This presentation delivered at a plenary session during the Government OR conference gives an overview of the O.R. Society as well as two of its volunteers schemes: Pro Bono O.R. & O.R. in Schools. It also includes 2 exampled case studies from GORS volunteers who have carried out Pro Bono projects

1. The OR Society
TUESDAY 1st November2016
Louise Allison, Strategic Projects Manager
Felicity McLeister, ORS Pro Bono Project Manager

2. Session Overview
The OR Society Louise Allison
Pro Bono O.R. Felicity McLeister
Shamim Rahman
Jamie Douglas
O.R. is Schools Louise Allison
Hazel Challenger

3. How can The OR Society support
you?
 Would you like to meet other people
working in O.R. outside government?
 Would you like to develop your
understanding of O.R?
 Would you like opportunities to develop
your CV?

4. The OR Society – what’s it do?
Advances knowledge:
 Conferences & events
 Publications
 JORS, KMRP, JOS, EJIS, HS
 Regional Societies, Special
Interest Groups & Analytics
Network
 Training courses
Markets the profession
 Impact magazine
 Websites
 Business community
 Schools and careers
Works for members
 Inside O.R. Magazine
 Volunteering opportunities
 O.R. in Schools
 Pro Bono O.R.
 Accreditation:
 CandORS, AORS, AFORS,
FORS

5. Networking
Take advantage of the O.R. community through networking
opportunities
Regional Societies
Keep in touch with O.R. people in your part of the country
Special Interest Groups
Keep up to date with what’s going on in your areas of interest
MORS Midland OR Society
YHORG Yorkshire & Humberside OR
Group
NWORG North Western OR Group
NEORG North Eastern OR Group
ORGS OR Group of Scotland
LASEORS London & South East OR
Society
SORG Southern OR Group
WORDS Western OR Discussion Society
SWORDS South Wales OR Discussion
Society
EMORG East Midlands OR Group
Analytics Network
Behavioural O.R.
Criminal Justice
Decision Analysis
Defence
Health & Social Services
O.R. and Strategy
Public Policy Design
Simulation
Third Sector O.R.

6. Accreditation & Chartership
CandORS Candidate Associate of The OR Society
For those either completing a degree with a substantial O.R. content or
starting their first employment in O.R.
AORS Associate of The OR Society
For recent entrants with a couple of years in O.R., post first degree
AFORS Associate Fellow of The OR Society
For those with a successful track record in O.R. extending over at least five
years
FORS Fellow of The OR Society
For those with a significant record of achievement extending over ten years or
more in O.R.
Chartered Scientist – coming soon!

7. Why don’t you join and
be part of the OR Society?

8. Pro Bono O.R.
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
FOR THE THIRD SECTOR
Contact
Email: felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com
Phone: 0121 234 7826

9. What is Pro Bono O.R.?

10. How it works:
Organisations
 Expression of interest
 Registration form
 Scoping conversation
 Project scope sent to volunteers
 Organisation selects volunteer
 Pre project survey
 Project proposal drawn up
 Project commences
 Feedback sought
 Post project survey

11. How it works: Volunteers
THE ROLE OF A
VOLUNTEER
 Work with organisation to
specify project
 Undertake project, either
individually or in teams
 Write up and/or present
their work wherever
appropriate
 Mentor junior volunteers
WHO ARE THE
VOLUNTEERS?
 O.R. / analytical
professionals
 Retired
 Consultants
 Government employees
 Employed professionals
 Academics

12. Types of Projects
 Strategic
planning/review
 Process
improvement
 Impact
measurement
 Data analysis
 Business planning
 Efficiency
improvement
 Options appraisal
 Decision making
 Scheduling
 Risk analysis

13. Achievements
PROJECTS
 90 projects advertised
 65 projects completed
 25 active projects
VOLUNTEERS
 Over 500 volunteers
 120 volunteers on
projects
 375 volunteer days
 Over £150,000 worth
of volunteer time

