Tech Army enlist for food banks

Food banks across Scotland are set to receive a digital boost from the Scottish Tech Army

(STA). The volunteer tech experts are supporting the roll-out of a volunteer management system at food banks across the country.

The new system will help these essential services to effectively manage shift patterns, rotas and communications, helping food banks manage a rise in use due to the impact of Covid-19.

STA is collaborating with the Trussell Trust, which supports 137 food banks across Scotland, to implement the roll out of volunteer management system Assemble, to aid interactions between food banks and its volunteers.

Laura Ferguson, operations manager for Scotland at the Trussell Trust, said: “In the shortterm tools such as Assemble will help food banks in our network with administrative systems, allowing time to be freed up so teams can focus on helping people who need support the most.”

Assemble works as a centralised database that accommodates volunteer sign-up, data collection and communication and will be launched initially in Edinburgh, Cupar, Aberdeenshire and

Shetland, with plans to roll-out the software nationwide later this year.

Since its launch in April, STA has seen its ranks swell to more than 1,000 volunteers who are helping to deliver and support over 150 projects across Scotland, many of which benefit charitable organisations.

Alistair Forbes, Founding Director of the Scottish Tech Army, said: “Food banks provide an essential service to thousands of families and we are proud to be supporting the Trussell Trust in the roll out of its software. We hope to create a long-term partnership that will see STA volunteers work closely with this vital charity, supporting communities across Scotland."