Real Native Volunteer Portal Android App -- 2
Budget: £250 – £750 GBP
**Project Title:** Build a Native Volunteer Portal App — No WebView / No Wrapper
**Project Overview**
We are looking for an experienced mobile app developer to build a dedicated native mobile app for our existing Volunteer Portal.
This must be a real native app, not a WebView, browser wrapper, Capacitor app, or simple packaged website. The app should connect to our existing Volunteer Portal backend/API and provide volunteers with a clean, reliable mobile experience.
The existing Volunteer Portal is already live as a web-based system. The purpose of this project is to create a proper mobile app version of that portal, maintaining the same core functionality while improving the mobile experience.
**Important Requirement**
This project is **not** for a wrapper app.
We do **not** want:
* WebView-only apps
* Browser wrapper apps
* Capacitor/Cordova/Ionic wrappers
* Apps that simply load the existing website
We want:
* A proper native app
* Native screens and navigation
* API-based communication with the existing backend
* Secure authentication/session handling
* Mobile-first UX
**Platform Requirement**
Initially, we are looking for an **Android app**, with the possibility of iOS later.
Please state whether you can also support iOS in future, but the first deliverable should focus on Android.
**Existing System**
The Volunteer Portal already includes features such as:
* Volunteer login
* Volunteer dashboard
* Rota / availability submission
* Training information and bookings
* Volunteer profile information
* Community/news posts
* Agreements/policies
* Notifications or important updates
* Admin-managed content from the existing web portal
The app must integrate with the existing backend rather than replacing the current system.
**Core App Features Required**
The native app should include:
1. **Secure Login**
* Volunteer login using existing credentials
* Secure session/token handling
* Logout function
* Appropriate error handling for failed login or expired sessions
2. **Volunteer Dashboard**
* Clear summary of key volunteer information
* Upcoming rota/availability status
* Training status where applicable
* Important notices or alerts
3. **Rota / Availability**
* View upcoming volunteer dates
* Submit availability or unavailability
* Reflect existing portal rules, deadlines, and locked states
4. **Training**
* View required or available training
* View booked sessions
* Book/cancel training where permitted by the existing backend rules
* Show training status clearly
5. **Community / Updates**
* View community posts or volunteer updates
* Support post images where applicable
* Read comments/reactions if supported by the backend
* Keep the design modern, clean, and easy to use
6. **Policies / Agreements**
* View agreements or policy documents
* Show outstanding agreements requiring action
* Support acknowledgement/acceptance where required
7. **Profile**
* View volunteer profile details
* Display status and key volunteer information
* Support safe update options only where allowed by the existing backend
8. **Notifications**
* In-app notification area
* Push notification support if practical
* Important updates should be visible even if push notifications are not enabled at first release
**Design Expectations**
The app should feel modern, clean, and purpose-built.
We want:
* Native Android UI
* Clear bottom navigation or equivalent native navigation
* Simple volunteer-friendly layout
* Accessibility-conscious design
* Consistent branding with our existing portal
* Fast loading and good error states
* Clear empty states, loading states, and offline/connection error messaging
The app should not feel like an admin dashboard squeezed onto a phone.
**Technical Expectations**
The developer should be comfortable with:
* Native Android development, preferably Kotlin
* REST API integration
* Secure authentication
* Push notifications
* Local caching where appropriate
* Clean app architecture
* Git/version control
* Preparing builds for testing and release
* Producing maintainable code
If existing APIs need to be adjusted or created, the developer should be able to advise clearly what endpoints are required.
**Security Requirements**
The app must:
* Use secure HTTPS communication
* Avoid storing passwords locally
* Store tokens securely
* Handle expired sessions safely
* Avoid exposing sensitive volunteer data unnecessarily
* Not hard-code secrets into the app
* Follow sensible Android security practices
**Deliverables**
The expected deliverables are:
* Native Android app source code
* Buildable Android Studio project
* APK/AAB test build
* Clear setup instructions
* API integration notes
* List of any backend changes required
* Basic testing notes
* Support for initial bug fixes after testing
**Preferred Development Approach**
We would prefer the project to be delivered in phases:
**Phase 1 — Discovery / API Review**
* Review existing Volunteer Portal functionality
* Confirm available backend/API endpoints
* Identify missing endpoints required for the app
* Produce a short technical implementation plan
**Phase 2 — App Foundation**
* Native app structure
* Login/session handling
* Main navigation
* Dashboard screen
* Basic API connection
**Phase 3 — Core Volunteer Features**
* Rota/availability
* Training
* Profile
* Agreements/policies
* Community/updates
**Phase 4 — Polish and Testing**
* Error states
* Loading states
* Push notifications if included
* UI polish
* Bug fixes
* Test build delivery
**What We Need From Applicants**
Please include in your proposal:
* Confirmation that this will be a real native app, not a wrapper
* Examples of native Android apps you have built
* Your recommended tech stack
* Your approach to API integration
* Whether you can support future iOS development
* Estimated timeline
* Fixed price or milestone-based pricing
* Any questions you need answered before starting
**Important Note**
Please do not apply if your proposal is to simply package the existing website into an app. We already have web-based access. This project is specifically to create a dedicated native mobile app for volunteers.
