Information for Staff

This page exists to consolidate information that will help people who run the front desk. If you help run the front desk, your main goal is to make people feel welcome and to encourage themm to join AHA. This can be done by:

• Greeting everyone who enters the shop
• Knowing where things are (learn by exploring!)
• Take all regular classes (soldering, Arduino, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting)
• Helping people with their projects
• Being your awesome self

What follows below should help you accomplish all of these things : )

I am going to miss a shift

Here are the steps to take if that happens:

1. Check this Volunteer Availability sheet
2. contact trained staff directly who have indicated they could be backup for your shift (based on this sheet)
3. IF no-one is available as backup: send a note to AHAShop_Staff@Gmail.com asking for help
4. IF no backup is found, send a note to Board@AllHandsActive telling them AHA will be closed due to lack of staff
5. Someone on the Board will see that a notice is sent out and a sign put up on the outside door.

We need more staff, what to do?

Our goal is to have the shop open from 2pm to 10pm every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We are no longer open Sundays. For this to happen we need 7 or 8 active Staff Members. (Minimum 1/shift, if possible one or two extra staff to help cover increased activity). Especially on Thursday Build Night (7pm-10pm) and during Saturday Classes (2pm-4pm)

Tell people!

Link them to this form if possible: http://goo.gl/QsXgIF (now on display at front desk computer)

• Contents of that form accessible by AHA Staff & Directors

1. Facebook
2. AHA Members Mailing List
3. AHA General Mailing List
4. AHA Website

What do I tell them?

Example text: "All Hands Active is looking for some awesome people to help provide the community access to an amazing resource of tools and people! If you want to hang out a few hours a week at an awesome workshop with LASER Cutters, 3D Printers and sewing machines, please give us a shout. We're in need of people who love interacting with others, sharing knowledge, being curious, and connecting people with each other. If you're interested, please fill out this quick form of wonder: http://goo.gl/QsXgIF

When someone contacts us we should

1. Schedule a Meeting: Ask them to come down for 30 minutes to check out the space, meet, and find out a little more about them.
   1. Example text: "Thank you so much for contacting us about volunteering. If you could give me your email address I'll see the Volunteer Coordinator gets in touch with you within a couple of days. Would you have some time on xxxInsertDaysTimesThatWorkForYou? If not, let us know some dates and times that work for you. In the mean time, check out this page for some details on what volunteering can be like: http://wiki.allhandsactive.com/Information_for_Staff#What_to_do_on_your
2. Meet with them: At AHA! Super important if they haven't been down here.
   1. Your main goal is to make sure they love to help others. They should have an interest in the tools and the space, but they should be excited with the idea of connecting with others. If they haven't already checked over the link in the example text above, briefly go over it with them! This can give them a good idea of what volunteering is like.
   2. Find out what interests them. Find ways to connect them to the people/space/events at AHA
3. At the end of the meeting both the potential volunteer and you should know:
   1. If volunteering here still interests them
   2. That we expect a three month commitment from them
   3. That they need to be proactive about everything, we will help them as much as they ask, but they need to initiate.
   4. When would they like to start shadowing?
      1. Thu/Fri/Sat 2pm to 6pm and 6pm to 10pm are great shifts to shadow (assuming we aren't short on one of those!)
      2. If they can not schedule a time now: Send them a follow up email thanking them for their time and asking when would be a good time of them to start shadowing. Include this link for reference: http://wiki.allhandsactive.com/Information_for_Staff#What_to_do_on_your
      3. If they can schedule a time now: Send them a follow up email thanking them for their time and confirming when they will be shadowing and who they will be working with. Include this link for reference: http://wiki.allhandsactive.com/Information_for_Staff#What_to_do_on_your
      4. Once you have a date, make sure whoever runs that shift is informed!
         1. Both the new person and the existing staff person should follow these three pages for shadowing fun

When they start shadowing

1. They should be following these three wiki documents

When their shadowing is completed

1. Before someone can run a shift on their own they must shadow at least three shifts
2. They still need someone to vouch for them before they can be given keys/codes
3. They still need to follow all the paperwork (Liability Form, 24/7 Access Voucher Form, Membership Form)
4. Once you know what shift they will be running, add them to the AHA Admin Google Calendar

What do they get out of it

1. Tell them what you get out of it
2. Everything a normal member gets:
   1. Free training in our normal recurring tool classes.
   2. Free 24/7 access to all of the tools
   3. Access to an awesome, inspiring and curious community
   4. Voting in Board Elections.
   5. Locker Storage

How do I explain to people what we are?

• We are All Hands Active, a hackerspace, makerspace bowl of AWESOME.
  • Once you've covered that, find out what someone is interested in, then you can focus on how the space can benefit those interests. Ask them questions!
    • If they are into making / creating stuff, are an engineer, into sewing, etc., focus on the tools and resources here.
  • Most importantly, engage them in the conversation, don't just talk at them!
  • The about us page on allhandsactive.com has some fun commentary and videos!
• In short: We are a place where people can come down to create, socialize, and relax. We do this by providing people access to tools, resources, and information

Handling financial transactions

• We accept Checks/Cash/Credit/Debit Payments
  • The iPad behind the front desk allows you to ring up items for sale in the store
  • Use the Square Software. There should be a mini instruction manual sitting right next to the iPad for further info
  • The yellow button opens the register.

Membership

• Member Processing contains information on how to process new members, membership payments, etc.

• Staff Roles contains information on current staff, who is responsible for what, etc.

Private Events

• We are open to all manner of private events. Whether it's something specifically for members, for a business, for a group of people, etc. It can be done. We can charge nothing, we can charge the world, or anything in between. Here are links to some standard options we have:
• Private Events further information / pricing for private reservations!