Pro Bono O.R. is an initiative set up by The OR Society in September 2012, it provides third sector organisations in the UK with free O.R. consultancy.

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Pro Bono O.R. in the Third Sector
Guidance for Third Sector organisations and volunteers
Theseguidelineshavebeenproducedtohelpensurethe projectgoesas smoothlyas possible.
The Process
Step 1 – The 3rd sector organisation registers an interest in receiving O.R. Pro Bono Support.
Step 2 – TheOR Societydeterminesif the organisation qualifies for O.R. Pro Bono Support. Please refer to our
values below.
Step 3 – The OR Societycontacts the organisation in order to complete a registration form. Theorganisation is
required to complete page 1 of the registration form. (See Annex A)
Step 4 – The O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager arranges for a member of the Pro Bono Steering Group (who are
specialists in O.R.) to contact the organisation to discuss whether there is a potential O.R. project.
Step 5 - The Steering Group member will complete the remainder of the registration form. Once this has been
approved by the organisation this will be sent to the O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager.
Step 6 - The O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager sends a project scope to O.R. volunteers. O.R. volunteers have
two weeks to send in an application form (See Annex B) and CV.
Step 7 – The O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager sends the O.R. volunteer applications to the organisation who will
then select who theywould like to work with.
Step 8 – The O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager informs all the O.R. volunteers of the outcome.
Step 9 – TheO.R.Pro Bono ProjectManagerputsthesuccessfulO.R.volunteer(s) andthe organisation intouch.
At this point either partycan agree that the match is not suitable and we go back to step 6 or 7.
Step 10 – TheO.R. volunteer(s) draws up a detailedprojectproposal,whichis signed byall parties. (See Annex
C)
Step 11 – The project commences.
Step 12 – If the projecthasa durationlongerthan 6 weeks, the O.R. volunteer and organisationarecontactedon
a monthlybasis bythe O.R. Pro Bono Project Manager to ensure that no problems have arisen.

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Step 13– At the endof the projectboththe O.R. volunteer(s)andthe organisationwillprovidefeedbackto TheOR
Society. (See Annex D)
Step 14 – A short case studyslide is developed bythe O.R. volunteer(s). (See Annex E)
Step 15 - After anagreedtime,typicallyone year, TheORSocietywillcontacttheorganisationforanassessment
of the lasting impact of the project.
The Aims
 Tohelpthird sectororganisationstodo a better job, impactingupon desiredoutcomes,andbuildcapacityby
using the skills of volunteer O.R. analysts and consultants both established and student.
 To promote awareness and understanding of the benefits of O.R. across the third sector and to wider
audiences.
 To give O.R. analysts an opportunityto practise in a wider arena and develop their knowledge and skills.
The Values
We WILL:
 Offer assistance to third sector organisations that can prove they have charitable objectives, can
demonstrate support for the equalities agenda and are based in the UK.
 Be compliant with relevant legislative drivers, e.g. Equalities, Human Rights, H&S, Data Protection etc.
 Adhere to The OR Society’s Statement of Ethical Principles.
 Be transparent and accountable.
 Agree a detailed project.
 Seek to resolve disputes if they arise.
 Use experiences as case studies to promote O.R. methodologies byagreement with clients.
We WON’T:
 Work with organisations and volunteers with aims, goals and practices that are not compliant with
legislative and policy drivers. Unless the specified project is part of the organisation's plan to become
compliant.
 Be responsiblefor the outcomeof the project. TheOR Society’s role is to matchup the volunteers and
organisation.
Projectmanagement
After aninitial meeting,the O.R. volunteer willdrawup a projectproposal.Theclearerandmoreexplicitthe
obligationsofeveryone involved arethe better. So try to makesure that the agreementcoversthe essentials
(someof this mayhave alreadybeencoveredon the registrationform).It should include:
 what the organisation areexpectedto do andwhat the volunteerandany other partiesare expectedto
do
 within what time periods
 a descriptionof the problemandthe boundariesorlimits of the volunteer’sinvolvement
 the goalsor aims of the intervention

