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The Club and the Volunteers
Volunteers are the backbone of many swim clubs. Running meets, serving on committees, managing fundraising and organizing social events are just some of the jobs filled by volunteers who are usually the parents of swimmers. How can your club encourage volunteerism? How do you recruit, train and reward volunteers. Who are the swim club volunteers?
A volunteer is a person who is willing to help perform any one of the necessary jobs in USA Swimming and your club. Your role as a volunteer is important to our sport. You can be actively involved in your child's swimming program and can also be instrumental in strengthening swimming in the United States. With a positive attitude and a willingness to lend a hand, you will also have a great impact on your child's athletic environment, and love of swimming.
There are unlimited opportunities to get involved to help in almost any capacity. The rewards are meeting new people, making new friends and having that great feeling that you have helped one of the organizations in which volunteers are the most important people.
Give volunteering a try. Any contribution you can make will be appreciated. Ask the coach of your team what you can do to help. He will appreciate the offer and put you in touch with appropriate people on your team who will place you in an area where your best skills are used to make the swimming experience joyful for everyone on the team. If your club has a booster organization, find out how to join.
Volunteer Jobs
There are unlimited opportunities to get involved. USA Swimming is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. Most clubs have committees. If you aren't ready for a leadership position, volunteer to help out with a committee. Find a way you can contribute, don't wait to be asked!
Board Member: At the club level volunteers are needed to serve on club boards of directors, or booster clubs.
Fund Raiser: Raising funds is a priority of every swim program. It could involve anything from a bake sale to landing a sponsor for your club.
Public Relations Person: Promotions within the club and community are important to every team. Those volunteers skilled at public speaking or writing can be useful in this area.
Data Processor/Clerical: This area may include billing, meet entries, accounts payable, accounts receivable, team newsletters, meet results. All of this can be done on the computer. If you possess computer skills, you could be an essential part in the management of your club.
Hospitality or Social Chairman: Social events are a fun part of every team that serve to bond a team together. If you like to organize such functions this may be the job for you.
Snack Bar: The snack bar at any swim meet can generate tremendous income, especially if items to be sold are donated by the parents or local businesses.
Team Representative: Serve as the club representative or take on another volunteer role within your LSC (Local Swimming Committee).
Communication is a key factor in retaining volunteers. By keeping everyone well informed, your program will function more efficiently and your volunteers will feel more involved.
Be sure to use volunteers in areas that enhance their interests and skills. This will make the job more interesting for the volunteer and in turn, they will be more effective. Before jumping into any activity, identify what tasks need to be done, and what the requirements are. Will the task require technical knowledge, a certain kind of personality or the use of a car? How much time will be required?
A successful volunteer organization is usually led by someone who knows how to delegate responsibilities. Work needs to be distributed evenly so no one person feels overburdened or ill used. This will prevent burn-out later on. Encourage active volunteers to recruit "new blood" to work with them.
Motivation
Why are people motivated to volunteer? Many parents get involved to help their children. Once these volunteers feel a sense of accomplishment, they realize their contributions are worthwhile and necessary for successful programs.
Ways to motivate Volunteers
1. Recognize and reward volunteers for their contributions.
2. Train volunteers to be effective and encourage them with positive reinforcement.
3. Be positive and enthusiastic.
4. Make projects a "team effort."
Respect and Appreciation-The success of a group is determined by how well the people involved see their responsibilities affecting the program in a positive way. The volunteer who feels appreciated will continue to work and be productive. Praise is the easiest and quickest way to encourage someone. Saying "Thank you" can be the same as a Gold Medal!
How to Make a Good Volunteer Great
1. Recruit Volunteers. Don't wait for volunteers to speak up-take the first step and approach people to serve on a committee or carry out specific duties. Once they have agreed, explain the value of their contribution to the program, and emphasize the importance of reliability and commitment.
2. Match the volunteer to the job. By listening to volunteers, you'll find out why they want to be involved, what their interests and talents are, and how much time they are able to give. Give complete and accurate descriptions of all tasks and make sure the volunteers understand any requirements for training and/or certification, as well as the time commitment.
3. Provide training. Training will enable the volunteer to perform his tasks competently and to understand how his work relates to that of others. While a volunteer may already have great skills and experience in doing whatever job you have assigned him, he needs to know how his role fits in to the overall program.
4. Provide guidance & reinforcement. It is important to provide volunteers with positive feedback and guidance for their jobs. Just as our swimmers need a pat on the back so do our volunteers. Be quick to praise and be sure to provide direction so that these volunteers become increasingly more effective.
5. Share the glory. Volunteers want to feel that their efforts contribute to the success of the team, whether it be a meet or a fundraiser. Be sure to share the glory and the limelight with those volunteers that made the success possible.
6. If you are in charge of volunteers: The volunteer who feels appreciated is more likely to be productive. Here are a few suggestions on how to work with and keep volunteers.