Last year, VIMS introduced a tool to log volunteer hours. I couldn’t think of any reason to use it so I logged zero hours for 2018.
I suppose if I wasn’t self employed it might be useful to bring back to an employer. Does anyone use it and is there some reason I should actually be logging my hours?
When I was volunteering in college last year I tracked my hours, as did all other members of Bison Robotics, for the purpose of the college’s volunteer challenge. We had our own system for tracking hours so we didn’t use FIRST’s system. Also didn’t know it existed… maybe it’ll be useful for them this year.
I don’t count volunteer hours, I count days. Because whenever I’m volunteering at an event, it’s a whole day. I can just look at my calendar.
We have had mentors that have been able to apply for grants which required they have a record of the number of volunteer hours.
Our team is also a 4-H club. I’m not sure if 4-H requires it anymore but years ago, they did want a annual number of hours put in by leaders. At the time, those numbers fed into some countywide and then statewide metrics. If it’s still the case, robotics clubs are definitely helping our county have great numbers! We have four 4-H FRC teams now in our county. 
So while I’m not sure how FIRST uses the data, it might be handy place for volunteers to record information for later use.
Brighid
I have a spreadsheet, as do many other people here on Chief (see signatures).
Given the unreliability (to say the least) of FIRST’s systems, I don’t track with them. The only benefit I see to tracking directly with FIRST is if an employer or school needs something official. But if that’s the case, it’s probably easier to just get a signature rather than through VIMS (is that still what they call it?).
(Sorry for so many parentheses)
Well there are some companies that match employee volunteer hours with cash payments. Of course in all of those cases it is on the employee to track and submit hours in their employers system and designate the beneficiary.
Beyond that FIRST wants the data for use in their marketing to sponsors. Sure they can guess that a role requires a certain number of hours but there are a lot of people who may be registered for one role but hangs around and helps with tear down and load out.
They also like to know if about the level of serial volunteerism as that is even more impressive to donors than a person who is a one and done.
Do you have any reference for that or is it supposition? If FIRST does want that data I’d be happy to provide it, but it hasn’t been something that’s been particularly impressed upon me by any VC or email I’ve received.
Unfortunately FIRST doesn’t seem to be promoted use of this tool as of yet, but yes I have verifiable proof that they publicise the number of volunteer hours even if it has largely been estimated in the past. You just have to look at the annual reports to see that. Here is the 2017 where you’ll find it on page 11 but I’m certainly you’ll see it in other annual reports. https://www.firstinspires.org/annual-report/10-11/#zoom=z