VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

Remember that just as rugby is a team sport on the pitch it is also a team sport off the pitch.

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Remember that just as rugby is a team sport on the pitch it is also a team sport off the pitch.

Which role(s) are not carried out by anyone?

• Whichrolesthatarecurrentlycarriedoutneedtobedividedintosmallermoremanageableroles?

• RememberVolunteersareunlikelytoundertakearolethatissoencompassingthatittakesupalltheir time.

• Whichrole(s)arenotcarriedoutbyanyone?• Doesanyonepersoncarryoutmorethanone

role?• Lookathowyouwanttheclubtoevolveand

develop.Arethereanynewrolesthatneedto becreated?Writebriefjobdescriptionsfor these roles.

Onceyouhavecompletedthesetasksyoushouldhaveaclubstructuredefinedbyrolesthatclearlydefinewhatisinvolvedineachspecificrole.

VolunteersVolunteersarethelifebloodandbackboneofeverysportandrugbyisnodifferent.Manyhoursoftime,energy,andenthusiasmarededicatedinavarietyofways.Withouttheworkthatthesededicatedindividualscarryoutmanyofourclubswouldceaseto exist. How do we idenitfy what you need? Beforeyougooutaskingpeopletohelpitisimportant that you examine your current club structureandifnecessaryupdateit.Youmustlookandseehowyouwouldliketheclubtodevelop. Thiswillenableyoutoidentifymoreclearlythe rolesthatyouneedpeopletofill. Theoldadageofmanyhandsmakelightworkisverytruewhenitcomestoallaspectsofrunningyourlocal rugby club.

Itisimportantthatyouclearlydefineeachroleandactuallywriteaccurateroledescriptions.Thelastthingyouneedistorecruitsomeoneintoaroleandthenfindoutlaterthatitisnotwhattheythoughttheyweregoingtobedoingandforthemtoleave.Onceyouhaveidentifiedwhatisrequiredyouneedtoaddressanumberofkeyissues.

Whichrolesthatarecurrentlycarriedoutneedtobedividedintosmallermoremanageableroles?RememberVolunteersareunlikelytoundertake arolethatissoencompassingthatittakesupalltheir time.

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Valuingthevolunteerstime Itisrecognisedandacceptedthattoday’svolunteershavepersonalandworkcommitments,whichinmanycasesdoesnotleaveasmuchtimeforvolunteeringasinthepast.Itisessentialthereforetoaccommodate,plan,andfitintotheclubstructurewhatevervaluabletimevolunteersarehappytogiveinsupportoftheirclub.Inmanycasesvolunteerswhowillinglytakeonaroleintheclub,aregenerallyassuredthattheclubwillprovideallthenecessarybackupsupport,whichunfortunatelywiththebestofintentions,rarelyhappens.

Volunteerswillquicklylosemotivationiftheirtimeisn’tspentwiselyandtheirroleorfunctionistotallydifferenttowhatwasenvisaged.Afewusefulpointstokeepinmindareasfollows:

• DoesyourclubhaveaDevelopment/Actionplan?• Dothevolunteersknowwhatitisandagreewithit?• Makesurethatmeetingsarewellmanaged.Haveasetagendaandsticktoit,includingthestartand expectedfinishtimes.• Reviewyourvolunteerprogramme;askhowitcouldbeimproved?

MotivatingvolunteersWhy do people volunteer?• Becausetheywereasked.• Becausethey,theirfriendsorfamilyareinvolvedwithrugby.• Tomeetnewpeopleordevelopnewsocialnetworks.

What motivates the volunteers?• Making a Difference: Feelingthattheyaremakingaworthwhilecontributiontotheclub,schoolandcommunity.• Recognition: Feelingvaluedandappreciatedfortheworkthatyouaredoing.• Communication: Knowingandunderstandingthedifferencethatyourcontributionmakes.• Social: Enjoyingbeingwithpeopleworkingasateamandfeelingasenseofbelonging.

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Recruitmentofvolunteers TheappointmentofaClubVolunteerCoordinatormustnowberegardedasanessentialpositioninallclubs.Theawarenessoftheneedtoactivelyattractpeopletovolunteerinyourclubisvital.Rememberyourclubfacescompetitionforvolunteer’slimitedtimefromthevastrangeofalternativeleisureactivitiesavailable,aswellasotherdemandsontheirpersonaltime.Thereareanumberofdifferentmethodsthatcanbeofhelpwhenattractingvolunteersintoyourclub.

