Finding and Keeping Volunteers

Your most important assets are your volunteers and if they are happy, there is a good chance they will be productive. By taking care of your volunteers, they will take care of your members and will ensure they receive quality experiences everytime. Having a team of passionate and loyal volunteers can bring hundreds of people to your club through retention, new membership sales and opportunities to grow.

1. Learn about the 3 R's of volunteer management

This will help your club develop a sustainable volunteer strategy. Find out more

2. Understand why people choose to (or not to) volunteer

Read Sport New Zealand's findings to help your club understand the barriers and offer solutions. Find out more

3. Use the right language to motivate volunteers

This will help you to truly engage people. Find out more

4. Create a club volunteer group and run a club seminar

Getting your current members on board will reduce recruitment time and costs. Download a volunteer seminar sheet. Click here

5. Focus on 'what we can offer you' - not 'please help us out'

Highlight the benefits of each role by using a volunteer recruitment poster. Download a volunteer recruitment poster. Click here

Some other ways to recruit volunteers includes: advertising in local newspaper, online registration forms and asking face-to-face or over the phone.

6. Give each volunteer a welcome letter / pack

These documents will help your club induct volunteers and provide the necessary information to get them settled, such as:

• Download a volunteer welcome letter template. Click here
• Download a volunteer welcome pack template. Click here

7. Provide training and mentoring support (if they want it)

Give your people knowledge and skills to help your club run smoother.

• Utilise the opportunities from the National Coaching Pathway to upskill your coaches. Click here

8. Offer acknowledgement (if they want it)

Some ways to say recognise your volunteers includes: saying thanks, reduced membership fees, giving clothing or vouchers, hosting a party and posting details on the club wall / online.

9. Ask your volunteers for their thoughts

Have them to comment on their role(s) using a volunteer feedback form. Download a volunteer feedback form. Click here

10. Replace (when necessary)

Should a volunteer leave, make sure that the incoming person to the role is provided with all the necessary information and resources to easily take over the role.