VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PLAN - Cairns Regional Council€¦ · VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PLAN INTRODUCTION Volunteer numbers are getting harder and harder to attract, this can be attributed

GO CLUBS Template #3

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PLAN

INTRODUCTION Volunteer numbers are getting harder and harder to attract, this can be attributed to multiple

causes, but the bottom line is a majority of clubs are struggling to attract sufficient volunteers

for the running of their local clubs. This places more pressure on fewer and fewer people

increasing the chance of burn out and that your club will lose irreplaceable members.

Why Can’t I find Volunteers? So what stands in the way of a people volunteering for club? Some are unable to make the

time commitment, some are unsure of what volunteering would involve, others just simply

haven’t been asked.

Evidence suggests that just advertising in the newsletter is not going to attract volunteers,

that clubs need a targeted when searching for potential volunteers around the club. To do

this clubs need to understand what it is they have at their disposal, your members are your

greatest asset, and within them you will find all sorts of knowledge, skills and experience that

can only be of benefit to your club going forward.

Like any position there needs to be a clear outline of the responsibilities and requirements of

the role, just telling people “they’ll figure it out” is going to place a lot of undue pressure on

the very people you are trying to attract and retain.

This is why the role descriptions are so important for the attraction of volunteers, by outlining

specific the duties of each position it gives potential volunteers an understanding of their role

as well as rough outline on how much of a time commitment each position is.

One of the most essential positions outside of the executive committee which mandated

through legislation, is the volunteer coordinator is one of the most important roles for the

club, the volunteer coordinator should with the help of the executive be across the needs of

the clubs and have a database of potential volunteers that are suitable for each role.

The club should when having players sign on ask specific questions about the skills that

people within the club may have, or any experience they might have in running nfp

organisations.

How do I find Volunteers?

Your volunteers are coming from two sources, internally and externally. Your internal

volunteers are those who are connected to the club while external volunteers are community

minded people who are just looking for a way to give back. The trick is to engage both types

to get a maximum amount of experience and talent into your organisation.

Starting with the external volunteers there are 2 ways through the Go Clubs program that

clubs can use to attract new volunteers. The first through NEATO which is not technically

volunteers but is able to supply administration workers to help with the accreditation process

or to alleviate some of the day to day work such as draws and ladders free of charge to the

club. This is though the work for the dole program and assists in up skilling unemployed

locals. To access administrative crew a club only has to be registered with Go Clubs, and

once a club reaches a level 4 accreditation then they have access to NEATO ground crews

to assist with basic maintenance and field upkeep.

Clubs can contact NEATO on 4051 4444 to book a worker.

FNQ Volunteers is another avenue that clubs can use. FNQ Volunteers is a NFP but it will

cost $121 to join, once paid this means that FNQ volunteers will actively canvas and seek

out volunteers on your behalf.

CDP Preparation Tips cont

o Analyse the club’s financial records, including financial position over the past

few years.

o Analyse the club’s membership figures to see if there are any trends over the

past few years such as an increase in overall participation, and changes to

age and gender groups.

Bring in an external person to facilitate your planning workshop. This

independent person may be from another club, from your regional or state

associations, or a professional facilitator. An external facilitator will be invaluable

in keeping your workshop on track, drawing out important issues for discussion,

summarising the information being discussed, and managing group dynamics

and personalities at the meeting.

Ask stakeholders outside of your club to provide feedback on your draft plan, e.g.

parent bodies, development officers, contacts at Council. It’s always helpful to

get a second opinion to ensure an important issue or opportunity hasn’t been

missed.

The CDP should be formally adopted by your club committee and displayed in

your club house and on your website.

Personalise the CDP. Add in your club logo, photos and reformat into your club’s

colours.

Instructional notes have been provided for each section throughout this template. Delete the

notes provided before you finalise your CDP. When you draft your CDP, remove these first

three pages from your document so your club development plan starts on the following page.

CDP Implementation Tips

The following should be considered in the implementation of your CDP:

The CDP should be prominently displayed in your clubhouse and on the club’s

website, and electronic copies distributed to all members who wish to obtain a

copy. Make sure key stakeholders outside of the club are aware of your CDP.

Provide copies to your local Councillor, peak body and sponsors to ensure all

potential supporters are aware of your club’s aspirations.

A committee member should be designated the responsibility of overseeing the

implementation on the CDP, with tasks shared amongst various committee

members, club officials and volunteers.

The CDP should feature prominently in regular club reporting. The officer

responsible for implementation of the CDP should frequently report on the

progress of implementation to the club committee (e.g. standing agenda item),

which should be recorded in minutes and communicated to members.

