Why it helps
Volunteers keep clubs and events going, but sorting who's doing what is a juggle. Half the replies come by text, some by Facebook, and someone always can't do Saturday morning. Then you need to remind everyone and thank them properly afterwards.
AI can turn your list of jobs and who's available into a simple roster table, flag the gaps, and write the reminder and thank-you messages in a friendly tone. You check it, make the calls on any clashes, and send it from your usual group chat or email.
The prompt
Copy it, swap the bits in [square brackets], and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot.
I'm organising volunteers for [event or club activity, e.g. our school gala] in [town], New Zealand, on [date]. Help me build a roster and the messages to go with it. - Make a roster table with columns: time, job, location, volunteer, notes. - Use only the jobs, times and names I've given. Don't add volunteers or make up availability. - Respect each person's availability exactly. If a shift can't be filled, mark it "GAP" and list the gaps at the end. - Try to keep people to the number of shifts they offered, and spread the busy jobs around. - Then write a short, friendly reminder message for the day before (with their shift, where to go and who to ask), and a warm thank-you message for after the event. - NZ English, casual and kind. Keep the messages short enough for a text or group chat. Jobs and times: [list each job, time slot and how many people it needs] Volunteers and availability: [first names and when they can help] Other details: [where to meet, what to bring, contact person]
Then keep chatting
Swap [name] and [name] around and update the table.
Write a short message asking for help to fill the gaps.
Make a version of the reminder for people who are on the early setup shift.
Make the thank-you message a bit longer for our newsletter, without naming anyone who hasn't agreed to it.
Step by step
- List the jobs, time slots and how many people each needs. Collect availability from your volunteers, first names are enough.
- Copy the prompt, fill in the [square brackets] and paste your lists.
- Check the table. Make sure nobody's on two jobs at once and everyone's availability is right.
- Sort out the gaps yourself, by asking around or using the "fill the gaps" follow-up.
- Paste the table into your group chat, email or a shared sheet. Send the reminder the day before and the thank-you after.
Worked example
Example details are made up. Your results will vary, so always read and check before you use them.
Watch out for
- Privacy: you only need first names and availability. Don't paste phone numbers, emails or personal reasons people can't help, and don't publish the roster with names on a public page without asking first (privacy.org.nz).
- Check the roster yourself before sending. AI can double-book someone or quietly ignore an availability note.
- If kids are volunteering, or volunteers are working with children, follow your school or club's own policies on supervision and safety checks.
- For any job with a safety risk, like the barbecue or lifting tables, give a quick briefing on the day. Your club or school may have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. See worksafe.govt.nz for guidance for volunteer groups.
Go further
Keep the roster as a template for next year, and note which shifts were hard to fill. A shared Google Sheet with the jobs listed lets people put their own names down, and you can paste it into AI each time to check for gaps. The weekly-staff-roster use case works the same way for regular weekly shifts.
