Flash Mob App For WA Volunteers

A screenshot from the Big Help Mob mobile app

A new web and mobile phone application is set to change the face of volunteering in Western Australia.

The Big Help Mob app has been developed with more than $575,000 WA Government funding by Not for Profit group Useful Inc. and will connect volunteers with organisations needing help through social media.

The WA Government says the application has the potential to mobilise thousands of young volunteers throughout WA in a short period of time.

“This free app is a fast and fun way of making young people aware of the volunteering opportunities available to them,” Seniors and Volunteering Minister Robyn McSweeney said.

“More and more young people are becoming interested in volunteering and this is a great way to increase the long-term participation of young people in volunteering activities.”

The Big Help Mob received Government funding from the Social Innovation Grants program for three projects including the phone app, a training program for volunteers and a customer service system.

Not for Profits can post their volunteer requests on the app, including location and the number of volunteers needed. Those interested can sign up for a ‘mission’ which is then posted on the user’s Facebook page and visible to their networks.

The Not for Profit, Useful Inc, describes Big Help Mob as a useful flash mob.

“We are a rent-a-crowd of ordinary people who combine their powers to perform extraordinary feats of strength (and sometimes even stupidity) for communities and Not for Profit who need help,” the website said.

“Need 100 people to plant 4000 trees in a single morning? Bam. We’re there. We’ll smash those trees into the ground faster than a tiger wearing a jetpack. Need 10 people to help an old lady with her gardening? Boom. Weeds vapourised in seconds. Need 70 people to help run a community event? Shapow. That event is going be smoother than an insurance broker with a choc milk and silk boxers.

“We are growing Big Help Mob into a distributed superhero capable of just that; able to respond to any number of legitimate requests for people power with lightening speed.”

To get the App Log on to their website or download directly from the App Store on your smart phone by searching for 'Big Help Mob'.