Introduction
We often reward the players in our club with “Player of the Match”, “Top Scorer of the Year”, and “Fair Play” awards, but we do not always recognise and reward the volunteers, who are the people that ensure that sport can actually take place! This Top Tip can help you put that right.
If you have a good Club Volunteer Coordinator, they will be able to guide a club committee on the best way to say thank you to each individual volunteer, bearing in mind some people prefer a private, to a public thank you!
Recognising Volunteers
Ensuring that people feel that their role and their actions are important can be enough in terms of recognition, and this should be seen as part of the recognition system.
There are various ways of giving recognition to volunteers. Here are some suggestions:
| Recognising the actions of a particular individual or team of volunteers | Recognising the worth of volunteers in sport and your club |
- A thank you from a senior member, either publicly or privately
- A short news article about a club volunteer in the club newsletter or on the website
- A nomination for a club award or an external award from a body that recognises sports volunteers
- A mention of their work and contribution at a committee meeting – which is recorded in the minutes
| - Produce a feature about a particular role in the newsletter and/or on the website
- Create a poster display on a club notice board showing the different roles
- Place a feature in an external newspaper or newsletter
- Appoint a Club Volunteer Coordinator and/or write a Volunteer Action Plan to show how important your volunteers are to your club
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Another way of demonstrating the value you put on your volunteers is to show your commitment to their Health and Safety (See Top Tips “Health & Safety of Volunteers”).
Rewarding Volunteers
It is important to also reward all of your volunteers, whether this is done publicly or not. There are many ways that you can do this and some are listed below:
- Say thank you both during and after the performance of their role
- Ensure expenses, if appropriate, are paid promptly
- Give or send a “thank you” certificate – which can be useful for volunteers adding to their portfolio or CV
- Provide meals, particularly if you are asking the volunteer to be at a venue longer than for half a day
- Pay for them to attend relevant skills and training events
- Award them free or discounted membership fees, tickets to events or club merchandise
- Have a party to celebrate the work of the volunteers
- Ensure their ideas are listened to, and acted on where practically possible
- Smile and call them by name!
- Write references for them (if asked) quickly and efficiently
- Ensure the management of their role and tasks is good, and support them Introduce long service awards
- Give kit or badges where this enables the volunteer to perform their role
Most volunteers get intrinsic pleasure from volunteering, but we all like to be treated well and thanked when we have given our time up for free. Reward and recognition are an essential part of retaining your volunteer workforce – don’t leave it to chance!
Further Information
This website has other useful resources including the Quick Guide “Volunteers”, along with other downloadable resources – Top Tips “Volunteers – General”, “Health & Safety of Volunteers”, “Involving Older People as Volunteers” and “Young People as Volunteers”, Role Outlines and information on training including workshops and workbooks. Alternatively telephone the runningsports Hotline on 0800 363373. The website also has a list of Volunteer Recognition Awards that are available.
Other Organisations Worth Checking Out