In order to give your club the greatest chance of successfully implementing the

CDP, the tasks outlined in the Action Plan should be incorporated into your

club’s annual budget, with funding applications submitted to supplement the

club’s main income streams accordingly.

The CDP should be reviewed annually in a formal way such as an annual

planning workshop, to check on progress and review priorities, making

adjustments to the Action Plan as required.

A brand new CDP should be prepared every five years to seek a ‘fresh’

perspective on the club’s future and involve current club members.

<INSERT CLUB NAME>

CLUB DEVELOPMENT PLAN

2013-2018

<Insert Club Name>

CLUB DEVELOPMENT PLAN

<Insert start year – insert end year>

<Insert the club’s contact details

- Club name

- Street address

- Postal address

- Website

- Email address

- Phone number>

Acknowledgement: <Insert a paragraph acknowledging the contributors to the development of the CDP>

Document control:

Key Milestones Date Milestone Achieved Signatories (two required)

Draft plan prepared

Final plan formally adopted

Annual review 1

Annual review 2

Annual review 3

Annual review 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Volunteer MAnagement PLAN .............................................................................................. 1

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1

Why Can’t I find Volunteers? .......................................................................................................... 1

How do I find Volunteers? .............................................................................................................. 2

Acknowledgement: ......................................................................................................................... 6

Document control: .......................................................................................................................... 6

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... 7

CURRENT SITUATION ..................................................................................................... 8

SWOT ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 10

KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED ................................................................................ 11

ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................................ 12

STRATEGIC DIRECTION ............................................................................................... 13

VISION ........................................................................................................................................... 13

GOALS............................................................................................................................................ 13

OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................... 14

ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................................ 17

INSERT CLUB NAME> STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2018: SUMMARY .............................. 22

CURRENT SITUATION

Club Overview

<Instructional note: Insert a brief paragraph providing an overview of your club, providing

information such as the club’s mission statement (from constitution), years of operation,

organisational structure, service area, types of activities provided, and previous strategic

planning activities undertaken.>

Club Status

<Instructional note: Provide a summary of the club’s status as identified in the ‘Club Health

Check’. Identify areas the club is doing well in and areas requiring improvement.>

Key Achievements

<Instructional note It is important to celebrate the past achievements of your club. If you

have had a CDP previously, list the key actions that were implemented from this plan. If

you haven’t had a CDP previously, make a list of key achievements for your club in recent

times, e.g. field lighting installed, role descriptions prepared for all committee members,

establishment of a social competition for adults. >

SWOT ANALYSIS <Instructional note: A SWOT analysis helps to identify the depth of issues and possibilities

for the club by drawing out the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of your organisation as

well as the external Opportunities and Threats. The SWOT analysis should incorporate the

information gained through the Club Health Check as well as other matters raised during this

exercise.

Complete the SWOT matrix below.

Consider the internal strengths and weaknesses of your organisation.

Strengths Weaknesses

E.g. Our club has a large volunteer base.

E.g. Club facilities are ageing and in poor

condition.

Consider the external opportunities and threats to take advantage of or plan to mitigate.

Opportunities Threats

E.g. There is a growing demand for ‘pay,

play and away’ competitions.

E.g. Government funding for sports clubs

has declined in recent years.

KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED <Instructional note: Considering the results of your Club Health Check and your SWOT

Analysis, you are now in a position to understand the key issues to be addressed in the

CDP. To address these issues (internal weaknesses and external threats), it’s important to

consider the opportunities available either within the club (strengths) or external to the club

(opportunities).

Use the table on the next page to identify issues under a series of ‘Club Development

Categories’. These issues and opportunities will help to guide the vision, goals, objectives

and actions for the remainder of your CDP.

Below is an example of the types of issues and opportunities that could be included:>

Development

Categories

Issues Opportunities

Facilities and

Equipment

Club facilities are ageing and in

poor condition.

Access state and local government

funding to upgrade facilities.

Membership E.g. Junior membership numbers

are in decline.

A new school is opening close to

the club. There is potential to

promote the club through the

school.

Volunteer

Management

The club constantly struggles to

attract and retain volunteers.

Access the resources of

Volunteering Queensland and

Volunteers FNQ to enhance

knowledge and networks.

ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Development Categories

Issues Opportunities

Administration and Finance

Sustainability

Strategic Planning

Facilities and Equipment

Membership

Volunteer Management

Sport/ Activity Development

Infrastructure Development

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

VISION <Instructional note: Based on the understanding you now have about the club’s current

situation, think about the kind of club you want to become in the life of this plan.

