Megan Thompson, Director of Programs and Innovation at Sunrise House, shares how the organization approached customization, staff training, and support after launch.
Introduction
Sunrise House worked with HelpSeeker to configure Mareto around the way its programs operate. The system needed to reflect the organization's shelter workflows, connect youth experience reporting across programs, and support its funder and accreditation requirements.
Megan first worked with HelpSeeker as a change management and evaluation consultant supporting the transition to Mareto. She now uses the system as Sunrise House's Director of Programs and Innovation, giving her a view of both the implementation process and day-to-day use.
Built Around Sunrise House's Work
Sunrise House did not want to reshape its programs around a standard system. HelpSeeker worked with the team to configure Mareto around its existing workflows and reporting needs.
"The HelpSeeker team worked with us to build Mareto around our unique shelter workflows rather than asking us to adapt our work to a one-size-fits-all system."
Megan Thompson, Director of Programs and Innovation, Sunrise House
The configuration included youth experience reporting across programs and the information Sunrise House needs for funders and accreditation.
Preparing Staff for the Change
Before launch, HelpSeeker held information sessions and demonstrations so staff could see the system and understand what they were moving toward. During implementation, the team offered group and one-on-one training at different times to accommodate Sunrise House's shifts.
Using Mareto Day to Day
Megan said staff have generally found Mareto intuitive because it follows their actual workflows. As staff began using the system, HelpSeeker continued to respond to questions and requests for changes.
"They continue to be responsive to 'can we add/change/move/tweak this' questions well into our implementation period."
Megan Thompson, Director of Programs and Innovation, Sunrise House
Working With a Team That Understands the Sector
For Megan, the difference was not limited to the system itself. She also valued working with people who understood why Sunrise House collects information and how that information supports service delivery.
"They understand both the data and the work."
Megan Thompson, Director of Programs and Innovation, Sunrise House
In Megan's Words
The statement below should be published in full. The shorter sections above help readers scan the case study, while this section preserves Megan's complete account.
"We've had a fantastic experience with Mareto! I think the biggest strength of working with HelpSeeker is that they understand both the data and the work. They aren't just a technology team trying to understand how we provide services, they genuinely understand the realities of social service delivery and the importance of the information we collect. That has made the process of building and problem-solving with them infinitely more enjoyable, but more importantly, it has resulted in systems and processes that are more useful, efficient, and aligned with how we actually work.
For us, that has translated into a highly customized system. The HelpSeeker team worked with us to build Mareto around our unique shelter workflows rather than asking us to adapt our work to a one-size-fits-all system. We've been able to build processes that reflect how our programs actually operate, including integrating youth experience reporting across programs and meeting our various funder and accreditation requirements.
The training and implementation support have also been excellent. Before we launched, HelpSeeker held several information sessions and demonstrations so our team could see the product and understand what we were moving toward. During implementation, they provided both group and one-on-one training, with training opportunities across different hours to accommodate all of our shifts.
Because the system has been built around our actual workflows, our staff have generally found it quite intuitive to use and follow. Their support has also extended well beyond the initial implementation. They have been exceptional communicators and have helped us work through problems as they come up, including some that have actually been related to our own internal workflows and bottlenecks. They continue to be responsive to 'can we add/change/move/tweak this' questions well into our implementation period.
Overall, we've been very happy with both the platform and the HelpSeeker team. The collaborative nature of the relationship has probably been the biggest difference for us. It feels much more like working with people who are invested in helping us solve problems and improve how we work than simply working with a software provider."Megan Thompson, Director of Programs and Innovation, Sunrise House
