Request is for a chat facility for the rostered volunteers of a specific service. This chat would be private to only those who are rostered. Ideally only those who have confirmed - which would be a way of encouraging more team to actually confirm. But that is an aside.

This concept initially imagines everyone having the Elvanto app and is using it through the week(s) leading up to a service.

REASON

For example, the worship team will start a chat when the songs are posted at the start of the week. This is a means for us to discuss arrangements and anything related to the worship set. At present, our teams are having to find each other on Facebook and start a group chat in Messenger. Not everyone is on Facebook/Messenger, and this takes conversations outside Elvanto. Same would apply for WhatsApp or any other platform - it would be preferable for our team to not have to use yet another system.

We do a pre-service runsheet with the group in person, but this is different. A lot of information could be covered pre-service with a better communication tool.

This feature would also be helpful for many other types of services, whereby the chat can be running through the services. For example, if using Elvanto for other organisations, like a homeless shelter. The team who are on a shift can chat about an issue, possibly with a Team Leader who is not onsite.

FEATURES

Basic features of a chat. Ability to post links, respond to conversations with likes and loves. It doesn't need to be fancy.

NOTIFICATIONS

We don't use group chat features, so I don't know how it behaves. I would expect push notifications to work just like any other basic group chat system.

SELECTIVE DEPARTMENTS, OR TEMPORARILY OPT-OUT

There are some members of the team who do not need to be part of the chat, but who would be included, if the chat was to automatically include all team. For example, greeters, car park etc don't need to be in on the chat for the worship and production team. So they could opt-out of the chat, just for this service.

Better still, I can imagine a "Start a Service Chat" button, which then presents a checkbox list of the departments to include. Therefore the worship and production team can start a chat, and the hosts team can start their own chat. A quick "Chat Name" field can allow them to be labelled. The service details screen might then show a list of running chats, simply to indicate that the different departments etc are running chats. If a person likes, they can request to join another chat.

BONUS/RELATED - VIEW PAST SERVICES

See here > Services - Allow viewing of past services in Member Area

With respect to this feature, being able to go back OR continue the conversation for a particular service afterward would allow for conversations and review, thanks to team and any other feedback. There are so many opportunities here that all go toward supporting teamwork.