Insert a statement which describes the overarching vision for your organisation for the life of

this development plan. E.g. “To develop Smithsville Tennis Club into a safe and sustainable

club that offers tennis participation opportunities to suit a diverse community.”>

GOALS

<Instructional note: Goals highlight a purpose for action. For this plan, identify goals for each

of the Club Development Categories which will help guide the development of specific

objectives and then actions for each of these categories. This process ensures the issues

identified by your research into the club’s current situation will be reflected in the directions

proposed in the plan. Complete the table on the next page to identify a goal for each of the

Club Development Categories.

Below is an example of goals:>

Development

Categories Goals

Administration

and Finance

To demonstrate efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in the

administrative and financial management of the club.

Sustainability To manage the club in a way which ensure its viability into the future

and limits the club’s environmental impact.

Volunteer

Management

To create a club environment which attracts, retains and values

volunteers.

<Instructional note: Insert a single goal for each Club Development Category. >

Development

Categories Goal

Administration

and Finance

Sustainability

Strategic

Planning

Facilities and

Equipment

Membership

Volunteer

Management

Sport/ Activity Development

Infrastructure Development

OBJECTIVES

<Instructional note: Objectives set a specific target, identifying exactly what the club seeks to

achieve. You are likely to have a number of objectives within each Club Development

Category which identify the specific targets you seek in order to achieve the goal for that

category. The below table provides an example of objectives. Complete the table on the

next page with your club’s objectives. >

Example:

Development

Categories Goals Objectives

Volunteer

Management

To create a club

environment which

attracts, retains and

values volunteers.

To increase the club volunteer pool to more

than 40 volunteers each season.

To retain at least 50% of volunteers from

each season to the next.

<Instructional note: Insert objectives for each category and corresponding goal. There are

likely to be a number of objectives for each goal (add more rows as needed). Remember

that objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-

bound) to help them be addressed and so your club knows when they have been achieved.>

Development

Categories Goals Objectives

Administration

and Finance

Sustainability

Strategic

Planning

Facilities and

Equipment

Membership

Development

Categories Goals Objectives

Volunteer

Management

Sport/ Activity Development

Infrastructure

Development

ACTION PLAN <Instructional note: The Action Plan will detail the tasks your club will need to complete in an effort to realise the club’s vision and achieve its

stated objectives and goals. Group actions within club development categories and corresponding goals and objectives that have already

been identified. Add and remove rows as needed. Use this Action Plan to guide your club’s decision making and to track your CDP

implementation progress.>

Club

Development

Category Goal Objectives Actions

Performance

Indicators

Resources +

Responsibility

Target

Completion

Date

Category Area Category area goal

Specific category area objectives

What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?

Responsible person, resources needed

When will it be completed?

Administration

& Finance

Example:

To manage

the club in a

responsible,

accountable

and

sustainable

manner to

ensure its

viability into

To demonstrate

sound financial

management

To prepare and annual budget

Budget is

prepared and

adopted

annually

Treasurer,

management

committee

At the first

committee

meeting

following

the AGM

Club

Development

Category Goal Objectives Actions

Performance

Indicators

Resources +

Responsibility

Target

Completion

Date

Category Area Category area goal

Specific category area objectives

What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?

Responsible person, resources needed

When will it be completed?

the future

Sustainability

Strategic

Planning

Club

Development

Category Goal Objectives Actions

Performance

Indicators

Resources +

Responsibility

Target

Completion

Date

Category Area Category area goal

Specific category area objectives

What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?

Responsible person, resources needed

When will it be completed?

Facilities &

Equipment

Membership

Club

Development

Category Goal Objectives Actions

Performance

Indicators

Resources +

Responsibility

Target

Completion

Date

Category Area Category area goal

Specific category area objectives

What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?

Responsible person, resources needed

When will it be completed?

Volunteer

Management

Sport/ Activity

Club

Development

Category Goal Objectives Actions

Performance

Indicators

Resources +

Responsibility

Target

Completion

Date

Category Area Category area goal

Specific category area objectives

What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?

Responsible person, resources needed

When will it be completed?

Development

Infrastructure Development

INSERT CLUB NAME> STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2018: SUMMARY <Instructional note: Your club may wish to concert your full CDP into a concise summary to promote to your members and supporters. A

shortened version may result in the CDP being more widely read and understood by those outside your committee. Simply copy and paste the

information from previous sections of this document into the appropriate tables below and save as a separate ‘CDP Summary’ for

distribution.>

<Insert vision statement>

Club Development

Area

Goals

Administration and

Finance

Sustainability

Strategic Planning

Facilities and

Equipment

Membership

Volunteer Management

Sport/ Activity

Development

Infrastructure

Development

Administration and <Insert Objectives>

Finance

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Sustainability <Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Strategic Planning <Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Facilities and

Equipment

<Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Membership <Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Volunteer

Management

<Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Sport/ Activity

Development

<Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

Infrastructure

Development

<Insert Objectives>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>

<insert Actions>