Creating a Service Request

There are two types of service requests in Helpful Village:

Volunteer Assists a Member

A volunteer provides direct assistance to a member, such as:

• Transportation
• Grocery shopping
• Friendly visits
• Other member support services

Volunteer Assists the Village (Village Builder Request)

A volunteer performs work that supports the organization rather than an individual member, such as:

• Event support
• Administrative tasks
• Outreach activities
• Other Village operations

Step 1: Create a New Service Request

Navigate to:

Members → New Service Request

As an administrator, search for the member who needs assistance. When the member appears in the search results, click Select.

💡 Important Note

Only active members appear in the search and can have service requests created for them.

If you cannot find a member, their membership may have expired. You can verify their membership status by searching for them using the search bar in the upper-left corner of the application.

Step 2: Complete the Service Request

After selecting the member, complete the service request details.

Service Type

Select the appropriate service type.

For example, choose Drive for transportation requests.

Specific Needs

Use the Specific Needs field to provide any information that will help the volunteer, such as:

• Special instructions
• Information about the member's home
• Parking or access details
• Any other relevant notes

Transportation Requests

For transportation services, enter the following information:

• Appointment time (if applicable)
• Estimated service duration

The system automatically calculates the expected end time based on the duration entered.

Address

If the member has saved Preferred Addresses, they are available for selection.

You can also enter a new address manually if needed.

💡 Helpful Tip

Information entered in the member's Additional Info tab under Member Needs is automatically included in the service request.

This may include details such as:

• Uses a walker or wheelchair
• Mobility considerations
• Home access instructions
• Other important information for volunteers

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Additional Options

You can also mark a request as:

• Last Call – Indicates an urgent request.
• Important – Highlights requests that require special attention.

If your organization uses the Hub & Spoke model, you can also select the appropriate Spoke Village.

For organizations using a Hub & Spoke model, you may select the appropriate Spoke Village.

Save the Service Request

Click Save to create the service request.

After saving, the system displays a complete overview of the request, including all entered details and available management options.

Advanced Features (Administrators and Service Request Managers)

Administrators and Service Request Managers have access to additional tools in the Advanced section under Additional Info.

These features allow you to:

• Assign a volunteer
• Suggest a commercial provider (Concierge model)
• Add an additional beneficiary

• Clone the service request

   

Assigning a Volunteer

When assigning a volunteer, there are two ways to find a match.

Suggest

Click Suggest to display volunteers who:

• Are vetted
• Have the required service group selected in their volunteer profile
• Match the service request requirements

Search

Use Search to locate any volunteer, regardless of their profile settings.

This option can be used even if:

• The volunteer has not selected the required service category on their profile.
• The request falls outside the volunteer's stated availability.

This gives administrators the flexibility to assign volunteers manually whenever appropriate.