VolunteerLink - Connecting Volunteers & Organizers

VolunteerLink is a full-stack web application designed to streamline the process of volunteer management. It provides a platform for non-profits and event organizers to create volunteering opportunities and for volunteers to find and sign up for events that match their interests and availability.

---

✨ Features

This platform offers distinct functionalities for both organizers (Admins) and Volunteers:

For Event Organizers (Admins):

• 🔑 Secure Login: Dedicated administrator login.
• 📅 Event Creation & Management: Easily create, update, view, and delete volunteer events (title, date, location, description).
• 💰 Optional Stipend: Specify if an event offers compensation/stipend to volunteers.
• ✅ Signup Management: View lists of applicants per event, approve or reject applications.
• 💬 Admin Feedback: Send messages to volunteers upon approval/rejection or cancellation.
• ❌ Cancel Signups: Cancel pending or approved volunteer signups with a reason.
• 👤 View Volunteer Profiles: Access detailed profiles of registered volunteers.
• 📊 CSV Reporting: Download participation reports for events.

For Volunteers:

• 🔑 Secure Login & Detailed Registration: Register with basic info plus volunteer-specific details (skills, availability, interests).
• 🔍 Event Discovery: Browse and search upcoming volunteer opportunities (search by location and/or date).
• 📄 Apply for Events: Simple application process for events.
• 📋 My Events Dashboard: Track application status (Pending, Approved, Rejected, Cancelled) and view admin messages/reasons.
• ❌ Cancel Signup: Cancel own pending/approved signups before the event deadline (12 hours) with a reason.
• 👤 Profile Management: View and update basic contact information.

---

🎯 Project Objective & Scope

Objective: To create an efficient, centralized platform that simplifies the connection and coordination between event organizers needing volunteers and individuals seeking volunteering opportunities.

Scope:

• User authentication and role management (Admin, Volunteer).
• Full CRUD operations for events by Admins.
• Volunteer application workflow including admin approval/rejection/cancellation with messaging.
• Volunteer self-cancellation with time restrictions.
• Basic profile management and viewing capabilities.
• Event search functionality for volunteers.
• CSV report generation for admins.
• Out of Scope (Current Version): Advanced matching algorithms, real-time chat, payment processing, complex analytics dashboards, cloud file storage, advanced security (JWT/OAuth).

---

🛠️ Technologies Used

• Frontend: (TypeScript, HTML, CSS)
• Backend: (Java)
• Database:
• API Style: RESTful APIs

---

📋 Prerequisites & Setup

Before running this project, ensure you have the following installed:

• Java Development Kit (JDK): Version 17 or later.
• Maven: Version 3.6 or later (for building the backend).
• Node.js & npm: Latest LTS version recommended (for running the frontend). Check compatibility with your Angular version.
• Angular CLI: npm install -g @angular/cli (Use version compatible with the project, e.g., v17).
• MySQL Server: Running instance of MySQL (v5.7 or v8.x recommended).

---

⚙️ Installation & Execution

1. Database Setup:

• Connect to your MySQL server.
• Create the database: CREATE DATABASE volunteer_db_v2; (or your chosen name).
• (Optional but recommended) Create a dedicated user and grant privileges.
• The tables will be created/updated automatically by Spring Boot JPA (ddl-auto=update) on first run. Alternatively, manually run the SQL script found in Database Schema Section (or provide path to your .sql file).

2. Backend (Spring Boot):

• Navigate to the volunteer-signup-backend directory.
• Configure Database: Open src/main/resources/application.properties.
  • Update spring.datasource.url if your database name or host/port is different.
  • Update spring.datasource.username and spring.datasource.password with your MySQL credentials.
• Build: Run mvn clean install
• Run: Execute mvn spring-boot:run or run the generated JAR file (java -jar target/volunteer-signup-backend-*.jar).
• The backend server should start on http://localhost:8080.

3. Frontend (Angular):

• Navigate to the volunteer-signup-frontend directory.
• Install Dependencies: Run npm install.
• (Verify API URL): Check src/environments/environment.ts and ensure apiUrl points to your running backend (e.g., 'http://localhost:8080/api').
• Run: Execute ng serve -o.
• This will build the frontend and open it in your default browser, usually at http://localhost:4200.

4. Accessing the Application:

• Open http://localhost:4200 in your browser.
• Register as an Admin and/or Volunteer to start using the system.

---

🗄️ Database Schema Overview

users Table:

• Stores core user information (ID, name, email, hashed password, role) and detailed profile fields for both Admins (organization, designation, etc.) and Volunteers (skills, availability, etc.). Uses nullable columns for role-specific data.

events Table:

• Contains details about volunteering events (ID, title, date, description, location, stipend, creator ID).

volunteer_signups Table:

• Links users (Volunteers) to events.
• Tracks application status (pending, approved, rejected, cancelled).
• Stores admin feedback/messages and cancellation reasons/timestamps.
• Includes a unique constraint on user_id and event_id.

---

🚀 Future Scope

• Advanced Event Filtering & Search (Skills, Radius, Cause).
• Real-time Notifications (In-App, Email/SMS).
• Skill-Based Volunteer Matching Suggestions.
• Calendar Integration (iCal, Google Calendar).
• Enhanced Admin Dashboards & Analytics.
• Cloud Storage for Images (AWS S3, Azure Blob).
• Robust Authentication (JWT/OAuth2).

---

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Thank you for checking out VolunteerLink!