Running for Resilience

Running for Resilience organises community running events in Canberra as part of a mission to make Canberra suicide-free. Every event needs volunteers: marshals to guide runners, people to set up, water station crews and finish-line staff.

Filling those roles used to mean spreadsheets, group chat threads and a last-minute scramble. Coordinators would post a roster in a chat, hope people claimed roles, chase those who went quiet and deal with no-shows on the morning. It was slow, unreliable and took time away from the actual event.

The app replaces the spreadsheet with a clean roster screen. Each event shows a list of roles: Marshal, Setup, Water station, Finish line. Tap a role card and you are signed up. The app tracks who is qualified for each role and only shows roles you are eligible for.

Coordinators see the roster fill in real time. If a role is empty, it is immediately obvious.

Two hours before the event, every volunteer gets an automatic SMS with their role and start time. If someone drops out before the event, the reminder cancels itself. No manual follow-up, no wondering who is actually coming.

Coordinators do not chase anyone. The app does it.

The roster app removes the spreadsheet-and-group-chat chaos from every event. Volunteers self-serve, coordinators see filled roles at a glance and the automated SMS means fewer no-shows without anyone having to send a single manual message.

It is a small product with a clear job: make it easy for good people to show up and help.