Grow Your Own Volunteers by Alex Teasdale

Grow your own

VOLUNTEERS

EHB

Learn how to attract more helping hands and Grow Your Own Volunteers for your club

www.englandhockey.co.uk/gyo

Grow your own WHAT DOES YOUR CLUB NEED?

EHB

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

England Hockey Board (EHB) wants to encourage, support and nurture all hockey clubs in England to recruit, retain and reward their volunteers, staff and players and to take pride in their facilities and surroundings. Contents

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Volunteers and their vital role within sport

The benefits of volunteering

The volunteer

Analysis

Club development plan

Recruitment and training

A bit about the law

Volunteer pathway

Volunteers and their vital role within sport The England Hockey Board recognises that volunteers play a vital role in reaching objectives from grassroots through to international level and this information pack will provide you with information and ideas on how to recruit, retain and reward volunteers. Whether your club has a small number of teams, has a junior section, is a large club or a National League club this section provides clubs with information and ideas how to recruit, retain and reward volunteers.

a large number of club members only a small number of theses make up the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volunteering workforce. Some of these volunteers will have numerous roles within the club.

Clubs and organisations with an effective volunteer workforce find that they are better equipped to develop the club as a whole. Many clubs find that although they have

Volunteer roles and responsibilities will differ from club to club. Some of the more common roles are shown below but some clubs may have fewer roles than those shown and others may have additional roles to the ones displayed.

A typical club hierachy President

Welfare Officer

Chairperson

Secretary

Treasurer

KEY Executive Officers

Communications Manager

Development Co-ordinator

Social and fundraising secretary

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Youth Co-ordinator

Youth Managers

Youth Head Coach

Playing Co-ordinator

Senior Team Managers

Head Senior Coach

Communications and fundraising Seniors Development Youth

Assistant Coaches

Umpire Coordinator

The benefits of volunteering

Energy, inspiration and enthusiasm

Fun outside of school / work in a safe environment

Ensure the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainability

A sense of pride in the community

A healthy opportunity

Individual Club

More volunteers = greater skill sets

Ability to relate to other volunteers

Qualifications and skill acquisition

Social Development Attract other volunteers

The volunteer People volunteer for a variety of reasons and the amount of time that they are able to commit will differ from person to person. It is important for organisations to understand what factors might be limiting people or preventing from volunteering. It is important if clubs wish to attract, involve and retain more volunteers from across the community that they are able to identify possible barriers and eliminate them as much as possible. The diagram below shows the common reasons why people do not volunteer.

There are no clear role descriptions

I don't think I have the right skills

I didn't know the club needed volunteers

I have a disability

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t currently volunteer because...

I don't have transport to get there I didn't think I could because I claim benefits

I always get asked to do the same type of roles I do not like formal interviews

I have young children

I don't think I have enough time to commit to a role

I cannot financially afford to volunteer

Volunteers are never recognised for what they do

Analysis Clubs may find it beneficial to undertake a SWOT analysis as a simple method to provide a picture as to the current situation within the club. The SWOT analysis looks at the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats an organisation may face.

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

The information gathered within the analysis may act as a starting point for a club development plan as the club identifies areas which they wish to develop and puts together an action plan to counter against possible

weaknesses and threats. By identifying weaknesses and threats, the club can look to turn a weakness into a strength and a threat into an opportunity. An example of a club SWOT analysis is below.

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

ÖÖ Group of skilled volunteers ÖÖ Strong junior section ÖÖ Well qualified coaches ÖÖ Well equipped clubhouse ÖÖ Enthusiastic and capable committee ÖÖ Support from local businesses ÖÖ Annual events which drive income ÖÖ Large membership ÖÖ Growing Club ÖÖ Hosts Single System activity ÖÖ Strong Safeguarding procedures ÖÖ ClubsFirst accredited ÖÖ Support from local service organisations ÖÖ Reasonable membership fee and match fees

ÖÖ Few volunteers ÖÖ Out of date ill equipped club house ÖÖ Lack of qualified coaches ÖÖ Lack of umpires ÖÖ Fewer new members ÖÖ Lack of interest in the sport ÖÖ Overworked and tired committee ÖÖ Few volunteers ÖÖ No local business support ÖÖ High charges for pitch hire ÖÖ No support from local organisations ÖÖ Poor committee structure ÖÖ Disorganised junior section ÖÖ High membership fee and match fees

