The information in this fact sheet will provide you with tools and strategies to increase the number of volunteers in your club. Many sport and recreation clubs around Australia rely on volunteers. Approximately 35 per cent of Australians are involved in voluntary work in the sport and recreation industry.
Volunteering Australia defines a volunteer as ‘a person who chooses to contribute their time, skills and experience, for no payment (other than reimbursement for out of pocket expenses), to benefit the community’. An important notion in volunteering is freedom of choice. People who feel obligated or coerced into volunteering may not be as willing to contribute their time, skills or experience as someone who freely chooses to become a volunteer.

Why do people volunteer?

To recruit volunteers effectively, clubs and organisations need to emphasise the opportunities that volunteering provides. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the main reasons for volunteering are:

• to help others or the community
• personal satisfaction
• personal or family involvement
• to do something worthwhile.
  

To better inform strategies for recruiting volunteers, it is important to know why people first become involved as volunteers. The three main reasons people start volunteering are because:

• they know someone involved
• someone asks them to
• they are already involved in the organisation.
  

Recruiting volunteers can be difficult when potential volunteers see how existing volunteers get treated or the conditions in which they work. If they see volunteers being treated badly, having to work too hard or stressed, they will be reluctant to volunteer.

Attracting volunteers to your club

A majority of potential volunteers are already known by someone in a club, either because they are involved in the club or they know someone who is involved. Simply asking people is an avenue for attracting volunteers. Another avenue is advertising, for example flyers, community billboards, newspapers and school newsletters. Once the club has recruited volunteers, it needs to look after them so they remain with the organisation.
The first step towards effective volunteer management is getting the right people with the appropriate skills in the right positions. Your club should be targeting potential volunteers with the skills you need. For example, if one of the parents of a player in your club is an accountant, ask if they are willing to assist the treasurer. Once the club has targeted and recruited volunteers with appropriate skills, they need to be sure of what is required of them.

Position descriptions and orientation

Position descriptions should be prepared for every position. This will give volunteers information on what they are expected to do, who they should see if they have problems, what qualifications they need (such as a first aid or coaching qualification, or a working-with-children check), who they answer to, and some indication of the time required to perform their role.
Volunteers should have some sort of orientation. They are making a transition from outsider to insider and need to know how things work. New volunteers cannot be expected to understand the requirements of their new position or how the organisation functions on a day-to-day basis. A well-designed orientation process reduces stress on volunteers, makes them feel welcome and may reduce the likelihood of turnover.
Orientation may take the form of meetings or an induction program. It might include a kit or guidebook of relevant information, and familiarisation with equipment, facilities and processes. A comprehensive orientation program that introduces new volunteers to their roles and responsibilities will mean that they are more likely to ‘swim’ rather than ‘sink’. Volunteers who know their roles and responsibilities will be much happier and more likely to stay with your club.

Further information

ausport.gov.au/participating/volunteers/recruiting_volunteers