Are you the only person in your club likely to ever read this publication?

Do you feel as though you have no time for anything, let alone sorting out the problems of your rugby club?

Does your club have problems finding players, never mind secretaries, treasurers, or fund raisers?

Do you often attend committee meetings with only one or two others?

If you answered ‘yes’ to the questions above, you are one of the vast majority of rugby clubs shouting "We need help!" Finding people to help in everyday tasks of running a rugby club is one of the most urgent and pressing problems facing the vast majority of clubs today. Membership numbers are declining and fewer people are coming forward to act in key committee positions.

This problem has been recognised by organisations such as Sport England, and as a result initiatives such as "Running Sport" and the "Volunteer Investment Programme" have been established to assist and support volunteers. These give valuable advice to clubs but often hard-pressed club secretaries find it difficult to carry out some of the suggestions – there are literally so few people to help, that no one has the time to find and recruit more!

This sheet therefore aims to give realistic, practical advice to those in most need. We will explain what should be done, but temper that advice with what could be done by those with very little time available.

Finding volunteers - what should you do? (If only you had the time!)
1. Examine your existing club structure and decide how you would like your club to develop. Which roles would you like to fill? (E.g., someone to be responsible for fund-raising, kit, junior sections.)
2. Examine the factors which motivate people to become volunteers – these could be to learn new skills, to feel appreciated, to give something back to the sport, or to have fun. Decide why you want volunteers.
3. Appoint a volunteer co-ordinator to write job descriptions, plus how to recruit volunteers, supervise and support volunteers.
4. Job descriptions for each post you want to fill should be written, setting out clear responsibilities and any specific skills needed.
5. Recruit more people by providing posters, pamphlets, asking spectators, and advertising in the local paper.
6. Make sure that you give people tasks that fit with the time they have available – some people may have a number of hours each week; others only a single period of time.
7. Continue to support your volunteers and involve them in everything which affects their post.

Finding volunteers – what can you do? (Top tips for those without help.)
1. Ask just one existing club member to undertake one specific task. The smaller and more specific the task, the more likely people are to get involved. "Could you talk to your son’s PE teacher about the club running an after school session is more likely to receive a positive response than "could you be our school’s link co-ordinator?"
2. Split traditional roles where possible, so that people do not feel over burdened.

Millennium Volunteers (MV)
MV is a new, UK-wide initiative for 16-24 year olds who want to volunteer their time for the benefit of others. Through MV, young people gain experience and skills at the same time as making a positive contribution to their communities. Organisations from the voluntary sector can run MV projects (such as sports coaching) in behalf of the Department of Education and Employment who fund the projects.

The are currently 160 projects up and running in England, if your club would like to become involved in the scheme, contact the Millennium Volunteers Unit:

Millennium Volunteers Unit
Room N2, DfEE, Moorfoot, Sheffield S1 4PQ
Freephone Helpline: 0800 917 8185
Email: milleniumvolunteers@dfee.gov.uk Website: www.mv-online.gov.uk

… and see if there are any young people who are on the scheme who would like to become involved at your club.

Further information

Running Sport Series - Getting things done (Sport England, 1997)
Running Sport Series – Valuing volunteers (Sport England, 1997)
Volunteers Investment Programme 2000 (Sport England, 2000)
Volunteer management - good practice guide (Sport England, 1999)
Active Club Pack (Sport England, 2000)

Running Sport Hotline
Tel: 0345 585139 (local rates)

Volunteer Investment Programme (VIP) Hotline
Tel: 0800 363373