Introduction
Young people are central to many sports clubs as players, spectators and volunteers. These Top Tips will give you guidance on how to engage this specific group as volunteers. The National Framework for Youth Action and Engagement (the report of the Russell Commission, 2005) states:
“It should be natural for young people to volunteer and natural for organisations to either offer young people the opportunity to volunteer, or support them in doing so”.
There are benefits for both the person and the club in recruiting younger volunteers. Some of these are summarised below:
| Benefits for the Club | Benefits for the Young Person |
| Energy, inspiration and enthusiasm | An opportunity to have fun outside of school and in a safe environment |
| Different skills to older volunteers (e.g. IT) | A healthy opportunity (e.g. tackling obesity) |
| May bring new ideas and attract other young members | Educational opportunities |
| Ability to relate to other young people in the club | Qualification opportunities, good for the CV |
| Provide a bridge between younger and older members of the club | Development of good citizenship |
| Ensure sustainability of the club | Personal and social development (confidence, team work, meet new people etc.) |
| Having pride in the facilities (may reduce vandalism) | Gives them a sense of pride and a stake in the community |
See runningsports Top Tips “Finding New Volunteers – Recruitment” for general advice on recruiting volunteers. In addition, here are some other things you could think about:
- Reflect on the different motivations that young people will have to volunteer.
- If possible, include young people in designing your recruitment campaign.
- Concentrate on working with other local groups/organisations and peer-to-peer recruitment methods.
- Campaigns should concentrate on taking action to deliver results.
- Use new media platforms to communicate message (e.g. website).
- Work with Student Volunteering England to attract those still in education.
- Work closely with educational institutions and school sport partnerships –they have often already done the recruitment and are looking for placements for young people!
- Promote the benefits of volunteering for your club, as shown in the chart above.
- Consider your responsibilities regarding working with younger people (e.g. Child Protection)
Barriers and Myths
There are a number of barriers and myths about working with young volunteers:
| Barriers/Myths | Solution |
| “Volunteering is boring” | Provide a fun environment and use high-profile events to highlight the range of opportunities available. Celebrate and recognise the work of volunteers. Understand the personal/professional development issues. |
| “Volunteering is badly organised” | Only recruit them is there are clear opportunities for them. Provide a proper induction 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 become more attracted to 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” –contact them at www.leonard-cheshire.org. |
Further Information
This website has other useful resources including the Quick Guide: “Volunteers”, along with other downloadable resources - Top Tips, Role Outlines and information on training including workshops and workbooks. Alternatively telephone the runningsports Hotline on 0800 363373.
Other Organisations Worth Checking Out
** Bodies marked thus have activities, resources and/or national award programmes available for young people.
These Top Tips are intended as a general guide, based on legislation at the time of publication. Neither runningsports, its staff, the authors, reviewers can accept any liability for any loss arising as a result of reliance upon the information contained herein. Readers are strongly advised to obtain professional advice on an individual basis.
