How to increase volunteerism?

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Divisions, clubs, tournaments--- really, everything in fencing is run better when you have lots of competent people doing things. Sadly, no one has enough money to pay the number of people needed to make any of those things run smoothly. Some of the wonderful people doing things well have to be volunteers.

Some clubs/areas/etc are better at getting volunteers than others.

If you have people volunteer to help you, what do you do to encourage this? (Parent specific clinics? Non-monetary rewards? A sense of community?)

If you tend to volunteer, why do you do it? Are there certain circumstances where you will and will not volunteer? How can the community make you more interested in giving your time and energy?

{Yes, this is in response to the Philadelphia Division Thread. Yes, there's a problem, but it's a general problem everywhere, and we're not going to solve it by complaining about results, we're going to solve it by actually addressing the root of the problem.......}

[hpfencing]

The only volunteers we have been able to get a s a whole are parents and peopel intersted because someone they know fences.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

The only volunteers we have been able to get a s a whole are parents and peopel intersted because someone they know fences.

It's assumed that you're not going to get someone off the street to organize getting a concession stand or something like that--- But some places are better at finding parents/fencers not currently fencing to do those things. I know what makes me interested in giving my time, and I'll post on that as soon as I'm not a majority of the posts on the thread : )

[KShan5[PrFC]]

People. When i do things in division for free it's because I enjoy the company of the people I'm working with. It's that simple. I ref on the other hand because I am a poor, poor, college student who needs money.

[Monash_Armourer]

Knowing that your time invested is leading somewhere and is appreciated, the occasion quality gift (which does not have to be expensive) goes a long way towards making people feel valued. A box of chocolates, a gift voucher, a bottle of wine or port or premium liquor or even something like a cake or somebody can be a powerful token of appreciation, as you might never truly be able to repay that person for their time.

As far as cultivating volunteerism, I think you need a readily apparent need as well as strong leadership and a warm friendly environment.

Goals can be an important thing as well. If a volunteer doesn't know what they're putting their effort towards, they might simply see an endeavour as a black hole of time and effort. Everybody likes to see something grow and change even if they are not there to see a project through to completion, and know it benefits somebody.

Perhaps the best thing I like to see when volunteering in something is to see other people volunteering as well.

Perhaps the most powerful de-motivator is people who simply don't care or aren't willing to put in their time and effort and whom respond to request for help with "Why should I do that? Isn't that your job?" I'm sorry, but it quite clearly isn't my "job", and if somebody feels too important, that their time is better put to use standing around, talking or fidgeting, then that's exactly the kind of behaviour that prompts the though "Why am I doing this?" Do not expect volunteers to do everything for you, or to always be there to do the work, or they might just get up and leave.

Everybody has a preference for what they'd rather volunteer to do as well, I'd rather maintain gear, coach or man the bbq at a social outing. I do not enjoy paperwork in the slightest or politicing. I HATE politicing, possibly because I'm good at it... Pushing somebody into doing something they have particular displeasure for isn't going to keep them around for long.

The point is somebody has to want to volunteer for whatever reason. Maybe they feel they get something out of it, like a particular skill set they can use elsewhere, maybe they just feel good knowing they've done something to benefit others. Maybe they get friendship out of it, or a place they feel welcome, maybe they just get to feel more involved with their kids.

Perhaps I'm really just stating the obvious, put perhaps it needs to be stated just so that people don't forget or take it all for granted when dealing with volunteers.

[Peach]

1. Support: manuals, outlines, flow charts; someone around who will answer questions and provide guidance; clear job descriptions.
2. Recruitment and PR. An atmosphere of expectations. Every division should have a handout for fencers and parents suggesting the additional roles they should play in their sport. Club owners should constantly suggest these, and post them on bulletin boards.
3. Apprenticeship. Every position should have an assistantship attached to it.
4. Regular rotation. If you leave people in office forever, (a) they are the only people who know how to do things any more and they become irreplaceable, (b) they get fed up eventually OR they start thinking they are Big Stuff, and (c) people start thinking it's easier to let them do it than figure out how to get someone else to do it. Yeah, I know it's hard to get and train new people. See Items #1-3.

[LordShout]

The single biggest factor that kills volunteerism on the local tournmanet level is loud mouth dick fencers and their parents, increaseing volunteerism will be directly correlated with black cards being handed out to people who scream at volunteers, accost them, poke fun at them in a cruel manner. I've got volunteers for my bout table, fenecers and ex fencers, they are there working my tournaments for free, be nice to them.

I've seen many people volunteer once and than never come out again because it was such a terrible experiance, I don't understand why people think it is ok to yell at the people working the tournment or, and I've seen this, go up to them and to their face tell them they are stupid and don't know anything about fencing.

One or two blackcards would do wonders for increasing the volunteers fun level and making it a good experiance.

[jeff]

Most of the volunteers I see are in it because of their fencing kids, and then got in deeper. That's great, but I think we have to inspire the young fencers to volunteer too.

You can make it clear to new fencers that they are now part of something bigger than themselves, and that it benefits both themselves and this wonderful new thing they've joined if they put some effort in beyond showing up and fencing. By participating in running things, than are far more a part of the action, the community, the scene, than if Dad pays the entry fee, they fence, and go home. If there are role models they look up to acting as volunteers, so much the better. This won't motivate everyone, but it will be meaningful to the ones you want.

