Volunteer Management
The sport of Little Athletics relies heavily on the unpaid work of volunteers. Their contributions are invaluable, with our sport heavily reliant on volunteers to operate and deliver the sport. Thus maintaining the interest and attraction of volunteers is vital. This can be achieved through planning your centres future needs for volunteers to target for recruitment and making your centre a welcoming and safe place that people want to stay involved in. The resources below will help your centre to do that.
Volunteer Recruitment
Volunteer recruitment will dictate the sustainability of a Centre. It is important to understand each individuals reasons and motivations for volunteering, to help ensure they are satisfied and rewarded.
The best potential volunteers are those who already are associated with your Centre; athletes, past athletes, parents or friends. A good starting point is attracting these individuals as they already know your Centres culture, rules and programs.
Recruiting Volunteers Ideas.
Produce volunteer information kits – include details on volunteers at the Centre, job descriptions and Centre background material.
Promote your Centre via social media and posters, pamphlets and flyers around the community.
Organise “recruitment” drives using current volunteers to promote the club and its activities.
Promote your Centre and its activities to secondary and university students of Physical Education and Leisure Studies.
Approach recruitment in several ways, targeting each target group differently i.e. young, older, unemployed, studying.
Top 3 Tips for Recruiting Volunteers
Volunteer Recognition & Reward
Saying thank you goes a long way and it is vital volunteers are valued, appreciated and recognised. There are many ways that volunteers can be recognised and rewarded. At the commencement of each season your centre should plan ways to recognise your volunteers, throughout the season.
Ways to recognise your volunteers:
BBQ for the volunteers
recognising outstanding volunteers in the newsletter
having a volunteer of the month
buying a small recognition gift
a certificate
thank you notes
recognise birthdays
Keep your eyes pilled on our website for chances to recognise your volunteers for external Centre awards, such as LANSW annual conference Awards, Coles Programs recognition and initiatives your centre can get involved in during National Volunteer Week.