Since COVID-19 has rocked our world, Club Services Officers have been checking in with club committee members and most of them are sighing with relief at the break that COVID-19 is providing them with.  One said this was the first break he’s had for ten years from an every weekend commitment to his club. Another was just grateful to be able to focus on other projects and not think about the running of the club. 

We all know that Volunteer fatigue is real – how many times has your club struggled to get committee positions filled so the same people volunteer year after year? Those people who could be depended on were asked for more time and so that eventually that next year they don’t put their hand up at all or sadly leave the club. One of the best ways to avoid this is to ensure that every club volunteer still has time to have a life outside of the work they do for the club.

People might come for the sailing, but they stay for the community.  And that community needs to share the load.  Every club has a responsibility to protect their volunteers from burnout and fatigue. That doesn’t mean having to take on a leadership role, but it might mean working in a team that looks after social media, membership, producing the newsletter, doing maintenance around the grounds or ringing members to check they are ok during COVID-19. 

Having the right culture that meets the social needs, and creates opportunities for volunteers is a key ingredient for a sustainable club.  Giving clear positive messages to new members about how they can get involved will ease the feeling that they are intruding if they offer to help someone already doing a particular task. Research shows that nearly half of all people that join sports clubs do so for social reasons.  People come together, get to know each other and over time become friends. It is friendships that create great clubs. People willing to come together, to work together, toward the achievement of the club goals. The benefits of membership of a club go far beyond the facilities or going for a sail:  https://www.sailing.org.au/news/members-are-your-clubs-biggest-sponsors/

So how does your club provide opportunities for new people to help with something they are interested in or want to learn about?  For the past twelve months volunteer run South Brisbane Sailing Club with approximately 200 members has been formulating a plan to share the load of running their club.  This has culminated with going through the process of restructuring their organisation.  There are some key learnings they have taken on board during the process, with the most challenging being for members to acknowledge committee fatigue.  And a big part of that is being able to bridge the gap between new members and long term volunteers

They are now in the process of getting consultation from members about the new club structure and about the opportunities to help. It’s an impressive document and one that has seen them unpack the position descriptions and look at every job that gets done throughout the club.  Including a very impressive wish list for the future. They have worked out how many people they need and who will run the teams that will help share the load of running the club.

According to President Robert Preston, it’s something the club feels passionately about and that they are taking the time to get it right.  They are holding webinars and using surveys to get feedback and they are hoping that by communicating transparently they will encourage their members to contribute to the club.  

Many of you reading this article will be nodding in agreement because some members do all the work, because one person often gets left to do the same task forever, that too few do too much and there are tasks or responsibilities which are slipping through the cracks.

Download the Top 5 tips to encourage members to volunteer to get the conversation started at your next committee meeting or contact your Club Services Officer for support. 

Reference: https://sportscommunity.com.au/