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

ÖÖ Grants by local authorities to encourage sport ÖÖ Organisations looking to sponsor local activities ÖÖ Seasonal interest in particular sports – hockey in the winter and cricket in the summer ÖÖ Promotion of sport to new potential users with the creation of a housing estate near by ÖÖ Possible club-school links ÖÖ Funding to up skill coaches available ÖÖ Opportunities to host a local event

ÖÖ Organisations giving up sponsoring sports to concentrate on other areas ÖÖ Seasonal interest in other sports in competition with hockey ÖÖ Time related issues such as competing for volunteers time ÖÖ Other organisations with a good set up and better facilities ÖÖ Lack of knowledge and interest in hockey ÖÖ Other sports and clubs competing for access time to playing facilities ÖÖ Increased costs of facility hire

Club development plan There are a wide range of factors to consider when createinga thriving club environment. Factors range from facility development, player development and developing people and volunteers. Creating a four year club development plan can aid clubs in setting out clear, long and short term objectives. The development plan can help a club identify what volunteer roles are required and from this, clubs can set time lines to aid with recruitment and planning.

Volunteer Action Plan. In order for this plan to be effective it should cover the following areas: ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

The EHB provides a template development plan which is free to download from www.englandhockey.co.uk. The template suggests the common areas where clubs require development and also gives a number of prompts for clubs to identify which objectives they wish to set. As one size does not fit all, this tool supports clubs in setting objectives which are specific to them in a development plan which will last for a four-year period.

What roles are required? Appoint a Volunteer Co-ordinator Appointing a volunteer co-ordinator will enable the club to take a proactive approach with regards to volunteering opportunities within the club. The volunteer co-ordinator, along with other club members, should be able to use the club development plan to identify which volunteer roles are required and when.

Volunteer Action Plan From the development plan, the volunteer co-ordinator (and possibly other club members) can draw together a

ÖÖ ÖÖ

What you need volunteers to do Role outlines/descriptions for each volunteer position How/where you are going to recruit your volunteers Methods of retaining existing volunteers How you will recognise and reward volunteers

The Grow Your Own calendar Spring falls at the end of the season which is the ideal opportunity for clubs to reflect upon the season as a whole; re-assess which roles are / are not required for the following year, re-address which role descriptions need to be amended and identify whether certain roles are too demanding for one individual to undertake and whether the role should be broken down into smaller parts. Over the summer month’s clubs should be looking to recruit volunteers into the job roles identified following the review process. The Grow Your Own Club Day could be the perfect opportunity to welcome volunteers. It is your chance to showcase your club to the local community and attract more volunteers into / within the club as a fun and friendly environment.

Top tips from this section... u Put someone

v Get a plan

w Consult the

x Review your

Appoint a Volunteer Coordinator to take control of your volunteers.

Formulate a Volunteer Action Plan – this starts with your Development Plan.

The Grow Your Own calendar lets you know what you should be doing when.

Make sure you have regular reviews of the volunteering roles in your club.

in charge!

together

SPRING ÖÖ

ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

ÖÖ ÖÖ

Review of the season – what went well...what could have been done better? Key action points to improve roles Do any role descriptions need changing What support will be available for new volunteers next season? Recruitment plan for new volunteers Volunteer requirements for the next season and review of the Volunteer Action Plan

calendar

SUMMER ÖÖ

ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

Ensure that people understand their roles for the season ahead Discuss club procedures Distribute Volunteer Handbooks Discuss any key dates for the diary Discuss club support system for volunteers Go through key points in the Volunteer Action Plan Any development opportunities available

roles

WINTER ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

Check everyone is happy with their roles What would people improve? What is the team doing well? Is anyone feeling overloaded? Does anyone require any more support? Do any roles need to be split or reassigned?

Recruitment and training So, you’ve done your planning and you know what you need in terms of volunteer support, but how do you go about recruiting your workforce? This section gives you some pointers on how to attract help and offer the appropriate training.

Information about your club Consider putting together an information leaflet which will tell potential volunteers about the club, the roles needed and who to contact if they want to get involved. People like being asked to volunteer and this is how most people become involved with volunteering. A leaflet providing a brief overview can be a good tool to break the ice with potential volunteers and it can highlight the benefits of becoming a volunteer, such as being part of a successful team, learning skills, making friends and being valued. The Grow Your Own Club Day in September would be the perfect opportunity to promote volunteering within the club. A simple information leaflet can help you to build a volunteer database which the club could then use to strategically appoint volunteers into certain roles, based upon the requirements of the Volunteer Action Plan.

