Getting started

What will I learn?
This module identifies key strategies to identifying and recruiting potential volunteers from your membership and supporter base.

How long will it take?
‍This module will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Who should complete this module?
This module is designed for club leaders responsible for recruiting and coordinating club volunteers.

Excel Doc

Section 1

Identifying Volunteer Gaps

Review Volunteer Roles Audit (see module 1)

Identify vacant roles or roles that may becomevacant in near future

Categorise Vacant Roles

As per the roles audit discussed in Module 1, roles shouldbe separated into two categories:

Seasonal / ongoing roles

Seasonal or ongoing roles are a season long commitment, examples include: committee member, coach, team manager, canteen manager, gameday administrator

Casual / roster-based roles

Casual or roster-based roles are roles that are required to be filled on a weekly/monthly basis but do not necessarily need to be completed by the same person every time, examples include: canteen shift volunteer, timekeeper, umpire, admission/gate attendant

Section 2

Volunteer Registration Survey

A club’s membership is the primary location for sourcing volunteers for the club.
To gauge the general willingness and availability of members to take on volunteer roles it is useful to undertake a general survey of the membership regarding volunteerism.
Prepare and distribute a volunteer registration survey to be completed by members and supporters.
The results of the survey will provide a register of members that are willing to undertake a volunteer role that meets their skills and availability.
TOP TIP: Include the survey as part of the club’s membership registration process.

‍

Section 3

Additionally, utilise a digital survey platformto streamline the distribution of the survey to the membership base and clubsupporters:

Include link on social media
Include QR code directing members to the surveyin club newsletters
Provide QR codes on club noticeboards and ontables at club functions
Email and message the survey link directly tomembers and participants
Provide some hard copies for those who cannotaccess the survey digitally

Section 4

The survey should include the following questions as a minimum

2. If yes, how much of your time would you be willing to offer the club each week?

Very low 1-2 hrs/month
Low 1-2 hrs/week
Medium 2-5 hrs/week
High 5+ hrs/week

3. What roles, tasks, and/orareas of club operations would you be interested to volunteer (please selectall that apply)?

Executive Committee Role (E.g. President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer)
General Committee Role (E.g. Junior Coordinator, Senior Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator)
Gameday Administration/Coordination Role
Casual Gameday Volunteer roles: (E.g. Timekeeper, scoreboard, umpire, canteen)
Team/club volunteer role: (E.g. Coach, Team Manager)
Administrative Volunteer Roles (E.g. Child Safety Officer, grants officer, fundraising, sponsorship)
Communications and social media
Events and functions
Facility and Equipment maintenance
Hospitality: (E.g. Bar Manager, Canteen Manager)
Casual Hospitality Volunteer Roles: (Canteen staff, gate attendants, bar staff)
List any other volunteer roles/tasks you would be interested in doing: ______________________

4. If you are already volunteering at the Association/a club please list the role/s and/or task/s you are responsible for?

Allow the volunteer to enter in their current responsibilities

5. Please provide your name and best contact details: phone number and/or email address.

Allow the volunteer to enter in their contact details.

Section 5

Organise the responses to the survey into a digitalspreadsheet, see below for an example:

Section 6

Recruiting for Seasonal/Ongoing Volunteer Roles

A primary challenge for recruiting volunteers is members notknowing what they are putting their hand up to volunteer for.

For seasonal roles where there may be multiple aspects tothe role. In these instances, preparing volunteer role descriptions can helpdemystify the roles and responsibilities of certain volunteer roles.

For templates of volunteer role descriptions visit:

https://www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au/sport-volunteering/resources/

Section 7

Techniques to recruit and induct volunteers for Seasonal and Ongoing roles.

Shoulder Tap

The most effective approach to volunteer recruitment, especially for seasonal and ongoing roles, is approaching members that have indicated a willingness to volunteer and asking them to fill a specific role that aligns to their skills and time availability.
As part of this conversation provide the potential candidate with a pre-prepared role description which highlights the key tasks, time commitment, and the people they can seek support from while undertaking the role.

