Arranging cover for your slot - skip, pause or swap
We understand that not every week is the same, and therefore you might not be able to do one of your future collections as planned. If you're unwell, if you're going to be away, or if you've had a last minute change of plans or emergency. We've made it super simple for you to reach out to the FWH Community for help to cover your slot. You can also permanently swap slots with someone in your squad.
You can skip, pause or swap your collection slot in ' My Collection Slots' on the Volunteer Hub.
Skipping, pausing, swapping - which one's for what?
⏩ Skipping
How can I skip a slot if I can't make my next collection?
No problem! Please head to the Volunteer Hub and navigate to ‘ My Collections’. Then choose the slot you want to skip and tap ‘view details’. Scroll down and tap ‘Skip next collection’.
When you skip your collection, Olio's Little Helper will send a message in your squad's group chat. Your fellow FWHs or FWHs outside your squad can then indicate that they'll cover for you by claiming your skipped slot on the Volunteer Hub under 'Available collection slots'.
🙏 Please aim to skip before the day of your collection and not skip too many consecutive slots. If you need to skip more than 3 consecutive collections, please unassign yourself instead.
⚠️ Please note: If you skipped more than 3 consecutive collections (for the same collection slot) within 24 hours of the collection time, you will be issued a warning and your slot will be removed.
Our system automatically detects when a Food Waste Hero skips more than 3 consecutive collections with less than 24 hours notice. This streamlined approach enables us to monitor thousands of collections each week, ensuring that tons of food are rescued and don't end up in the bin.
‼️ This automation is triggered whether the slot was skipped via Volunteer Hub or the reminder message.
❓ I can't skip the ''one-off'' collection I have.
Our system doesn't allow FWHs to skip one-off collections. In this instance, please simply unassign from the slot!
⏭️ Pausing
How can I pause a collection slot if I'm going away?
Please head to the Volunteer Hub and navigate to ‘ My Collections’. Please choose the slot you want to pause and tap ‘View details’. Scroll down and tap ‘Pause collection’. Choose the date of your final collection before the break. Then choose how many collections you want to pause. If you need to pause more than 3 collections, please unassign yourself instead.
🙏 Please aim to pause before the day of your collection and not pause too many consecutively slots. If you need to pause more than 3 consecutive collections please unassign yourself instead.
⚠️ Please note: If you are reported for pausing more than 3 consecutive collections (for the same collection slot) within 24 hours of the collection time, you will be issued a warning and your slot will be removed.
Our system automatically detects when a Food Waste Hero pauses more than 3 consecutive collections with less than 24 hours notice. This streamlined approach enables us to monitor thousands of collections each week, ensuring that tons of food are rescued and don't end up in the bin.
🔁 Swapping
How do I swap slots?
If you want to permanently swap your collection slot with a fellow FWH, you can do this on the Volunteer Hub. Please head to 'My Collections', tap 'View Details' for the slot you want to swap and then tap 'swap collection' towards the bottom of the page. You will be able to swap your slot only with another Food Waste Hero collecting at the same store.
⚠️ FWHs cannot swap slots without consent. FWHs that swap slots without written consent in the squad chat from the person they are swapping with, will receive a formal warning.
What if the FWH who stepped forward to cover my skipped/paused collection can no longer make it? Would this count as a missed collection for me?
No, it would count against their profile instead.
For a few business where volunteers have to call to confirm collection, if a skipped or paused slot is not claimed, it is the responsibility of the FWH who was originally assigned to inform the store that unfortunately there will be no collection.
In the event that no FWH was assigned to the collection slot, it is the Squad Captain responsibility to call the store.
Who can claim my skipped or paused slot?
A message will go out into your squad's group chat when you skip or pause your slot to see if anyone from within the squad can cover the cover slot internally first. But any Food Waste Hero who has completed their training will also be able to claim cover slots via the Volunteer Hub. This means that a Food Waste Hero from outside your squad may join your group chat temporarily whilst the cover is ongoing.
Do I still need to arrange cover if I pause any upcoming collections?
The app will do this for you. Once you’ve paused any upcoming collections on the Volunteer Hub, Olio's Little Helper will offer local FWHs the chance to claim it. When someone claims your skipped or paused slot, they will get automatically added to the group chat
What should I do if I miss my collection?
If you do miss a collection without skipping or pausing your slot in the Volunteer Hub, please follow the steps describe in the dedicated FAQ: Missed Collections