Role descriptions In order to get the best out of volunteers, clubs should set out clear roles and responsibilities. Many would-be volunteers may be put off from volunteering for some roles as they do not understand exactly what is expected of them. Clubs can attract volunteers by being clear as to exactly what the role requires. In addition to this, the role could be broken down further into specific tasks to further aid the volunteer.

If a new volunteer is taking on a new role, ask the person who did the role previously to have input into the role description, adding in specific tasks. The EHB website www.englandhockey.co.uk has a section with roles and responsibilities and gives examples of job descriptions for you to use. When writing role descriptions it is important to indicate the amount of time that the role will require. Some roles may be for a fixed term whilst some might be for a short period. In all cases, role descriptions need to be clear with regards to the commitment level required and any specific dates the volunteer will need to be available.

CRB Checks Roles that involve volunteers working regularly with young people (U18s) will require a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. This should be detailed within the role description. A CRB check should be an integral part of the recruitment process and part of the assessment prosess for someone’s suitability to undertake a role. For additional information, please refer to page 16.

Be smart about matching skill sets to volunteer roles Clubs need to think about the individual’s attributes and match these with the roles the individual has expressed an interest in being involved in.

Top tips from this section... u Pack it in!

v Be clear

w Get online

x Review your

Put together an information pack for your volunteers and don’t assume they already know it all!

By having clear role descriptions, potential volunteers can make a more informed choice.

There are plenty of websites out there to help you recruit and train your volunteers. See our list on page 12.

Make sure you have regular reviews of the volunteering roles in your club.

By being strategic and assigning individuals to roles which they are suited to, clubs are likely to reduce their dropout rate and will have more volunteers in ‘the right roles’ from the outset. Clubs are likely to reduce their dropout rate and will have more volunteers in ‘the right roles’ from the outset.

Volunteer Pack

A volunteer support pack is a great way to engage with volunteers straight away. Clubs should not assume that volunteers already know all of the information detailed within the volunteer pack. The Volunteer Pack could include information such as: ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

Useful telephone numbers. A copy of the individual’s roles and responsibilities which clearly outline what tasks are required. Information on expenses which can be claimed and club procedures to do so (if applicable). Details of meetings / events they may need to attend. Key dates and deadlines for their diaries to get tasks completed by (for example affiliation deadlines). The club’s Health and Safety policy. Where equipment to aid them with their role is kept, and where applicable, how to use it. If appropriate for the role, information on club procedures e.g. confidentiality, financial, safeguarding practices and operating policies.

roles

Training and support Some volunteers might be new to a role and therefore may require support or training as they settle into their job.

Partner up Clubs should train or mentor new volunteers and help them feel supported within their role. Why not provide each new volunteer with a partner who they can question if they are unsure about anything within their new job? Ideally this would be someone who has either done the role before or has a good understanding of the role.

Hand-overs and/or shadowing A clear hand-over or a shadowing period is useful to help volunteers get to grips with their new roles. A smooth hand-over will minimise disruption as the previous post holder should have a good idea about what the role entails, good practice and possibly what changes they might make to complete certain tasks.

Online Support There are a range of courses and resources available to train and up skill volunteers and volunteer co-ordinators/ managers. Running Sports (www.runningsports.org) provides skills and support for clubs and volunteers. Club volunteer co-ordinators and volunteers can register with the website and gain access to support and ideas for clubs to drive the volunteer workforce. For certain roles it will be necessary for clubs to use a targeted approach to recruitment. For example, a club may need to complete a specific task such as rewriting the club constitution. The club will need to find a volunteer with the appropriate skills in order to carry this out. Existing

volunteers might know someone who could do the role therefore the club network could be a good place to begin to look for volunteers in general and those required for specific tasks. There are plenty of organisations out there who can provide a link between clubs and those who are looking for volunteering opportunities. Some useful websites and organisations for clubs are shown in the table below. Why not get online and see if there are any volunteers out there who would fit right in to your club!

A selection of websites offering online support for volunteer training

Organisation Description

Website

ProHelp

ProHelp is a national network of over 600 professional firms committed to making a difference in their local community by providing free advice and professional support. Click on ProHelp which can be found within the community section of the website.

www.bitc.org.uk

Reach:

Reach works with over 10,000 organisations across the UK to link them with over 6,000 skilled volunteers.

www.reach-online.org.uk

Do-It Org:

Was the first national database for volunteering opportunities allowing organisations to post volunteering opportunities and volunteers to search for roles within their local area.

www.do-it.org.uk

TimeBank:

A national charity inspiring and connecting a new generation of people to volunteer in their communities, and enabling charitable organisations and businesses to develop innovative and effective volunteer recruitment programmes.

www.timebank.org.uk

Directory of Social Change:

providing essential information and training to the voluntary sector to enable charities to achieve their mission.â&#x20AC;?

www.dsc.org.uk

Media Trust:

work with media organisations and charities to enhance their www.mediatrust.org communications and enable communities to find their voice and make it heard.