14. Who
we’ve
worked
with

15. Benefits of volunteering
Consultanc
y Skills
Build Your
CV
Making a Real
Difference
Work in a Different
Sector
Team
Building
Soft
Skills
Take Part
in the
Whole
Project
Cycle
Seeing how other
organisations work
Positive
Learning
Experienc
e
LearnNew
Skills
Unique
Opportunitie
s
Project
Management
Meeting
New People

16. Further Information
 Webpage:
www.theorsociety.com/Probono
 Blog:
http://probonoOR.blogspot.co.uk/
 Connect with me via:
@FMcLeister Felicity McLeister

17. Shamim Rahman & David Milson, Food Standards Agency
Pro bono O.R. case study:
Improving the effectiveness
of employer engagement at
Action West London

18. The Charity: Action West
London
Work Programme
Acton Town Centre
Street Market
Motivation Works
Brighter Futures
For Young People
Improving English
For Better Life
Opportunities
Ealing Parent’s
Involvement In
Children’s
Achievement
‘Directions West
London’ Project
Getting Over
Learning Difficulties
and Disabilities
NEETS 16-24

19. Enable Action West London to
understand how their employer
engagement processes can work
more effectively.
OR Society pro-
bono projects
Application form
and CVs
Acceptance of bid
Initial scoping
meeting
Project proposal
form
Workshop 1:
Process map of
current system
Validation of
process map
Review of data
and systems
Workshop 2:
Problems and
solutions
Validation of
problems and
solutions
Report and
presentation of
recommendations

21. Cause and effect analysis

22. No system
Scattergun approach
Lack of clarity
(on responsibilities)
Not best use of
vacancies
Conflict
between targets
and projects
No discussion
Not reading
emails
Pressure of
delayed
payments for
placing clients
One project
structure (Work
Programme)
Resistance to
change
Different
sources of
vacancies
Existence of
boundaries
Strict deadlines
Historical
No one to take
responsibility
Lack of time
Individual
priorities
Not a “relevant”
vacancy to me
Lack of
communication
Ishekawa Diagram

23. Benefits

24. Challenges

25. Jamie Douglas, DWP, jamie.douglas@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Pro bono O.R. case
study:
Social cost benefit
analysis

26. Scoping the project
Who?
What?
Where?
How?

27. Gathering the data
Case studies
Financial reports
Volumes

28. Analysis
Inputs/Outcomes
Equivalent values
Deadweight
Social return on
investment

29. Reporting

30. Next steps
Increase scope
Advise charity
Workshops
Apply learning
elsewhere

31. O.R. in Schools
MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE
Contact
Email: charlene.timewell@theorsociety.com
Phone: 0121 234 7819

32. The OR in Schools Project
 The aim of OR in Schools (ORiS) is to
raise awareness of OR with young people
and teachers
 Communicate the relevance of mathematics
 Highlight career choices
 ‘What is OR?’ DVD
 Dedicated website,
www.LearnAboutOR.co.uk

33. How are we currently getting
O.R. in Schools
 School visits by OR Society members and
people working in O.R./analytics
 Teaching resources
 Workshops at teacher conferences
 Networks with maths community

34. Making a REAL Difference
INTRODUCING
ALGORITHMS USING
BOARD GAMES
TEACHING LINEAR
PROGRAMMING USING
LEGO

35. 11 year olds
doing
graphical LP with
the Lego exercise

36. Volunteer for OR in Schools
 Go into a class and run an activity
 Give a careers talk
 Approach interested schools
 Support links between schools/colleges and the OR
Society
The Benefits:
 Networking
 Develop new skills and confidence
 Make a difference to young people
 Raise awareness of O.R.
 Counts towards OR Society accreditation

37. Support for Volunteers
 Hands on exercises
 Case studies
 Presentations
 Volunteer handbook & training
STEM Ambassadors
 Support people going into schools
 Induction training with other ambassadors
 Enhanced CRB check

38. How to get involved
 Contact a local school to offer your
services
 Your university or employer may have
outreach links already
 Register as a volunteer with The OR
Society
 email:
charlene.timewell@theorsociety.com

39. A Volunteer’s Perspective