This is a guest blog by Rosterfy.
Volunteers trust organizations with their personal information, and that comes with the duty to protect it. Managing sensitive personal information, adhering to regulatory requirements, and defending against cybersecurity threats can be major hurdles for organizations. That’s why many organizations have turned to Volunteer Management Systems (VMS) like Rosterfy to help streamline their processes while ensuring volunteer data stays safe and secure.
Why Data Security Matters More Than Ever
Volunteer programs handle a lot of data - sometimes even more than you realize. From the moment someone applies to volunteer, you’re collecting a wealth of information, such as:
Full names, addresses, and phone numbers
Emergency contacts
Availability and preferences
Background checks or clearances
Health or medical details (for certain roles)
That’s a lot of sensitive data to keep track of, and managing it properly is essential for protecting your volunteers and your organization. Breaches of this data, whether accidental or malicious, can lead to a loss of trust, reputational damage, and even legal trouble.
With privacy laws getting stricter, maintaining compliance isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore - it’s a must. For instance, under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), volunteers have the right to access, correct, and even erase their data. Keeping up with these regulations can be tricky, but it’s something volunteer managers can’t afford to overlook.
Common Data Security Challenges in Volunteer Programs
If you’re a volunteer manager, you might recognize some of the following hurdles when it comes to handling sensitive data.
Outdated or Manual Systems: Many organizations rely on spreadsheets, email chains, or separate tools to track volunteers. While they might get the job done, these systems can leave gaps in security, especially if data is spread across multiple platforms.
Multiple Stakeholders: When staff, partners, and external coordinators all need access to volunteer data, managing who can see or edit certain information becomes difficult. Without proper access controls, the risk of a data breach increases.
Compliance Requirements: As volunteer programs expand and regulations evolve, keeping up with compliance requirements is more important - and more difficult - than ever. Missing the mark on compliance can have serious legal and financial repercussions.
Data Privacy Risks: Even with the best intentions, human error is inevitable. Accidentally sending the information to the wrong person or storing sensitive information in unsecured places (like an unprotected file) can expose your organization to risks.
Cybersecurity Threats: Like any other organization, volunteer programs are targets for hackers. Phishing attacks, ransomware, and other types of cyber threats can compromise volunteer data and cause chaos for your operations.
How a Volunteer Management System Can Help
If you’re feeling the pressure to stay on top of data security, you’re not alone. Using a volunteer management system like Rosterfy can ease this burden and give you the tools to keep data secure, compliant, and easy to manage.
Here’s how a VMS can help address some of your biggest data security concerns:
Centralized Data Storage: Instead of having data scattered across spreadsheets, emails, and various tools, a VMS offers one centralized place to store all your volunteer information. This makes it easier to maintain consistency in your data protection practices and reduces the risk of sensitive information being lost or mishandled.
Access Controls: One of the key features of Rosterfy is that it allows you to set role-based access controls. This means that only authorized people can view or edit certain types of volunteer information. For example, someone responsible for scheduling may not need access to sensitive background check data, and you can ensure they don’t see it.
Compliance Made Simple: With regulations like GDPR, keeping volunteer data up to date and ensuring that it’s handled properly is crucial. Rosterfy makes it easier to meet these requirements by offering tools for secure data storage, automated consent management, and features that allow volunteers to access or request deletion of their personal information.
Data Encryption and Security: Rosterfy has built-in security measures like data encryption and two-factor authentication to ensure that volunteer data is protected from cybersecurity threats. This helps reduce the risk of a data breach and gives you peace of mind knowing that sensitive information is safe.
Streamlined Communication: Managing communication through the Rosterfy platform keeps all your messages in one secure place. Instead of emailing sensitive data back and forth, you can message volunteers directly through the system, reducing the risk of data exposure.
World Class Handling of Volunteer Data in Motorsport
Take Formula E, for example. The large-scale electric motorsport events are only possible with the support of thousands of volunteers. Managing volunteer programs across multiple global events, they faced the challenge of handling a large amount of volunteer data while complying with strict international regulations.
That’s why Formula E turned to Rosterfy to streamline and secure their operations.
“Prior to Rosterfy, I was getting so many emails in my inbox around data protection. Before we went to Tokyo the local team was super nervous about data protection. The fact that Rosterfy is a global company with the legal compliance in place takes all this away from me and my legal team, we don’t worry because Rosterfy takes care of it!”
Emma Peat, Event Workforce Manager, Formula E
The Formula E team knows that no matter where their event takes them they have a global solution for volunteer management in Rosterfy.
Curious about the world of Formula E volunteer management? Listen to Episode #4 of The Engaged Volunteer Podcast where Emma takes us on a thrilling ride behind the scenes of the international electric car racing series, offering insights into the recruitment, training, and coordination of volunteers that make Formula E events possible.
Take Control of Your Data Security
Data security doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By using a volunteer management system like Rosterfy, you can protect your volunteers’ personal information while also making your day-to-day operations more streamlined and efficient.
For more information on how to safeguard volunteer data and adhere to compliance regulations download Rosterfy’s white paper: A Guide to Compliance and Data Security for Volunteer Programs or book a call with Rosterfy today.