Make use of volunteer centres and bureaus Volunteer Centres, also sometimes known as Volunteer Bureaus, are “local organisations providing support and expertise within the local community, to potential volunteers, existing volunteers and organisations that involve volunteers.” (Volunteer England Website). Volunteer centres stimulate and encourage volunteering within the community. As the local experts on volunteering, they input strategic thinking and planning at a regional and national level. The Centres also promote good practice for organisations working with volunteers including training and accreditation for potential volunteers, volunteers, volunteer managers and within volunteer infrastructures. There are Volunteer Centres across the country and clubs can find their nearest centre on the Volunteering England website: www.vounteering.org.uk. Linking with a Volunteering Centre can provide clubs with valuable support and volunteers at a local level.

“I want to go into Sport Development as a career, but I need experience, so this volunteer work allows me to get that while helping out. I’ve now got lots of experience, have met many different people in the area and developed links with schools and communities in North London. I have a far greater awareness of the partnerships and organisations in sports development.” (Volunteer Sports Development Assistant, HVA). “Sporting Chance has proved very useful, and has certainly helped me. If people ask for volunteers I can put them straight onto the volunteer centre.When we put on courses he’ll help advertise them with all the clubs and the volunteers on their database. It’s put in a structure of how clubs can work with, and recruit more, volunteers. They’ve also looked at proper volunteer training and getting them the right qualifications. It’s helpful with infrastructure and capacity building, which is what clubs are often very weak on. So it’s not just delivery issues – it covers everything that clubs have to do”.

Examples of support (all examples from volunteer centre websites) “The volunteer centre has helped us in terms of general advice, setting up our project, constitution, insurance, and management information. He’s also linked us up with volunteers, helped us prepare funding applications, and generally made people more aware of our project”. (Youth Healthy Living Co-ordinator, Daway To Fitness). “I didn’t really know anything about funding, but the volunteer centre helped us fill in the forms and has advised us about where we can access future funding. They have attended our open days and are generally very supportive. They have been a tremendous help” (Head Coach, Eastside Youth Academy).

Young People

Clubs may find the following websites useful:

Recruiting young people as volunteers is beneficial both for the individual and for the club. People who volunteer at an early age are more likely to continue to volunteer in later life Powers (1998).

ÖÖ ÖÖ ÖÖ

Young people are the future of the clubs and without them clubs may not continue to grow and develop in the future. By involving young people in volunteering clubs can give them skills and support the next generation of hockey volunteers! The Running Sports website cites barriers and myths about working with young volunteers and suggests possible solutions. The table below shows some of these.

ÖÖ ÖÖ

Sports Leaders UK www.sportsleaders.org Youth Sport Trust Step into Sport www.youthsporttrust.org The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award www.dofe.org Millennium Volunteers www.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk Vinspired www.vinspired.com

Running a leadership course or foundation umpire award is a great way to get younger club members involved with volunteering. For information on running a course please visit the EHB website at www.englandhockey.co.uk

Perceived barriers about working with young volunteers Barrier/Myth

Solution

“Volunteering is boring”

Provide a fun environment and use high-profile events (such as Grow Your Own) to highlight the range of opportunities available. Celebrate and recognise the work of volunteers. Understand personal/professional development issues.

“Volunteering is badly organised”

Only recruit them if there are clear opportunities for them. Provide a proper introduction and have a management support system in place.

“Volunteering isn’t for people like me” Club literature should show young volunteers. Spread the message through other agencies. Make management changes to involve a wider range of people in the community

“I haven’t got time”

Be clear and flexible about the time commitment required. Promote how volunteering can help with experience and their CV

“They think I need babysitting and constant support”

Ensure your Child Protection policy is up to date and being implemented correctly. Educate your club members on the benefits of young volunteers. Introduce a buddying or mentoring system using other young volunteers.