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 howthe problemwill be tackled, the kindof data that will be needed,the datacollectionmethodsthat
will be used
 howprogress will bereviewed andhow the interventioncanbe evaluated
 howthe project will be qualityassured(for projects where any analysis/report/recommendationsare
made).
 the nature of the finalreport or other outcome
 follow-upactivities that may be required
 howand when feedbackwill be givento the volunteerafter the intervention
A specimen agreementhasbeenproducedandcanbeseenin Annex C.
Post-projectfeedbackand publicity
In order to publicisetheworkcarriedouton behalfof TheORSocietyandhelpto fulfil TheORSociety’s
charitableaims,boththe organisation andvolunteer shouldcompletefeedbackformsat the endof the project
(see Annex D) and returnthese to FelicityMcLeisteratTheORSociety.
TheORvolunteerwillbe asked to produceacasestudy slide(see Annex E) whichwithapproval from the
organisationwillbeusedto promoteProBono O.R.
Expenses
Thisisa pro bonoprojectandthe volunteers do not expectanyform of payment. However, if the organisation
has agreedto pay expensesthis mustbe discussedwiththevolunteer in orderto agree appropriate
arrangements.

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Annex A: REGISTRATION FORM
Contactdetails
Detailsof organisation Detailsof contactperson
Nameof organisation: Name:
Positionin organisation:
Address:
Postcode:
Address – if different from organisation:
Postcode:
Telephone: Telephone:
Fax: Fax:
e-mail: e-mail:
Website: Alternative telephonenumberormobile:
Organisation’s scope
Nationalor Local: No of paidstaff: No of volunteers:
Year established: Registeredcharityno:
Companylimitedbyguarantee:
Approximateannualturnover:
Area of benefit:
Charitableobjectives:
Objectivesof organisation –strategic/businessplans:
Mainactivitiesof the organisation:
Otherrelevant information:

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Detailsofopportunity –Oneperformplease
Projecttitle: Desiredstart date:
Plannedcompletiondate:
Where the projectwillbebasedincludingpostcode:
Projectsummary:
Pleasesummarisetheprojectina maximumoftwenty words.A clearandappealingsummaryis
essential,as this is the first descriptionofyour opportunitythat a registeredvolunteer willsee.
Projectdescription:
Describeingreaterdetailthe work that you want the volunteer to do andany other relevant details.Also
indicateanyskills/qualificationsthatarerequired.
What is the estimatedtimecommitment?
What methodof workingis required?Howmuchtimedoyou estimatea volunteer wouldneedto spend
physicallyat the locationspecified?
We support andpromoteequalopportunities. If thereare any accessproblemsgivedetailsbelow.

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Pleasenote that we do not acceptarbitraryage limitsfor volunteers.
Has your organisationusedpro bonoORbefore?
Yes If ‘Yes’ – when?:
No If ‘No’ – How didyou hearof probonoOR?:
Evaluation
Pro Bono O.R. is committedtodeliveringa highstandardof service. As part of this proposal TheOR
Societywillseek feedbackaboutourperformance,andaskthat you both the organisationandthe
volunteer participateinthe evaluationprocess.AdditionallyTheORSocietywouldliketo be ableto use
this projectas a casestudy showcasingO.R.inthe ThirdSector,andasksfor your co-operationinthis.
I confirmthat,on behalfofthisorganisation,I agreeto thefollowingconditions:-
1) Reimbursementto O.R. volunteer(s) of actualexpensesincurred.
2) Pro Bono O.R. to be kept informedofdevelopmentsregardingthisopportunityand
cooperationintheevaluationprocess.
3) TheinformationsentbyTheORSocietyabout a volunteer mustnot be passedon to
anotherorganisation.
Signature:
Name–printed:
Title:
Date
For(organisationname):
Annex B: VolunteerApplication Form

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Volunteer Application Form
Pro Bono O.R.
Contactdetails
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Telephone:
e-mail:
Projectdetails
Pleasedescribehowyou meetthe skills, abilitiesandcompetenciesrequiredforthis project(max
onepage):
Pleasewrite a brief summaryof why you wouldlike to work onthis projectandhow you mightgo
aboutit:
Any other comments:
Pleasesend this backto felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com alongwithanupto dateCV. Thankyou.

