The city of Winnipeg is developing new technologies to help local community centres attract volunteers and save time when organizing events. 

The city has teamed up with the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres and developed a web-based volunteer management software system for community centres to use. 

The software provides community centres with tools to help them attract new volunteers by offering online sign up as well as making it easier for community centre management to contact volunteers and schedule events. 

City Councillor Mike Pagtakhan, the Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks says the city only had to spend $900 to get the program up and running and it's worked well for local community centres thus far. 

"It's very simple, it's very intuitive, it has the ability to generate reports and the coordinators can send those out via social media or email," said Pagtakhan. "It's like a wildfire effect. Volunteers can then send out information to their friends who may be thinking of volunteering and sooner or later you have a lot of volunteers for particular events." 

Pagtakhan says in the age of technology and social media, community centres need something like this to plan events and discuss concerns or other topics with the volunteers. 

"People want to be able to just glance at what events are going on, map out what shifts they can work and what opportunities they have," said Pagtakhan. "At the same time it provides community centres with strategic data so they can reward their volunteers and it gives them data to let them know where they need more volunteer hours or more focus in terms of marketing activities." 

Steven Bemrose is the General Manager of R. A. Steen Community Centre, where the announcement was held. He says they've already used a trial run of the program and it's been a game changer. 

"We've created lists now where we click one button and write a message and it goes out to all these people," said Bemrose. "It has saved us hundreds of hours in the last year with staff not having to call over 100 volunteers for different events." 

"We like the idea where you cant print and send out reports as well," Bemrose continued. "You can see a pie-chart of the percentage of hours that are filled for an event so you know where you need people and you can send out a quick reminder, so it's a huge tool for us."

The city also announced the development of the Volunteer Appreciate Award, which includes a $100 City of Winnipeg Healthy Living recreation facility/Leisure Guide program credit. Each community club is allowed to nominate two volunteers a year. 

"That's just a small way we can honour our community centre volunteers who do such amazing work to run our clubs," said Pagtakhan.