Induction Meeting

For new volunteers arrange a time to meet and discuss the key requirements and responsibilities of the role.

Role Networks

Connect volunteers that are new to a seasonal role with other experienced volunteers in similar or aligned roles as per the club’s volunteer chart.

Mentorship

Ensure all new seasonal volunteers are partneredwith an experienced volunteer to support the initial familiarisation andinduction to a role.

Section 8

Techniques to recruit volunteers for Casual and Roster-based roles

As with seasonal/ongoing roles it is important for casual/roster-based roles that incoming volunteers are aware of the requirements of the role. In this instance role descriptions may be too overwhelming for a casual volunteer, however a simple guide, checklist, or instructional manual may help.

Casual Role Guides and Instructions

For casual roles that require instruction develop short checklists/instructional guides on how to fulfill the role (Eg. timekeeping, goal umpiring etc)

Rosters

Create rosters which people can sign up to or be assigned. These sign-up forms can be in either hard copy sheets that are visible at the club or on a digital platform which can be promoted via the club’s social media platforms.
See for example: https://volunteersignup.org/

Advertise

Advertise role vacancies through club communications

Social Media
Team and participant group chats
Club Events
At training/game day
Newsletters
Club emails
Club Noticeboard
Announcements at club functions/dinners

Advertise role vacancies through community communications

Local newspapers
Club social media channels
School newsletters
Public noticeboards

Review Volunteer Register

For members/supporters who have identified that they would be willing to fill casual roles ensure they are sent direct communications and links via the contact details they supplied on the volunteer registration survey.

Make Volunteering an Expectation of Club Membership

Create rosters for teams/participants with an expectation that participants are required to find someone to fill the role for a certain week (e.g. Parent, guardian, family member or friend)
- This style of rostering creates an expectation that all club members are responsible for volunteering and helps promote a culture of volunteering

Section 9

Incentives for volunteering

There are different types of incentives that clubs can offer, to entice people to take on volunteer roles. Any relevant incentives should be promoted and/or articulated when advertising to, speaking with, and recruiting potential volunteers.

Intrinsic Incentives

Social connection
Sense of belonging
Giving back to the club
Contributing to success
Celebrated for their contribution

Practical Incentives

Personal development
Professional development
Experience/referees

Monetised Incentives

Free/discounted entry to games/events/functions
Subsidised membership
Free/discounted meals/drinks
Dedicated club social event focused oncelebrating all volunteers
Paid club roles

Section 10

Retention through Recognition

Volunteer Recognition – Celebrating a Culture of Volunteering

Recognising the contributions made by volunteers plays an important role in creating a culture of volunteerism.

Recognition involves regularly acknowledging small volunteer contributions as well as annually acknowledging large contributions.

Recognition needs to be embedded in club culture so that all volunteer efforts are regularly acknowledged.

When a club regularly recognises small volunteer contributions as well as major contributions, the idea of volunteering is presented as more achievable, normal, and less daunting.

Regularly recognising small contributions promotes a culture of volunteerism which in effect makes annual recognition of major volunteer contributions more significant.

Section 11

What does regular recognition of small volunteer contributions look like?

Thanking someone personally and/or publicly for helping with a volunteer task
Weekly volunteer acknowledgment posts on the club’s social media
Volunteer of the week awards – the week nominees may then be eligible for volunteer of the year award at the end of the season
Volunteer profiles in newsletters and on social media
Players and coaches thanking the umpires or officials after a game, event, or competition
Coaches thanking team managers and support volunteers after matches

What does annual recognition of major volunteer contributions look like?

Awarding life membership to a long serving volunteer
Volunteer of the year
Junior volunteer of the year
Club person of the year

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Module 2

Volunteer Onboarding and Recruiting