National Volunteer Week 2024 invites all to discover the power of volunteering with the theme ‘Something for Everyone’. We know that in community organisations and grassroots sporting clubs, there truly is something for everyone. You don't need to take on an official role to get involved, and there are many benefits to volunteering that you might not know about.
Volunteering Australia released findings in 2022 which showed that in the two years prior, the percentage of adults who volunteered their time regularly dropped from 34% for males and 38% for females, to just 25% for males and 29% for females.
In the two years since that data was released, from all the conversations we’ve had and workshops we’ve run, we fear that in grassroots community sport, the decline may have been even greater.
This year’s theme, 'Something for Everyone,' is especially relevant for community sporting clubs, where every bit of help counts, and every volunteer can find their niche. Whether you're taking on a major role or offering a few hours of your time, your involvement is invaluable.
The Many Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering offers a myriad of benefits, both for the community and the individuals involved. Here are some key advantages:
- Building Connections: Volunteering at a community sporting club or local community organisation helps build strong social connections through meeting new people and becoming part of a close-knit community. Anyone who has been a part of a community club for a period of time can attest to the sense of belonging, which often creates lifelong friendships.
- Improving Mental Health: Engaging in volunteer work has been shown to reduce stress, combat depression, and provide a sense of purpose. The act of giving back and seeing the positive impact of your efforts can boost confidence, self-esteem and overall mental well-being.
- Developing Skills: Volunteering is an excellent way to develop new skills or improve existing ones. It is even encouraged in many higher education courses. Whether it's specific skills aligned to administrative roles, coaching skills, or leadership qualities, you can gain valuable experience that can benefit your personal and professional life.
- Physical Health Benefits: For those involved in physical activities, volunteering in a sporting or active community context can improve your own fitness and health. Even roles that are less physically demanding can contribute to a more active lifestyle.
- Enhancing the Community: Your contribution helps community sporting clubs and not-for-profit organisations thrive, leaving a long-lasting legacy and providing children and adults alike with opportunities to engage in healthy, structured, and enjoyable activities. This, in turn, strengthens community bonds and promotes a healthier society.
Finding Your Role: ‘Something For Everyone’
The beauty of volunteering at a community sporting club is that there truly is something for everyone. You don't have to commit to a major executive committee role or sacrifice all your spare time to make a difference. There are many roles that offer flexible time commitments and often only require a few hours here and there.
Remote volunteering has been a revelation in the post-Covid world, with many clubs finding ways to enable individuals to contribute without having to be physically present all the time. This means that passionate individuals, who may have moved away from their community club or had a change in work or other commitments, can still participate in a small way from afar.
Some of the following roles are great entry-level volunteering jobs that can be completed in large part remotely:
- Administrative support: An increase in policy requirements and compliance for community clubs has resulted in more work for committees. With a good working relationship in place, administrative tasks, such as managing membership records, updating documents or copywriting, can be done remotely. This is a great option for those who prefer behind-the-scenes work.
- Communications and social media: Aligning all club comms is an important task, and with the variety of social media platforms available, clubs often miss out on opportunities to reach their entire community when sharing news or marketing their events and offerings. These tasks, which are great for younger volunteers, can largely be completed remotely with access to some fantastic club content.
- Fundraising: Many clubs aren’t utilising online revenue streams, many of which can be managed and promoted remotely. The Australian Sports Foundation is a great example, an entirely online platform that enables tax-deductible donations for the benefit of community sport.