JustSignup has a mascot now. His name is Scout, he's an Australian shepherd pup, and he takes a sign-up sheet more seriously than most people do.
Why a dog
The people who use JustSignup are the ones who show up. The PTA chair who runs nine events a year on one link. The nursery coordinator who has every Sunday covered by Wednesday. The volunteer who takes the 7 a.m. pantry shift because somebody has to.
We wanted a mascot that stood for that, and nothing stands for showing up like a dog. A dog doesn't volunteer because it was asked. It's at the door before you've found your keys.
What Scout stands for
Faithful. Scout shows up when he said he would, every time. That's the whole promise of a sign-up sheet, and it's the standard we hold our reminders to.
Glad to help. Nobody makes a dog fetch. Scout helps because he wants to, which is the spirit of every volunteer we build for.
Watches the gaps. A good herding dog notices the one that wandered off before anyone else does. Scout keeps an eye on the shift that's still empty and tells you early, calmly, while there's time to fill it.
Never nags. One reminder, kindly worded, the day before. Scout wouldn't pester a volunteer who is giving up a Saturday, and neither will we.
Says thank you. Every time. Volunteers don't get paid; they get noticed, or they don't come back.
Where you'll see him, and where you won't
Scout lives on the organizer's side of JustSignup: the homepage, your dashboard when it's empty, the page that says a link has expired. He waves, he peeks, and when there's nothing to do he naps.
You will never find him on your volunteers' sign-up form, in the emails that confirm a spot, or anywhere a form has gone wrong. Those moments need plain words and nothing else.
Tell us what you think
Scout is new. If he makes you smile, or if he's in your way, reply to any email from us and say so. We read every one.