Volunteer management and recruitment

This page looks at how clubs might encourage people to become involved in the roles associated with running a their web presence. Such roles can range from managing the overall club web presence, handling technical issues, designing the club web page or just keeping content up to date. These different roles obviously require different skill sets.

The two main topics of this page are managing volunteers and recruiting volunteers.

Managing volunteers

Major sporting bodies are increasingly recognising the vital role played by volunteers in running clubs. Many have websites and/or policies to support the recruitment and management of volunteers - and a means for potential volunteers to register their interest. For instance:

• Cricket Australia have developed a Volunteer Management Framework. They outline a seven stage volunteer management cycle that involves recruiting volunteers, placing them into suitable tasks, inducting them into the club, educating them about the role, supervising them (monitoring their progress), recognising their contribution and replacing them when they move on (which also involves having a succession plan in place).
• The England and Wales Cricket Board have devoted part of their website to volunteers.
• England Athletics have devoted a section of their website to volunteers.

Recruiting volunteers

Volunteers may be recruited from within the club or external to the club.

Recruiting volunteers from within the club

Many clubs despair that only a small proportion of their members are willing to be on the club committee or be involved in helping out with the web presence. In relation to the latter, many clubs find it hard to get younger members of the club involved - who they feel would be better placed to cope with the challenges offered up by today's online technologies.

Perhaps one approach that might be adopted in recruiting volunteers to assist with the web presence is to highlight the advantages of such involvement. These can include (see article in Forbes magazine):

• Developing new skills
• Building experience
• Being happier and healthier
• Strengthening social bonds

Similar advantages of volunteering have been identified by Volunteer Scotland and NSW Volunteering (Australia).

Recruiting external volunteers

Most volunteers become involved with a club through a prior association with it as a member or supporter. Parents, who represent a particular group of supporters, often become involved whilst their children are participants in club activities. However, there are also a number of other potential sources of volunteers.

• As already discussed, major sporting bodies often provide means by which volunteers can be matched with local sporting clubs.
• There are a number of organisations that support the activities of volunteers in general. Some of these services allow you to 'advertise' for particular roles to be filled. For example:
  • The UK Government provides a list of such organisations.
  • In Australia, there are organisations and services such as Volunteering Australia, GoVolunteer and Seekvolunteer.
• Local councils or online directories. It is worthwhile checking with your local council to see if they have a volunteer program that your club can access. Additionally, some clubs have been known to advertise for volunteers in local online business directories.