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Helping the hungry in Huddersfield

Sue Merchant & Jane Parkin

OR55

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The Welcome CentreHuddersfield

• Set up in 1992. A charity since 2000.• Provides emergency food packs, clothes, & toiletries to needy people referred by agencies• Has a small paid staff, and volunteer scheme to help people back to work• Operates on donations from the public of non-perishable items and cash• Based in centre of Huddersfield in rented accommodation• Last year provided 5589 food packs

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Main operating problems

• Lack of sufficient space – very cramped conditions over several floors• Lack of modern IT systems for stock control, client records etc• Lack of efficient day to day methods of storing and packing food• Relationship between trustees, staff and volunteers sometimes strained• Demand for help and donations uncertain but demand expected to increase by 50% due to changes in benefit rules

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Problems we tried to address

• Logistics – contact found• IT – suggestions for free software• Day to day methods (present and future) - workshop• Relationships - workshop

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Steps taken

Jane visited the Centre to assess how we might best help then we: Skyped each other to discuss problems & methods agreed to look at methods of working and involve

stakeholders in generating improvement ideas designed a questionnaire to go to:

trustees, staff, volunteers, referring agencies collated answers and used these to kick-start a workshop ran half day workshop for selected mixed group of stakeholders wrote a short report for trustees on the outcome added some thoughts of our own on improvements

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QuestionnaireAsked about:• Difficulties experienced with current set-up i.e. methods/systems/equipment/materials/space• Ideas for improvement of these• Ideas for ways in which staff changes (types/numbers/skills) might improve services

Emailed questionnaires to the Centre manager for circulationReceived 17 backThis generated a terrific stock of ideas which we summarised into 21 categories- Main groups were:

spacefacilitiesIT

Many volunteers said how much they enjoyed working at the Centre

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Questionnaire findings - main groups

SpacePhone

IT

HeatFinding client cards

Height of storage

Limited MI

Client contact not fully confidential

Shared kitchen

Communication

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Workshop Part 19.30-10.45

•Divided group of 9 into 2 tables (both mixed)•Explained the process•Issued each with set of instructions and questionnaire summary•Asked each group to brainstorm additional improvement ideas individually and jot down on sticky notes (numbered as per the problem addressed)•Facilitators grouped these on flip charts according to problem addressed •When all finished went though all ideas checking for feasibility for quick wins•Attempted to group these according to impact in order to prioritise (ran out of time and space on flipchart), luckily I’d made notes as we went through and captured the group’s thoughts in terms of ‘ Yes, No, Consider’•Each group fed back to all–one very enthusiastic lady stole the show!

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Presenting back at the plenary session

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Workshop Part 211-12.30

•One of the trustees opened the session by giving a short presentation on plans for the future move where he hoped there would be more space and scope for improved IT

•The groups then looked at ideal systems which could operate in the new space

•Each group took three processes each and talked through the stages of each process and drew a rough sketch •Each group fed back findings and then trustees took away the diagrams for use in planning

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Outcomes –quick wins

•Advertise food items NOT required from the public•Order goods on shelf better to match picking list•Buy new printer•Consider using walkie talkies to communicate across building•Hold more combined meetings staff/vols/management•Provide steps and grabbers for the vertically challenged•Resolve phone system problems and provide headphones•Advertise training course opportunities to staff/vols•Ask clients re their packing preferences•Put volunteer concerns as an item on trustee meeting agendas•Buy an ice-cream scoop!

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Lessons/Outcome

• Allow more time at the start for late arrivals/settling in/adjusting groups when the cast changes• Mixed groups worked well• The workshop script was useful to keep facilitators on track• Need to take care in summarising questionnaire comments• Engagement was pretty good in Part 1 –partly due to the sticky notes - and there was a buzz in the interval• Part 2 was less successful in engaging everyone in the groups – the advice of someone more experienced in process workshops would have been useful

•Trustees were very pleased and plan to use the material in future!Quote: “With your input we feel we are more equipped to deal with the expansion of the organisation” (Chair of trustees)

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Questions?