“They think I can’t volunteer because I’m disabled”

The Leonard Cheshire and Scope – Can Do! Volunteering has a “Guide to Involving Young Disabled People as Volunteers” www.leonard-cheshire.org

Disabled Volunteers

Don’t restrict yourself

Volunteering opportunities within clubs should be accessible to people with a disability. The running sports website www.runningsports.org has a section with information for clubs about how to engage with disabled volunteers. Other organisations clubs may also wish to look at are:

Clubs could also look outside of the club environment and could distribute their club information leaflets to schools, colleges and local volunteer centres or volunteer bureaus.

ÖÖ ÖÖ

Advocacy and Activity Buddy Scheme – EFDS www.efds.co.uk Leonard Cheshire and Score – Can Do! Volunteering www.leonard-cheshire.org

Use your current volunteers as ambassadors Clubs will most likely find it beneficial to include current volunteers in the production of the Volunteer Action Plan and where appropriate involve them in the recruitment process for new volunteers. Current volunteers are likely to be the best ambassadors for your club and it is important for new volunteers to feel welcome.

As well as leaflets, clubs could promote volunteering opportunities with posters on their notice boards or information on their website.

Reviewing roles within the club Are volunteer roles within the club there because they are needed? Or are they there because the roles have always existed? Are the current roles and responsibilities the most efficient way of doing things? Clubs need to ask themselves these questions in order to progress and develop. Volunteers might stop volunteering because the role they were doing has become too demanding or because the tasks involved within the role differ to what the volunteer was expecting.

At recruitment days such as the Grow Your Own Club Day in September, encourage current volunteers to talk to potential new recruits to explain about types of volunteering roles available, tasks involved in roles, positive experiences of volunteering and how to get involved with volunteering at the club. This information could help the club identify: ÖÖ How much time people could spend volunteering ÖÖ What skills people have ÖÖ What roles and events people are interested in ÖÖ Any other support the individual may be able to offer

A bit about the law When you ask people for their help, it’s important that you know your legal obligations whether that’s from a health and safety point of view or your need to screen who is working within your club. This page gives a few pointers.

Health and Safety for Volunteers

Screening Volunteers

Volunteers must be able to work in a risk free environment and therefore clubs must offer a high standard when it comes to health and safety.

In July 2010 government legislation will change and with the introduction of Vetting and Barring scheme, clubs will be required to follow further procedures to vet potential employees and volunteers. For more information on Vetting and Barring scheme please refer to the Safeguarding section of the England Hockey Board website www.englandhockey.co.uk/safe

Health and Safety Policy Clubs are strongly recommended to draw up a health and safety policy which clearly shows procedures and responsibilities whilst highlighting any potential risks. It would be a good idea for the health and safety policy to be included within the Volunteer Pack. For further information on Health and Safety Policies please go to www.runningsports.org

For further information about Safeguarding and Protecting Young People within hockey please see the EHB’s ‘Proud to Protect’ document which is also available on the England Hockey Board website. For information on CRB checks, please see page 10.

Volunteer development Volunteering opportunities outside of your club may enable your volunteers to develop their skills further. Help your volunteers to find out about opportunities which exist elsewhere in hockey. There are many ways volunteers can get involved at a regional, national and even international level and the experience gained by volunteers will undoubtedly benefit your club.

The EHB is producing a volunteering framework which looks to support volunteers right through the single system. Below is the single system pathway, perhaps your volunteers could be involved at some point within the system?

For further information on volunteering opportunities see the England Hockey Board website: www.englandhockey.co.uk 17

And finally... Now you are armed with the tools to start an army of volunteers, make sure you have looked at some of the other resources available; the GYO resource detailing how to run a club day, and the GYO money resource! Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a poster available to help you recruit volunteers and beer mats for your bar or local pub!

Information about how to Grow Your Own Club Day

Information about how to Grow Your Own Money

Club Day will be promoted nationwide by the EHB in the first weekend of September every year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; make sure you have the ingredients you need to join us!

Good luck to you and your sustainable club!

Grow Your Own Balloon Race â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First weekend of September every year Look out for specific dates annually on www.englandhockey.co.uk

Grow your own WHAT DOES YOUR CLUB NEED?

“

E HB

Grow Your Own aims to assist clubs who aspire to be well run, welcoming and successful and to be proud to promote themselves to the local community and beyond.

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This resource was produced by the England Hockey Board for use by affiliated clubs in May 2010. The England Hockey Board Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre Marlow Buckinghamshire SL7 1RR Telephone: 01628 897500 E-mail: info@englandhockey.org Website: www.englandhockey.co.uk