If you’re in the southern parts of Australia, it’s getting cold out there.  We know what cold, drizzly weather does to our enthusiasm, don’t we?

It does exactly the same thing to your volunteers. Who wants to leave their nice, warm home just to come out and help the club?

Light some fire in their enthusiasm by trying these three ideas.

1.  Invest some time in them. 

Not everyone will be available, sure, but the offer may just be enough to make them feel great.  Offer some training or some time just to get to know the board in a causal setting. Take them out for coffee. Just be there with them and make sure you bring a benefit to them at the same time.

2.  Allocate a responsibility

Many people thrive on responsibility. It brings out their commitment to the job and they work doubly hard to get it done. Form a small committee to focus on something that has needed to be done for a long time but which is often overlooked in favour of the more ‘urgent’ work.

3.  Mention them in your promotions.

Volunteers can be the faceless reasons for your club’s success. Wouldn’t it be nice to see them recognised for what they have achieved? Name them in your media releases or on you club’s social media pages. That will bring a smile to their faces.

Volunteers are amazing people. They are self-energised so it doesn’t take a lot to get them going again when they seem to be in a slump. It’s worth your while spending a little time and money on these people because they will return it many times over with the effort they give to your team or club.