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Planning

Here’s a few things to help you think about promoting the volunteer opportunities at your club:

  • Be clear about what roles are required for your club for the season and what skills are required for each role. Click here for a Volunteer Roles list example.
  • Divide responsibilities into smaller ‘bite-sized’ roles. That way, you won’t scare people off by thinking they are taking on too much, especially if they are time poor or new to the club and volunteering.
  • Offer volunteers the opportunity to ‘job share’ their volunteer role with a friend or partner. This may be helpful if a volunteer works FIFO or shift work.
  • Provide opportunities for members to assist or shadow roles so they can learn the ropes prior to formally taking on a role
  • Prepare simple one page role descriptions. Click here to view our Role Description templates.
  • Think about offering small incentives or honorariums. Eg. provide a club shirt and/or hat, waive their fees in return for coaching etc.
  • Develop a recruitment message that highlights the benefits of volunteering at your club.

Example:

“Join our fun and friendly team and help make our club great! We offer some great benefits to our volunteers including, club shirt/cap, discounted WACA Membership etc…. Get involved and contribute to your community”. ………

  • Produce a ‘Volunteer Vacancy Flyer’ to advertise current opportunities and promote the benefits of volunteering at your club. Click here to view a template.
  • Develop a slide show that can be played at registration day or viewed on your website to promote the benefits of volunteering at your club.
  • Is your Club a fun, happy place to be? If so, you’ll have more luck in getting people to help.
  • Identify any barriers that may put off people from volunteering. See if any of these can be changed.
  • Think about how you will recognise and reward your volunteers – they will be the best promoters of your club and the fun and benefits of volunteering.
  • You may like to document your methods into a Volunteer Management Plan to help you coordinate and manage volunteer activity throughout the season. Click here for our Volunteer Management Action Plan template.

WHERE and HOW do I find volunteers?

Here are some suggestions on places to source volunteers and how to recruit them:

  • Review past and present membership lists for potential volunteers.
  • Conduct a skills survey when people join the club, or post season, to identify the skills and knowledge people have that may be suitable for a volunteer role. Click here to view our Skills Survey template.
  • Ask members for their occupation on your registration form (Eg. if a member works as a bookkeeper, you may be able to approach them to be a secretary or treasurer).
  • Ask your current volunteers. Coaches / team managers usually have the closest relationship with players and parents so perhaps ask them if they know of anyone who may be suitable.
  • Provide new members with information about ways they can get involved with your club as a volunteer when they register.
  • Use your website and social media channels to advertise volunteer opportunities / vacancies, highlighting the benefits of volunteering at your club. See section below for Advertising Tips.
  • Use the local community newspaper – classified advertisements, letters to the editor, or feature articles to promote and raise the profile of your club.
  • Organise community notices on the local radio station.
  • Promote your club and volunteer opportunities at local lifestyle and retirement villages and organisations that support retirees
  • Advertise volunteering opportunities through local businesses and your sponsors.
  • Contact Volunteering WA to utilise their volunteer referral service to advertise volunteering opportunities at your club.
  • Advertise for volunteers on the Volunteering Australia ‘Go Volunteer’ site at www.govolunteer.com.au

Recruiting young people in your community

Young people have a lot to offer and are great role models to encourage other young people to play and to volunteer.

Look at their strengths and the skills they can bring to your club. Identify special positions they can fill.

For example, most young people are good with technology so why not recruit them to develop your club website or membership database?

  • Contact your local TAFE / College where students need to perform volunteering as part of their course related to sport. The best contact would be the Student Engagement contact or student work placement contact.
  • Contact your local High School and speak to the Department Head for Health & Phys Ed or the Principal about students wanting experience as part of their Community Service Program.
  • Schools do great things like the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme which need young people to volunteer as part of their Award.
  • Contact your local Scout, Guides and Cadet Forces group who may need to take on volunteering as part of their training.
  • Encourage younger members to volunteer in younger age group teams or programs Eg. A teenager could help out at Cricket Blast sessions, Under 10s team trainings sessions etc.
  • Consider younger members for coaching and umpiring roles.
  • Promote the benefits of having volunteer roles on their resume.

Recruiting older people in your community

Older adults have so many skills, talents and experiences that we should utilise within our communities.

Volunteering has been linked to positive mental, social and physical benefits for individuals. Older volunteers in particular may experience less depression and greater life satisfaction than non-volunteers.

Look at their strengths and the skills they can bring to your club. Identify special positions they can fill.

  • Promote your club and volunteer opportunities at local lifestyle and retirement villages, Rotary Club, Lions Club and other organisations that support retirees.
  • Contact your local council to see what volunteer requirement programs they have for senior citizens and register your club’s volunteer opportunities.
  • Join the WayFairer Project, where adults aged 50+ year old will be matched with community clubs and organisations to gift their time, skills, talents and interests to help address the challenges faced by clubs and help them thrive. Click here to find out more.
  • Consider older members for coaching and umpiring roles.
  • Promote the benefits of having volunteer roles on their resume. 

Advertising tips

  • Create recruitment materials that are colourful and will catch people’s attention.
  • Consider using the words ‘get involved‘ or ‘helping out‘.
  • Emphasise the benefits and rewards of being a volunteer.
  • Keep it short and simple!

Advert example for Treasurer

ONLINE BANKING - are you up with how to use it? We need your help to look after the accounts for our Club. Knowledge of spreadsheets would also be handy!
🏏 C’mon, join our fun and friendly team! Besides, our Club can’t function without the help of our members. Please phone me on XXXX or email me at XXX to find out more. Thank you! 🏏💙
(Attach your Club logo as a photo for the post to make it stand out).

Advert example – to Coaches / Team Manager group

HELPERS WANTED! It’s that time of year again to organise our Committee for next season and we would love your help!
Please have a think about the parents in your teams, if you can think of anyone that may have some skills which may be useful in the following roles, please phone me on XXXX or email me at XXXX by [date] and I will give them a call and tell them how easy and awesome it is being a Volunteer at our great Club. THANK YOU!!

  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Sponsorship
  • Uniforms

Talking to potential volunteers

Here’s some tips on having that conversation with people to get them to volunteer:

  • Make a personal approach. Face to face is always best if possible. Have a chat over a cuppa to discuss the role you have in mind for them. Or make a personal phone call if this is not possible.
  • Present a friendly welcoming face – some people can be intimidated or overwhelmed so make them feel at ease.
  • Make them feel valued and that they have something to offer which will benefit the club and local community.
  • Emphasise they DO NOT need cricket knowledge as there are plenty of training resources, tools and support available.
  • Promote your club as an exciting, welcoming and positive club to be involved with!
  • Sell the benefits of volunteering. Eg. contribute to your child’s sporting experience – kids love seeing their parents involved, make new friends, improve social connections, develop skills etc.
  • Highlight the incentives and rewards available for this role. Eg. Club shirt, opportunity for Cricket Match tickets, discounted WACA Membership, reimbursement of fees etc.
  • Discuss any barriers they may have, try and work out a way to reduce them to make it easier for them to volunteer.
  • Gently reinforce that the club can’t operate without volunteers.