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While there are many opportunities for volunteering available generally, a key question is how will your club attract and motivate volunteers? There are some simple steps you can take in this regard.
- Be enthusiastic about your volunteering opportunities
- While not every job needs a detailed job description there should be clarity around the role expected of the volunteer in all cases.
- You should regularly review volunteers in their roles to see whether their needs are being met as much as the club's needs. You should also encourage them to take on more responsibilities on a gradual basis but only if they would like to and if they are in a position to commit to the extra role. Just because a particular volunteer might be regarded as very competent does not mean that they should be asked (coerced?) to take on more responsibilities. For many volunteers this can be the straw to break the camel's back and the beginning of an exodus from all volunteering. It is critical to remember that for most volunteers time is the greatest barrier to their volunteering efforts - see below for more on barriers.
- Provide training and support for volunteers.
- Provide mentors to give new volunteers support and confidence. Also, make sure that the volunteer can always go to someone for advice, or for opportunities to engage with others, or to learn new skills, gain experience, feedback and recognition. Remember: volunteers want access to bodies with knowledge not just bodies of knowledge (written material).
- Communicate to all in the club the importance of the volunteer in the success of the club.
- Align the volunteers' role with the club's overall objectives.
- Have regular social events for volunteers and make sure they are invited to general events.
- Ask people. Most volunteers say they were recruited because somebody asked them if they were interested in helping. This doesn't mean just putting up a notice. People like to be asked personally as they feel more valued.
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