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Volaby Chat

In-app messaging for volunteers: admin-managed channels, auto-channels for programs, activities, roles and rosters, broadcasts, polls and rich shares.

Written by Volaby Support
Updated yesterday

Volaby Chat is an optional add-on that brings in-app messaging into Volaby. Once enabled, a 'Chat' item appears in the left-hand navigation for every user in your organisation, and conversations happen inside channels that admins create or that Volaby creates automatically.

Enabling Chat

Chat is configured from Admin Console > Communications > Chat. If Chat is not part of your plan yet, this screen shows an 'Upgrade to Chat' option with a contact link. Once enabled, the Auto-Created Channels settings appear and can be toggled on or off for Programs, Activities and Roles.

Who can do what

  • Admins create channels, add or remove members, rename and archive channels, and toggle Broadcast mode.

  • Volunteers participate in any channel they've been added to: posting messages, reacting, replying and sending photos or files. Volunteers do not create channels.

  • Direct messages are not part of Chat in this release. All conversations happen in channels.

Channels

All channels in Chat are invite-based — you see and post in a channel if you've been added as a member. Admins can create two kinds of channels:

  • Custom channels — you pick the name, description and members. Useful for committees, project groups, or any ad-hoc topic.

  • Managed channels — channels that Volaby creates and maintains for you (see Auto-Created Channels and Roster channels below). The name and membership of managed channels are kept in sync with the underlying program, activity, role or roster, so they can't be edited directly.

Admins also get a 'View: Mine' / 'View: All' toggle at the bottom of the channel list, letting them browse every channel in the organisation.

Broadcast channels

Any channel can be switched into 'Broadcast' mode from the channel menu. In Broadcast mode, only admins can post new messages — everyone else can still read, react and see previous messages. Use this for organisation-wide announcements, leadership updates, or read-only resource channels.

Auto-Created Channels

From Admin Console > Communications > Chat, turn on automatic channels so Volaby keeps them in sync with your organisation's structure:

  • Programs — a channel per program, synced to program enrolment.

  • Activities — a channel per activity, synced to the activity team.

  • Roles — a channel per role, synced to the volunteers assigned to that role.

When a toggle is first turned on, new programs, activities or roles going forward will get their own channel. Use the Backfill option next to each toggle to retroactively create channels for existing entities.

Roster channels

From the roster header on any published roster, admins can create a private chat channel tied to that specific activity date. Membership syncs automatically as volunteers are added to or removed from the roster, so the right people are always in the conversation for that shift.

Rich message types

Chat goes beyond text. Admins can share these as rich cards in any channel they belong to:

  • Activities — link to an activity so members can view or apply.

  • Rosters — share a specific roster date with the channel.

  • Resources — share a file or link from your organisation's resources.

  • Locations — drop a map pin for a meeting point or site.

  • Check-Ins — share a check in / check out record.

  • Impact — share a volunteer impact snapshot.

  • Reports — share a completed activity report.

Polls, reactions, photos and files

  • Polls — create interactive polls with real-time vote updates.

  • Reactions — react to any message with an emoji.

  • Photos and files — send photos and file attachments directly in a conversation.

Cross-links

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