Volunteer Co-ordinator

Volunteers are a club's most valuable asset. The time, effort and expertise that they have to offer to the club deserve effective management and support. It is unlikely, unless the role is specifically introduced to the club, that anyone will dedicate time specifically to volunteer planning and management. Many clubs are reporting the benefits of appointing someone who is dedicated to volunteer management.

Are they paid employees?

Not usually and as such is subject to the same concerns as other roles i.e. the time commitment involved. To get around this, some clubs have successfully managed to spread the load by assigning the role to two people. This is a particularly useful tactic where club membership is large or perhaps where a club has specific aspirations for development in a particular area.

What do they do?

Their key purpose is to act as a focal point for volunteers within the club, raising the profile of volunteers by providing support and advice, and generally raise the profile of volunteer management within the clubs plans.

Role description

The key purposes of a volunteer co-ordinator are:

1. To facilitate effective communication between your club and its volunteers
2. Act as the main/first point of contact for all existing and prospective volunteers
3. Endeavour to define all volunteer roles, and that the volunteers undertaking them have access to a copy of role definition and understand what is being asked of them and the time commitment required
4. Provide support and information about volunteering, training and development opportunities within the club

How much time should this role require?

Depending on club needs but should not be more than 1-2 hours per week

Who will support this role?

It is essential that the Club fully support and endorse the work of the Volunteer Coordinator.  

What personal attributes will the ideal volunteer co-ordinator have?

• Confident and effective communicator
• Ability to organise self and others effectively
• Desire and motivation to promote volunteering opportunities to the wider community
• Good administration skills
• Prepared and able to make a regular time commitment

Top tips

Communicate

The third most important reason why people don't volunteer according to our research (Revealing Reality 2019) is not knowing about the opportunities available. Take a look at your club and ask yourself where can people find out about volunteering opportunities. Is there a notice board, is there a specific area on your website?

Do your members know how many volunteers are helping the club run? Why not have a volunteering section on your newsletter informing members of the number of volunteers who have helped out that month and maybe have some short interviews with your volunteers about what they get from volunteering.

Remember that communication takes persistence and a consistent flow of information - not just asking for volunteers. Taking a page from the for-profit world, make sure that you have reasonable expectations for the response rate of your audience. The rule of thumb from marketers is that it can take up to three “touches” before a motivated prospect responds.

Empower your volunteers

Some volunteers enjoy sharing the skills they use during their day job. Others want a change of pace to relax or pursue new skills. Instead of assigning volunteers to jobs, why not let them choose what catches their interest?

The best way to do this is to think digitally. A reliable online volunteer management system allows supporters to view all available volunteer opportunities. In addition, volunteers can self-register from any computer or mobile device. Of course, this type of registration process also saves valuable time for you as a volunteer coordinator.

Personalise the volunteer experience

A recent study shows that simply acknowledging a person’s name allows you to connect with that individual on a deeper level. Use this to leverage your connection with volunteers:

• Introduce yourself to new volunteers and take a few minutes to learn more about them when time allows. Jot down pertinent information.
• Go the extra mile in your communication to personalize event reminder and thank you messages.
• Review your volunteer roster the day of the event. Refer to previous notes for repeat volunteers to personalize your conversations.
• Use each volunteer’s name when communicating with them, not just in person but also in emails. The personal touch makes all the difference.

So what makes a winning combination? Start with consistent communication, allow your volunteers to choose their volunteering both the what and when and maintain a personalized touch.