Club People
Club People
What makes a club possible are the people involved, whether it is a volunteer running your club, a coach delivering a session or an athlete taking part. Having the right people with the right skills are vital to creating a successful and sustainable club.
Help finding volunteers – Once you know what roles you need to fill, and the skills needed, it may be worth considering.
Planning your recruitment drive:
- Decide who is going to be responsible for recruiting volunteers.
- Decide how many volunteers you need and exactly what you need volunteers to do?
- Decide how you will recruit your volunteers.
- Devise a list of qualities, skills, attributes, and interests that you want from volunteers.
- Outline what your club or sports organisation can offer to volunteers.
Marketing your volunteer opportunities
- Print posters, leaflets, and other printed materials.
- Word of mouth – speak to members or parents to see if they would be interested.
- Contact the local press, radio, and other media sources.
- Advertise on your club website or through your newsletter and email.
- Use local gala days.
- Connect to your networks.
What is special about your club or sports organisation? – Often volunteers not only attracted just to the role itself, but volunteering enables them to give something back to the local community. Make sure you understand what is special about your club as this will help you to attract volunteers and keep them.
Removing barriers – If you are not getting enough of the right volunteers, you need to think about what the possible barriers are preventing people from volunteering. This could include:
- The role is not clear enough.
- A lack of sensitivity to age, race, culture, religion, gender, or extra support needs.
- The need for references and disclosures.
- Publicity that does not stand out.
- Generic recruitment messages that do not appeal to anyone.
- Think internal as well as external for potential volunteers.
What do your volunteers need from your club?
Reviewing your club’s volunteer workforce regularly will help you support and retain volunteers:
- Appropriate and up to date coaching qualifications
- Appropriate insurance cover
- Safeguarding children and vulnerable groups & First Aid
- Check with you National Governing Body for more information as these vary between sports.
Recognising your volunteers
Simple, cost-effective ways to help retain and celebrate your volunteers include:
- Celebrating birthdays by sending a card or presenting them with a cake
- Celebrating length of service or milestones in the project like introducing a volunteer recognition certificate
- List volunteers in external and internal communications including newsletters, annual reports, or a website.
- Give them positive feedback from participants or parents.
- Fund volunteer training to show you are investing in them.
- Credit your volunteers in local and social media and newsletters.
- Introduce pathways to paid employment.
- Include your volunteers in planning discussions and consultations.
- Ensure volunteers are well informed of any new club developments and news.
More information and resources on retaining & supporting volunteers is available via the Sport England Buddle link. https://buddle.co/volunteers-support-resources
