Connecting professional analysts with good causes - for free! Request support today

O.R. volunteers can help third sector organisations make better decisions, improve efficiency, improve effectiveness, and tackle the problems that are keeping their top team awake at night, applying scientific approaches to the organisations specific circumstances, people, data and needs.

To find our more or request support, please visit www.theorsociety.com/probono

This support is available to all UK based Third Sector organisations - please spread the word!

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  

Free software software/tools available to O.R./analytical professionals

A variety of analytical and modelling techniques have been used for Pro Bono O.R. projects so far, including:

·       discrete event simulation,

·       statistical analysis/data mining,

·       forecasting,

·       process modelling,

·       system dynamics.

 As a result we have started compiling an evolving list of software / tools which may help to solve different types of problem. These tools could be useful not only for those working on our 3^rd sector projects but O.R./analytical professionals looking to develop their all-round “O.R. toolkit”.

The list so far includes 40 tools across a range of areas including:

·         Statistical analysis (e.g. PSPP, R)

·         Data visualisation (e.g. D3, Gephi, Vizable)

·         Geospatial and mapping (e.g. QGIS, GDAL, MapsData)

·         Programming languages (e.g. Python, Ruby)

·         Databases (e.g. PostGres, SQLlilte, ArangoDB)

·         Optimisation (e.g. Pyomo, OpenSolver)

·         Simulation (e.g. SimPy, Insight Maker)

·         Supply Chain (e.g. OpenBoxes, Odoo)

The list is ever-evolving and we would welcome further contributions or to hear about any tools or software you have successfully used in the past. Ideally the software should be free to use. The list can be accessed at https://www.dropbox.com/s/crkoc002bo0j37p/Useful%20Software%20list.xlsx?dl=0.

Please email any suggestions to felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com.

If you want to find out more about volunteering for a project more information on the scheme is available here

New #ProBonoOR project: 'Understanding our audience'

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:

The Theatre Chipping Norton

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives:

We exist to ‘promote, maintain, improve and advance education and the encouragement of the arts for the public, particularly the inhabitants of Chipping Norton, its surrounding areas and children within these areas.

Main activities of the organisation: 

Presenting theatre, cinema, screens, dance, music, comedy to the public. Our Take Part department includes 2 youth theatre groups every night of the week plus holiday workshops and 13 regular weekly sessions for young people and adults. We also produce an annual pantomime that is renowned in the UK as being the home of traditional panto, along with 2 other ‘HomeGrown’ shows. Recently these shows have undertaken tours of the UK, we have co-produced with other venues, and have transferred a show into London for a 2.5 week run this Summer.

Project summary:

Project: To understand our audience, locate more audience to reach out to, to build our resilience and sustainability into the future.

Time commitment: approx. 3-5 days

Location: The Theatre, OX7 5NL, but we are happy to also communication via phone/email etc.

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 17^th October.

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 can 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  

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Pro Bono O.R. video - Analysts: volunteer your skills for good causes with Pro Bono O.R.

The Operational Research Society runs its Pro Bono O.R. scheme to match up analysts with charities and other third sector organisations to improve their operations - for free!

This is not only great for the charity but great for the analyst (and their employers), giving you a wider experience, a track record in consultancy and management, and professional stimulation too!

To find out what the volunteers had to say about the scheme click here.

Find out more at about the scheme here or tweet to Felicity McLeister at ‏@FMcLeister to get the conversation started.

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 two new projects below that we are seeking a volunteer(s) for:


Please note all these projects are suitable for an individual, pair or team 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.


Marys

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives: Working together with the community to inspire and enable everyone to reach their full potential in a safe, stimulating and welcoming environment.

Main activities of the organisation: Youth club. Pre School. Play Scheme. Meeting Rooms.


Project summary:

Project (1): Improving profitability of room-hire: To help Mary’s rooms letting department to identify ways of improving overall revenue

Project (2): Doing the right things, better: To help Mary’s rooms letting department to use their time better, in order to deliver a safer, more responsive and more efficient service

Time commitment: Up to 5 days for each project.

Location: Islington. The volunteer(s) should be able to spend at least two days on site, to meet staff, collect data, and review results; the remainder of the work can be carried out remotely.

Please read project scope (1) project scope (2) 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 27th April.

We are still looking for volunteers for the following two projects:

Tritons Swim School CIC

Information about the organisation:

Charitable objectives: Education – both swimming lessons and vocational training

Main activities of the organisation: Swimming lessons and vocational training in Aquatics


Project summary:

Project: Social Franchise for swim schools - Carry out an information mapping exercise to help develop a product enabling schools to run swimming lessons, keeping pools open.

Time commitment: Up to 5 days

Location: NE London (Waltham Forest College E17 4JB). Much of the work could be done remotely, however two sessions would be required to be carried out at the office.

Please read the 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 25th April.


Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

Information about the organisation:

Main activities of the organisation: Manor Gardens is a multicultural health and social care charity who work with local people to change their lives, tell their stories and influence the world.


Project summary:

Project: Review use of accommodation (utilisation, income) and the database that supports the management of it. Recommend options for improved utilisation/revenue and management of these.

Time commitment: Approx. 5-6 days, over 2-3 months.

Location: London, N7 6LA. Initial meeting on site and then further work to be carried out remotely.

Please read the 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 25th April.

If you are interested in working on any of these projects but cannot meet the deadline specified please do register your interest in the first instance before the deadline.

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