Mutual Aid Shift Planner

Build a volunteer coverage proposal that respects individual limits. Match availability to community shifts, prioritise hard-to-cover slots, and reveal staffing gaps rather than silently double-booking helpers.

A proposed rota, not real-time dispatch or proof of safe coverage. Arrange safeguarding and any checks required for roles; the tool does not verify identities, qualifications or overlapping real-world times. Browser-only worksheet: no uploads, accounts or automatic saving. Use one agreed master copy; this is not a synchronised multi-user service. Export before closing and share only with consent.

One line: unique alias | skill | maximum shifts | available slot IDs separated by commas

One line: unique slot ID | required skill | people needed

How this works and what it cannot do

Process shifts with the fewest eligible volunteers first, then assign eligible volunteers with the least current load relative to their maximum. Ties use input order. Each volunteer can work once per slot ID and never exceeds their limit. This greedy heuristic does not guarantee optimal coverage. Slot IDs must represent non-overlapping time windows.

Agree participation, decision rules and responsibilities locally. These tools do not guarantee prosperity, check legal compliance or replace essential public services. No government funding or administration is assumed.