Charities, outcomes and my cancer diagnosis: full circle

I spent two decades working in the voluntary sector but never had need of support from a charity myself. That changed last year, when a cancer diagnosis turned my world upside-down.

The charity that supported me was incredible and, thankfully, I’m well on the road to recovery. A keen cyclist, I was even able to take part in the London to Brighton bike ride this September to raise funds as a thank-you.

Until we really need them, it’s all too easy to forget these brilliant organisations are out there, working away hard behind the scenes.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my career in the voluntary sector and more recently at Charitylog, and it strikes me how closely – and synergistically – these two worlds are connected.

My charity background

Before coming to Charitylog in 2019, I worked for two different charities, starting in advocacy – both statutory and non-statutory – before moving on to befriending, home care and finally evaluation and training.

The second organisation used Charitylog to manage all their services, including information and advice, advocacy, home care, handyperson and befriending services, group activities and volunteers.

Part of my role was to ensure the CRM was able to meet all the various requirements of our service contract. I also trained staff and volunteers to use the system. Suffice to say, I became something of an expert, so when an opportunity arose, I decided it was time for a change and went to work for Charitylog.

As a relatively small, independent company, Charitylog has a very different feel to a standard commercial outfit. I love that it has an ethical approach, and all its clients are non-profits. I now get to work closely with not just one, but a wide variety of charities!

I still feel I'm making a difference

I have to admit that sometimes, when I’m deeply involved with helping a charity client monitor and evidence outcomes in Charitylog, I do miss the voluntary sector – especially that sense of making a profound and meaningful difference in people’s lives.

But, as a Charitylog implementation consultant, I still feel I contribute to my clients’ work. Because I know first-hand the importance of being able to monitor change and the positive impact it’s having – and the role a good CRM plays in this.

It allows you not only to see that direct line between an intervention and its outcome, but crucially, to demonstrate that evidence to funders, and – hopefully – secure funds so you can help even more people.

Coming full circle

Last week, out of the blue, I got a call from a woman from the charity that had supported me after my diagnosis. She wanted to know how I was doing; to remind me that they're still there for me, should I ever need them.

It was surprisingly cheering, and so unexpected. After I put the phone down it occurred to me that she was probably a volunteer, whose role it is to call people on their books and check in on them.

It reminded me of why I’ve always been a fan of the humble CRM, ever since I worked in the voluntary sector myself. It’s because it encourages the human touch. It meant that a young volunteer could log in, bring up a list of people and call them up – just to reassure them they are not forgotten.

From working in the sector, to advising charities on using our own CRM tool, to becoming a recipient myself and getting that call from someone who could have been me… I feel as though I’ve come full-circle.