• Usingpeoplewhoarecurrentlyvolunteeringwithinyourclubtorecruitnewvolunteersfromamongtheirown contacts.Thisrequireseverybodyinyourclubtoacceptindividualresponsibilityforrecruitingvolunteers.• Byspreadingthewordaswidelyaspossibleontheassumptionthatthemorepeoplegettohearaboutthe opportunitiesyourcluboffersthemorewhowillrespond.• Bytargetingyourrecruitmentatcertainpeopleusingyourroledescriptionstobequitespecificaboutwhatyouare lookingfor.• Checkingpastandpresentmembershiplists.• Producingposters,highlightingthevalueofvolunteering.• Advertisingonclubwebsite,usingemailshotsorclubEzines.

Retentionofvolunteers Retainingvolunteersisasimportantasrecruitingtheminthefirstplace.Volunteerswanttofeelwelcomed,appreciated,needed,useful,andpartoftheteamintheclub.Itisthereforecrucialthatyoudoallinyourpowertoensurethatyourvolunteersfeelvaluedandappreciated.Thereare3keyareasthatshouldbefocussedontoappreciateandsupportyourvolunteers:

1.) Recognise Make a club policy that all teams have a way to thank team officials:Allclubsshouldhavepolicyandproceduresinplacetoensureallteamsthanktheirteamofficials.Clubvolunteersshouldbeprioritisedwhenitcomestoallocatingmatchtickets.

“Volunteer of Year” award as part of club prize giving:A“VolunteeroftheYear”awardshouldbeincludedaspartoftheclub’sprizegiving.Thisawardcangotoanyadministrationorteamofficial.ThewinnershouldbetheclubsnominationtotheProvincialBranch’sawards.

Thank you letter from Club Chairman/Captain to all volunteers and team officials in the club: LetterfromclubChairman/Captaintoallvolunteersandclubadministratorsthankingthemfortheircontribution.

All volunteers invited to a club thank you night. Possibly on a sponsors’ thank you night: Clubsshouldholda“function”ofsomeformtothanktheirvolunteerbase.Thisthankyoucouldbeincorporatedintoasponsorsthankyoufunction.

2.) Resource

Team officials included in any clothing sponsorship: Wherepossibleclubsshouldendeavourtoobtainclothingsponsorshipthatalsocoversteamofficialsandthevolunteerbaseoftheclub.

Organisations have a stated policy as to reimbursement of personal expenses incurred by volunteers on behalf of the organisation: Teamofficialsandvolunteersshouldnotbe“outofpocket”foritemsofspendingincurredonclubbusiness.Apolicyandproceduresforexpensereimbursementshouldbeformulated.

Training and up - skilling promoted:Clubsshouldactivelypromoteandprovideopportunitiesforup-skillingandtrainingforcoaches.

Training equipment readily provided: Clubsshouldhave,readilyaccessibleandingoodworkingcondition,allthenecessaryequipmentfortraining

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3.) Respect

Ease the administration load for team officials: Clubsshouldensurethatpoliciesandproceduresareinplacethatmakestheadministrativeloadonvolunteersaseasy as possible.

Workload is divided into small lots. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and documented:Clubsandschoolsshouldhaveclearlydefinedrolesandresponsibilitiesforvolunteers.Theseshouldbedocumentedforthevolunteerstoknowwhatisexpectedfromthem.Asmallvolumeofworkformanyisbetterthanlargevolumesforafew.

“Volunteer succession” plan in place: Theclubshoulddevelopavolunteersuccessionplansothatnovolunteersfeelthattheyareforcedtokeeptheroleforlife.Suchplanninghelpsensurenewbloodflowsin.

All potential candidates are nominated for Branch or National awards:Theclubshouldensurethatallnominationsthatavolunteerorteamofficialmightbeeligiblefor,aremadeinatimelyandwelldocumentedfashion.

Ensure a formal plan is in place Volunteersneedtoknowwhototurntoforhelpandsupport.ThisshouldbeformalisedbyclubsbyproducingapolicywithproceduresforVolunteerManagement.

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Remembereveryoneshouldbeawarethattheycanbeinvolvedinrunningtheclubandremembernewfacesbringnewideas.

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For further information please contact the Community Rugby Manager in your province:

The IRFU shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this Guidance Note. The IRFU reserves the rightto amend or widthdraw the information contained in this Guidance Note.

Munster RugbyTel: 021 4323563Fax: 021 4323956

Leinster RugbyTel: 01 2693224Fax: 01 2693142

Connacht RugbyTel: 091 561568Fax: 0909 643083

Ulster RugbyTel: 048 90493111Fax: 028 90491 522