Adding and Managing Volunteers

This guide walks you through the process of adding new volunteers to your system and managing their profiles effectively.

Accessing the Volunteers Section

1. Log into your PawPlacer account
2. From the main dashboard, click on "Volunteers" in the main navigation menu
3. This will take you to the volunteers dashboard where you can see all your current volunteers

Adding a New Volunteer

To add a new volunteer to your system:

1. From the Volunteers page, click the "+ Add Volunteer" button in the top right corner
2. You'll be taken to the volunteer creation form
3. Fill out the required information (fields marked with * are required):

• Basic Information: Name, email, phone number, date of birth, address
• Volunteer Type: Choose from general or internship
• Interests: Select applicable interests from the provided options
• Guardian Information: If the volunteer is a minor, you'll need to provide guardian contact details

4. Complete any custom fields your organization has added to the volunteer form
5. Click "Save" or "Add Volunteer" to create the profile

Volunteer Profile Management

After creating a volunteer profile, you can manage all aspects of their information.

Viewing a Volunteer Profile

1. From the Volunteers page, click on a volunteer's name in the list
2. This will open their complete profile with all details

The volunteer profile is organized into several sections:

• Basic Information: Personal details displayed in the main content area
• Notes: Any additional notes about the volunteer (if applicable)
• Documents: Uploaded files like waivers and identification
• Availability: Schedule management displayed in the right sidebar

Editing Volunteer Information

1. Open the volunteer's profile
2. Click the "Edit" button in the top right corner
3. Make any necessary changes to their information
4. Click "Save" to update the profile

Managing Emergency Contacts

Emergency contacts are essential for volunteer safety:

1. From the volunteer's profile, navigate to the "Contacts" section
2. Select the "Emergency Contacts" tab
3. Click the edit icon (pencil) next to an existing contact or add a new one
4. Fill in the contact's details:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email
• Relationship to volunteer
• Additional notes

5. Click "Save" to update the contact information

Managing References

For volunteers requiring references:

1. From the volunteer's profile, navigate to the "Contacts" section
2. Select the "References" tab
3. Click the edit icon (pencil) next to an existing reference or add a new one
4. Fill in the reference details:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email
• Organization
• Additional notes

5. Click "Save" to update the reference information

Volunteer Status Management

PawPlacer allows you to track the status of volunteers:

Available Statuses

• Active: Currently volunteering
• Inactive: Temporarily not volunteering
• Pending: Application in review
• Suspended: Account suspended

Changing a Volunteer's Status

1. From the volunteer's profile, click the "..." (more options) button in the top right
2. For active volunteers:

• Select "Set to Inactive" to archive the volunteer

3. For inactive volunteers:

• Select "Set to Active" to restore the volunteer

4. Confirm your choice in the dialog that appears

Deleting a Volunteer

If needed, you can completely remove a volunteer from your system:

1. From the volunteer's profile, click the "..." (more options) button
2. Select "Delete"
3. Confirm your choice in the dialog that appears
4. Note: This action permanently removes the volunteer and cannot be undone

Searching and Filtering Volunteers

To find specific volunteers quickly:

1. From the Volunteers page, use the search bar at the top
2. Enter a name, email, or phone number
3. The list will filter to show only matching volunteers
4. Clear the search field to return to the full list

Volunteer View Options

The volunteer list automatically adapts to your device:

• Desktop View: Displays volunteers in a table format with columns for:

• Name and contact information

• Volunteer type

• Status (Active, Inactive, Pending, or Suspended)

• Schedule summary showing recurring days

• Mobile View: Displays volunteers in card format showing:

• Name and primary contact

• Volunteer type badge

• Status indicator

• Quick access to view profile

Both views provide quick access to volunteer profiles by clicking on the volunteer's name.