New & Upcoming Features - Special Olympics Volunteer Management Software

Migrate from the use of Email to Usernames for login – This has been a popular request from several states, and we’re working on completing development for this migration! Existing Users will be notified via email with their assigned username. Going forward, new applicants will select a username when applying to be a volunteer. Along with this change, emails will still be required but will not have to be unique, so multiple family members can sign up using a shared email account.

Here’s a big one! Add an Application Flow for Minors – Many states have requested that we handle the minor application flow a little differently than the adult flow. We’re rearranging the application process a bit to capture the Date of Birth upfront and send applicants down the correct path. Consistent with SO requirements for minors, we’re adding fields for minors to provide their references, adding fields to capture their parent/guardian information, and skipping the self-disclosure questions unless they are over 16. As always, we will continue to expire minor volunteers on their 18th birthday and require them to complete the adult consent process to obtain a background check!

Admin/Super Admin Users can add applicants manually to the system – This will provide an Admin option to the Applications screen where the internal Special Olympics user can click a button to enter an applicant that they received via a paper application. The admin will enter the information for the applicant, including the required email field, and upon completing all fields, the admin can send the request for a BG check. The applicant will be created as if they had navigated through the online application process, and all existing system notifications will be sent to the email address entered by the Admin user. The SO Admin will have to complete all normally required fields, except the password, and the new user will receive an email notification with their username, which will request that they reset their password to log in. The new password reset will require them to enter both the assigned username and the email address on file for that user.

New Gender Option – To align with Special Olympics and their focus on inclusion, applicants will now be able to select from the following gender options: Female, Male, Non-binary.

New icon to assign and identify restrictions on a Volunteer – we will be adding icons that can be assigned to a Volunteer or Applicant’s profile, indicating if that Volunteer has any driving or fundraising restrictions. Super Admin/Admin users will be able to set an expiration date for any restrictions assigned, and these restrictions will be visible in both the Volunteer/Applicant lists and exports.

School & School Associations – Since many Special Olympics programs work closely with schools, Super Admins will now have the ability to maintain a list of Schools/School codes that they work with and associate those will individual local programs. This will allow states that choose to use this functionality a better way to manage those school-related volunteers. This will be configurable by the state for states that choose not to utilize school associations.

Add Custom Questions to Applications – This new feature will allow states to add custom questions to capture all applicants’ additional information to their programs. Current functionality allows this at the individual program level, which will still be available, but expands it so that a custom question can be added across the board to all of a state’s programs at once.

Assign different training requirements based on Volunteer Type – this will allow Super Admin users the ability to assign training course requirements based on volunteer type. Eg. A course can be required specifically for a Coach but will not be required for volunteers who are Unified Partners. (Note: The 3 standard courses; Coach & Volunteer Orientation, Protective Behaviors, and Concussion Awareness will still be mandatory for all volunteers)

Adding “Please Select” to the Local Program selection – for the dropdown menu on the application where an applicant selects their preferred local program. This will alleviate the problem where volunteers select the first option in the list (currently the default) and will be required to make a selection.

Realign the filters and columns on the Volunteer & Applications tables – to improve usability, the filters will be ordered more consistently with the columns.

Copy Notes to the Renewal Application – you asked, we listened! Originally the “Notes” field was only on the Volunteer Applicant and did not carry over to the approved Volunteer Profile. Also, the notes did not persist when the renewal application was created. Now, notes will follow the person and be available to Admin/Super Admin users to review as a person transitions from Applicant to Active Volunteer and through Renewal.

New Optional Fields on the Application – Some new fields have been identified, which will allow states to capture some additional information about their volunteers. Some of these include Emergency Contact relationship, Nickname, and Previous Last Name(s)

State Specific Waiver Language – This new functionality will allow each state to provide their own language for the consent page a volunteer sees when applying to be a volunteer.