**Project Overview**
We are looking for an experienced mobile app developer to build a dedicated native mobile app for our existing Volunteer Portal.
This must be a real native app, not a WebView, browser wrapper, Capacitor app, or simple packaged website. The app should connect to our existing Volunteer Portal backend/API and provide volunteers with a clean, reliable mobile experience.
The existing Volunteer Portal is already live as a web-based system. The purpose of this project is to create a proper mobile app version of that portal, maintaining the same core functionality while improving the mobile experience.
**Important Requirement**
This project is **not** for a wrapper app.
We do **not** want:
* WebView-only apps
* Browser wrapper apps
* Capacitor/Cordova/Ionic wrappers
* Apps that simply load the existing website
We want:
* A proper native app
* Native screens and navigation
* API-based communication with the existing backend
* Secure authentication/session handling
* Mobile-first UX
**Platform Requirement**
Initially, we are looking for an **Android app**, with the possibility of iOS later.
Please state whether you can also support iOS in future, but the first deliverable should focus on Android.
**Existing System**
The Volunteer Portal already includes features such as:
* Volunteer login
* Volunteer dashboard
* Rota / availability submission
* Training information and bookings
* Volunteer profile information
* Community/news posts
* Agreements/policies
* Notifications or important updates
* Admin-managed content from the existing web portal
The app must integrate with the existing backend rather than replacing the current system.
**Core App Features Required**
The native app should include:
1. **Secure Login**
* Volunteer login using existing credentials
* Secure session/token handling
* Logout function
* Appropriate error handling for failed login or expired sessions
2. **Volunteer Dashboard**
* Clear summary of key volunteer information
* Upcoming rota/availability status
* Training status where applicable
* Important notices or alerts
3. **Rota / Availability**
* View upcoming volunteer dates
* Submit availability or unavailability
* Reflect existing portal rules, deadlines, and locked states
4. **Training**
* View required or available training
* View booked sessions
* Book/cancel training where permitted by the existing backend rules
* Show training status clearly
5. **Community / Updates**
* View community posts or volunteer updates
* Support post images where applicable
* Read comments/reactions if supported by the backend
* Keep the design modern, clean, and easy to use
6. **Policies / Agreements**
* View agreements or policy documents
* Show outstanding agreements requiring action
* Support acknowledgement/acceptance where required
7. **Profile**
* View volunteer profile details
* Display status and key volunteer information
* Support safe update options only where allowed by the existing backend
8. **Notifications**
* In-app notification area
* Push notification support if practical
* Important updates should be visible even if push notifications are not enabled at first release
**Design Expectations**
The app should feel modern, clean, and purpose-built.
We want:
* Native Android UI
* Clear bottom navigation or equivalent native navigation
* Simple volunteer-friendly layout
* Accessibility-conscious design
* Consistent branding with our existing portal
* Fast loading and good error states
* Clear empty states, loading states, and offline/connection error messaging
The app should not feel like an admin dashboard squeezed onto a phone.
**Technical Expectations**
The developer should be comfortable with:
* Native Android development, preferably Kotlin
* REST API integration
* Secure authentication
* Push notifications
* Local caching where appropriate
* Clean app architecture
* Git/version control
* Preparing builds for testing and release
* Producing maintainable code
If existing APIs need to be adjusted or created, the developer should be able to advise clearly what endpoints are required.
**Security Requirements**
The app must:
* Use secure HTTPS communication
* Avoid storing passwords locally
* Store tokens securely
* Handle expired sessions safely
* Avoid exposing sensitive volunteer data unnecessarily
* Not hard-code secrets into the app
* Follow sensible Android security practices
**Deliverables**
The expected deliverables are:
* Native Android app source code
* Buildable Android Studio project
* APK/AAB test build
* Clear setup instructions
* API integration notes
* List of any backend changes required
* Basic testing notes
* Support for initial bug fixes after testing
**Preferred Development Approach**
We would prefer the project to be delivered in phases:
**Phase 1 — Discovery / API Review**
* Review existing Volunteer Portal functionality
* Confirm available backend/API endpoints
* Identify missing endpoints required for the app
* Produce a short technical implementation plan
**Phase 2 — App Foundation**
* Native app structure
* Login/session handling
* Main navigation
* Dashboard screen
* Basic API connection
**Phase 3 — Core Volunteer Features**
* Rota/availability
* Training
* Profile
* Agreements/policies
* Community/updates
**Phase 4 — Polish and Testing**
* Error states
* Loading states
* Push notifications if included
* UI polish
* Bug fixes
* Test build delivery
**What We Need From Applicants**
Please include in your proposal:
* Confirmation that this will be a real native app, not a wrapper
* Examples of native Android apps you have built
* Your recommended tech stack
* Your approach to API integration
* Whether you can support future iOS development
* Estimated timeline
* Fixed price or milestone-based pricing
* Any questions you need answered before starting
**Important Note**
Please do not apply if your proposal is to simply package the existing website into an app. We already have web-based access. This project is specifically to create a dedicated native mobile app for volunteers.