The Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde has developed the Do a Bit project to create short-term volunteering opportunities in the Blackpool area. Open badges have been selected as a tool to recognize and reward volunteers for their work. The Centre received funding from the Innovation in Giving fund to implement the open badges program. The Centre will hold information sessions and workshops for volunteers and volunteer organizations to introduce open badges and demonstrate how to collect, award, and design badges. Confirmed dates and locations are provided for the various sessions.

1. The Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde
Open Badges Training
Author: Patrick McGee ©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde 1

2. Overview of the Do a Bit Project
The Do a bit project has been developed to create
entry-level or bite-sized volunteering opportunities
in the Blackpool area.
Open badges has been chosen as an invaluable tool
that allows the Volunteer Centre and Volunteer
Involving Organisation (VIO’s) to recognise and
reward their Volunteers.
The Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde
was selected to receive financial support from the
£10m Innovation in Giving fund, run by NESTA and
funded by the Cabinet Office.
©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde 2

3. The Open Badges Team
Patrick McGee – Do a Bit Project Officer
Duncan Hodgson – Open Badge Specialist
Mandy Russell – Open Badge Designer
3©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

4. Open Badges in Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde
• Introduce Open Badges to Blackpool, Wyre
and Fylde community
• Demonstrate how Open Badges are collected
• Show how to award Open Badges
• Identify the benefits of the Open Badge
system
4©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

5. Information Sessions
• Recognising Informal Learning
• An introduction to Open Badges
• Gamification: the possibilities
• Next steps to find out more
5©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

6. Volunteer Workshops
• An introduction to Open Badges
• Core concepts of Open Badges, understanding
the value of badges
• Understanding gamification and badges
• Receiving and storing Open Badges – what
options are available
6©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

7. VIO Workshops
• An introduction to Open Badges
• Core concepts of Open Badges, understanding
the technical infrastructure & the value of
badges
• Understanding gamification and badges
• Badge ecosystems and Open Badge design
• Issuing Open Badges – what options are
available
7©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

8. Our Open Badge Design
Mandy Russell designed our badges and created them within a
few days!!
The Open Badges the Volunteer centre currently have are:
Photographer Time-keeping
Data input Volunteer Co-ordinator
Word (junior, expert & specialist) Fundraising
Excel (junior, expert & specialist) Cleaning
V-base (junior, expert & specialist) Customer care
Worst coffee buyer Telephone skills
With more being developed daily…….. 
8©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

9. Confirmed Dates & Locations
Initial Info Sessions
4th October 9.30am - Central Library, Blackpool
10th October 9.30am - Solaris Centre, Blackpool
12th October 9.30am - Central Library, Blackpool
VIO Training
17th October 9.30am - Central Library, Blackpool
31st October 9.30am - City Learning Centre, Blackpool
14th November 9.30am - City Learning Centre, Blackpool
Volunteer Sessions
5th November - Solaris Centre, Blackpool
27th November - City Learning Centre, Blackpool
30th November - Solaris Centre, Blackpool
99©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

10. End
Thanks for reading to our presentation
Open invitation to attend the sessions.
So please visit and you may receive your own
Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde
Open Badge
10©The Volunteer centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde