to facilitate this. 

I look forward to hearing from you and once again thank you for your help and support.

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

Pro Bono O.R. projects with Diabetes UK, The OR Society and Action 4 London

Please find details of three new projects below with Action 4 London, The OR Society and Diabetes UK. 

Action 4 London

Project summary:

Project: Impact 4 London

To aid the organization to:

1. Identify and quantify the potential impact of Action4London’s activities

2. Design methods for measuring quantitative impact of activities

Time commitment: approx. 5 days over 2-3 months, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer(s) in the light of information gathered at their first meeting

Location: London, W1C 1BB. Mix of onsite and remote working

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midnight on Sunday 11^th December.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

A4L supports the most disadvantaged communities in London through the actions of sharing of over 150 volunteers.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Group volunteering, mentoring and self-empowerment courses

The OR Society

Project summary:

Project: Development of an Impact Survey tracking and reporting process and tool: Pro Bono O.R. has been tracking the impacts of charities who have been supported by our volunteers. We now need help to develop a spreadsheet system for capturing and reporting project impacts.

Time commitment: approx. 3-4 days, though this will need to be checked by the volunteer(s) in the light of information gathered at their first meeting.

Location: This project can be carried out remotely. An initial kick off meeting could be held in Birmingham, London or remotely via Skype.

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midnight on Sunday 11^th December.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

Advance knowledge of and interest in Operational Research and to advance education in Operational Research. 

Main activities of the organisation: 

·        Publications

·        Training programme

·        Conferences and events

·        OR in Schools

·        Pro Bono O.R.

Diabetes UK

Project summary:

Project: Delivering an excellent customer experience: Diabetes UK want to improve the way they deal with all supporters. Map current processes, identify problems, design improved processes.

Time commitment: approx. 20 days, although though this will need to be checked by the volunteer(s) in the light of information gathered at the first meeting.  If possible, it would be useful if the volunteer(s) could commit to a block of work rather than spreading the project out over several months.

This project would be suitable for a pair or team of volunteers.

Location: Whitechapel E1 1FH. Mix of onsite and remote working

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midnight on Sunday 11^th December.

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

To be experts in the field of diabetes care, treatment and research

Main activities of the organisation: 

We care for, connect with and campaign on behalf of all people affected by and at risk of diabetes, reaching people with diabetes in local communities across the UK.  

If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  

Lastly if you would like to work on a project as part of a pair or with the support of a mentor please indicate on your application and we try to facilitate this. 

I look forward to hearing from you and once again thank you for your help and support.

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

Gaining strategic insight - latest complete #ProBonoOR project

Last year two #ProBono O.R. volunteers who worked for GORS (Government Operational Research Service) started a project with St Michael's Fellowship.

The charity wanted to be able to gain strategic insights from its data.  The two volunteers spent 18 days over a period of 10 months working with St Michael's Fellowship to achieve this outcome.

Below is a case study slide that summarizes the project.

For more information about Pro Bono O.R. visit: www.theorsociety.com/probono 

Understanding the Benefits of a Social Care Programme #ORblog

CORDA recently completed a project for the WAVE Trust - a charity committed to improving the welfare of children – as part of its support of The OR Society’s Pro Bono scheme. The scheme connects volunteer analysts with charities and other not-for-profit organisations to work on short-term projects to help them to make evidence-based decisions for operational improvements.

Ben Ludford, a senior consultant at CORDA, led the project and explains: “Working with the WAVE Trust was a great experience. Not only were we able to support a charity that provides such a valuable service for children but it also gives volunteers like me the opportunity to tackle different kinds of problems in their entirety, using a range of OR and analytics techniques, and other skills to help good cause.”

The WAVE Trust has a particular focus on improving social and emotional development and mental health, and preventing child maltreatment. The project saw CORDA work closely with the charity to develop a business case for it to present to local authorities in a bid to secure funding for a pilot of its social care programme Pioneer Communities.

CORDA’s analysts worked with the Trust to understand its current business case and to identify where further work was needed. This highlighted that the WAVE Trust had a good understanding of the costs and delivery of the programme, but that there was a need to develop a better understanding of the benefits and how this tied to financial savings for the local authorities. This benefit information could then be linked with the cost data to create a cost benefit model showing the payback of the programme over time.

Using its modelling expertise, CORDA planned several ways in which benefit data could be collected, delivering a report with advice on how this could be achieved. It also built a model that provided a cost-benefit analysis.

This is the first pro bono project CORDA has delivered through The OR Society’s scheme. Projects through the scheme usually involve data analysis, impact measurement, options appraisal, risk analysis, strategic planning/review, scheduling & process improvement.

As well as providing companies with an opportunity for its employees to get involved in pro bono work, it also provides third sector organisations like The Wave Trust with a range of benefits including access to analytics experts, help with identifying and clarifying problems and finding real solutions that improve what they do.

To find out more about the scheme or to request support for a charity or third sector organisation, please visit www.theorsociety.com/probono

New project requiring volunteer with Speed of Sight

Pro Bono O.R. – enabling managers to make more effective decisions

Pro Bono O.R. is a scheme operated by The OR Society that places professional analysts in short term projects with third sector organisations in the UK. 

Projects require skilled professionals who work in operational research, analytics or related professions.  If you have the skills required for a project, we’d love to hear from you.

Please find details of a new project below that we are seeking a volunteer(s) for:

Speed of Sight

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

To promote the physical and mental health of people with disabilities.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Motorsport track days.

Project summary:

Project: Understanding client needs and the impact of the work of Speed of Sight: To develop inclusive arrangements for the collection of data about client needs and experiences of the charity including the impact upon their lives.

Time commitment: approx. 5 days

Location: This project can be carried out REMOTELY. Manchester

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Friday 2^nd September (please not the deadline has been extended due to annual leave over the summer holiday).

We are also recruiting for the following project:

Redbridge CVS

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

To support the local voluntary sector.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Weekly newsletter, website, bi-monthly magazine, training, fundraising advice, Volunteer Centre, development advice, health awareness and fitness projects, representing sector with public sector partners, room hire.

Project summary:

Project: Market Segmentation and Analysis for Training Courses: Analyse training course booking data in order to better understand and segment our potential market.

Time commitment: approx. 3 days

Location: This project can be carried out REMOTELY. Ilford, IG1 1BA

Please read project scope  and if you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return to me along with your CV by midday on Friday 2^nd September (please not the deadline has been extended due to annual leave over the summer holiday).

Please note these projects are suitable for an individual or pair of analysts. If you would like to volunteer on a project but are not able to commit to the full time requirement please let me know as it may be possible to pair you up with another analyst.  Lastly if you would like to work on a project with the support of a mentor please do specify in your application and I can try to arrange this. 

I look forward to hearing from you and once again thank you for your help and support.

For further information about the scheme please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Probono  

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