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Annex C: SPECIMEN AGREEMENT
Pro Bono O.R. in the Third Sector
«Project Proposal»
Prepared for: «Name»
Prepared by: «Name»
Date: «Date»
Email: «email address»

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1. Introduction
1.1 Thisisa summaryproposaloutliningworkwhichistobe undertakenby «NameofO.R. Volunteer» from
The OR Societyfor «Name of Organisation»
1.2 The proposal is to «brief outline of project»
1.3 Theobjectiveofthe workis « explain theoverall aimsrelatedto clientpurpose,and thebenefitsthe
client seeks to achieve from the work »
2. Scope of the work
2.1 The analysts will:
 «bullet points here»
2.2 The key deliverables requested by the organisation are «brief outline (could be
report/presentation/spreadsheet, model/database etc)» which will cover:
 «bullet points here»

2.3 The scope of the project will be:
 «list what we will include and exclude»
2.4 The project will be agreed to be successfullycompleted when the following have been achieved:
 «bullet points here»
3. Working method
3.1 The work will be undertaken starting on «Start date», with the report and presentation delivered «End
date»
3.2 Tocompletetheprojectdeliverablestheanalyst(s) willrequireaccessto andco-operationof«Namesof
people»; access to «details of what data»; access to «details of what documentaion»; access to
«details of what systems»
3.3 The O.R. volunteer(s) is/are working pro bono. However, reasonable travel expenses will be paid by
«Name of Organisation».
4. Quality Assurance

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4.1 If, as a result of this project, the OR volunteer(s) will be providing analysis/report/recommendations to
«Name of Organisation» the piece of work will be qualityassured.
 Will recommendations be made arising directlyfrom the O.R. work?
Yes/No (Please deleted as applicable)
 If yes, will «Name of Organisation» be undertaking its own quality assurance of the
recommendations?
Yes/No (Please deleted as applicable)
 If yes, please state who:
 If no, FelicityMcLeister will make necessaryarrangements.
5. Evaluation
5.1 O.R. volunteers are committedtodelivering a highstandardof service. As part of this proposalTheOR
Societywill seek feedbackaboutour performance,andask that both the organisationandthe volunteer
participateintheevaluationprocess.AdditionallyTheORSocietywouldliketobe ableto use thisproject
as a case studyshowcasing O.R. in the Third Sector, and asks for your co-operation in this.
6. Project approval
I confirm thatI have reviewed the information contained inthisProjectProposal andagree:
Name Role Signature Date (MM/DD/YY)
«Name of person in
organisation»
«Name of O.R. volunteer»
«Name of any other
person/(s) involved»
Thesignaturesabove indicate anunderstanding of the purposeand contentof this documentbythose signingit.
By signing this document,they agreeto this as the formal ProjectProposal andthe Appendix relateddocuments.
If you wish to discuss anyaspect of this proposal, or the services that O.R. analysts can provide, please contact
«Name of volunteer» or felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com quoting ‘OR in the Third Sector’

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Annex D: SPECIMEN FEEDBACK FORMS
O.R. Pro Bono:volunteerfeedback
Organisationname:
O.R. volunteer name:
Assignment:
Thisfeedbackgivenby:
Position:
Pleasecommenton:
What went well
What didn’t goso well
Any changestoour processesyou wouldliketo suggest
What you personallyfeel you got out of the assignment(if anything)
What benefit this gave to TheORSociety(if any)
Approximatelyhowmanyhours/days didyou spendon the project?
Wouldyou volunteer on anotherproject? Yes  No 
If No, why not?
Howdid you findout about becomingavolunteer?
Wouldyou be willingforsomeonefrom TheORSocietyto contactyou for a further conversationonhow the
assignmentwent?
Yes  No
If so, pleasegive contactdetails:
Email: Phone:

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O.R. Pro Bono:clientcommentsand feedback
Organisationname:
O.R. volunteer name:
Assignment:
Thisfeedbackgivenby:
Position:
Pleasecommenton:
What went well
What didn’t goso well
What differencethework willmaketo your organisation
Any changestoour processesthat you wouldlike to suggest
Wouldyou take on anothervolunteer? Yes  No
If No, why not?
Wouldyou recommendO.R.ProBono? Yes  No 
If No, why not?
Howdid you findout about the O.R. Pro Bono Project?
Any other comments
Wouldyou be willingforsomeonefrom the ORSocietyto contactyou for a further conversationonhow the
assignmentwent?
Yes  No
If so, pleasegive contactdetails:
Email: Phone:
Annex E: Example case study slide (to be completed by the volunteer)

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