Tactically: when you have the age group competitions, get the guys who are not currently fencing or on deck to do strip chores like keeping time and score, or setting up or tearing down a strip. Of course, teach the noobies how to do the tasks correctly and keep an eye on them to make sure they don't mess up. Don't set them up to fail or put the results at risk, but show them there's something they can be part of. I'd rather we encourage the mind-set up participants in fencing, rather than consumers of a service that somebody does for them.

[qatet]

Building on Jeff's reply, I think that the New England Division does a great job of getting this kind of day-to-day volunteerism with their practice of taking a deposit for the day, then giving it back if you carry out some small task to help with running the tournament.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Building on Jeff's reply, I think that the New England Division does a great job of getting this kind of day-to-day volunteerism with their practice of taking a deposit for the day, then giving it back if you carry out some small task to help with running the tournament.

Interestingly enough, it's a practice that's dying to some degree. It's still in full force for facilities that are only in use for the day, clubs where the trash is far enough away that things don't seem to make it there all the time, and places without score/time on the boxes.... But when there isn't a lot of abundant trash, keeping score/time is unnecessary, and you don't need to pack up strips at the end of the day, there's just about nothing for anyone to DO at the end of the day. And it's nice to not have to worry about those things, but I really like the policy as a whole.

Some of my very favorite fencing-related memories have to do with helping to clean up after fencing tournaments. (junior sectionals at UNH a million years ago (probably more like "4") when there was paper underneath the copper strips that was in a pile i got thrown into whenever i was near it, and then the paper got loaded into an elevator and down a hall, and was just SO FUN).

And that's the key part for me--- I fence because I like the people. And I like people thinking I'm competent. I like knowing things. I really do like to be involved. So I help out. I will wake up at 6 to drive a couple hours just to help out because I have the respect of those that I'm helping out. And I'll do whatever needs to get done.

On the other hand, I will publicly mock the people who insinuate that I might, perhaps, BREAK THE DIVISION LAPTOP by entering in the results. Thanks, guys, the person in charge of giving you this laptop trusts me with it more than you, but thanks for your vote of support. It's a well known fact that I know how to run a tournament and you know how to run a cluster ****. But thanks for playing. (Seriously, I've been helping running division tournaments since before the division had a laptop, and if I haven't broken it yet, I don't think it's likely.) You'd think they'd notice that any year that I was allowed to help out, the tournament went better, but they're actually not that smart.

Which means that I will help out at pretty much any tournament in the New England Division other than the Northampton E. (The tournament so bad that we should eject NFC to the CT division and wash our hands of it altogether.)

[oiuyt]

The tournament so bad that we should eject NFC to the CT division and wash our hands of it altogether.

Tell us how you really feel.

-B

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Tell us how you really feel.

-B

you really don't want that..........

[annacattiva]

Which means that I will help out at pretty much any tournament in the New England Division other than the Northampton E. (The tournament so bad that we should eject NFC to the CT division and wash our hands of it altogether.)

Wow. Got a little bitterness built up there, MP?

I echo what others have said that I volunteer to be part of the community and to spend time with people I like. Things that make me Not want to volunteer: unpleasant people. This includes fencers, parents, potentially organizers (although I've never had trouble with that). It also applies to refereeing, which I tend to do more than organizing. The only competition I've ever walked out on as a ref I was an unpaid volunteer, there because I'd been at the club and wanted to stay for the competition but couldn't fence because of an injury. I managed to resist the urge to walk out in the middle of a bout, and merely walked out in the middle of a round, telling one organizer that I was leaving. And I haven't been back to that club in a while. I like a lot of the people there (including the owners), but those few fencers were so totally offensive that I'm basically waiting for them all to leave for college before I go back. So if you want to keep volunteers, treat them nicely. I won't even say that they need gifts or occasional presents or non-monetary rewards (although I like the NE Division habit of giving waivers for future registration fees to fencers who also referee a certain number of rounds after being eliminated). Just treat the volunteers like human beings, and try to have a little perspective on what they're doing.

Anna

[chefencer]

It is important to treat volunteers as exactly what they are: a valuable commodity, a precious resource that is vitally important to the tournament organizers and the operation of the division. They need respect, gratitude, respect, schmoozing, respect and moral support. Combine a leadership who 'shows the love' and the organizational/mentoring support that churns the skill set with new blood on a regular basis like Peach was talking about and you'll have a donkey-kicking tournament cadre who will work together, having a blast and overcoming all obstacles. Kind of like we have in the VA Div, actually...

[Phrogger]

One of the biggest barriers to volunteerism is...the lack of enough volunteers. It tends to be a catch-22. The fewer people you have to work a tournament or run an organization, the more work there is for everybody to do. I run into this at church a lot. I volunteered to help with the nursery but there are so few people that I end up doing it just about every other week. That makes me want to quit because my schedule can't sustain that. Think referees working for 12 hours without a break (granted most of them are paid now), the same people scorekeeping all day long, etc.

As far as volunteering at the division level, well, with the new "observer" requirement in North Carolina (division observer required at every official tournament) I can't afford to be driving all over the state every weekend or even once a month. I'd rather be going to fence.

One thing that will make volunteers feel appreciated and want to come back is not a thank-you gift, but free food. Providing lunch or snacks goes a long way!

[parrythis]

The term "volunteer" is, for the most part, a misnomer. While there are a few individuals that will, out of the goodness of their hearts and a desire to contribute, walk up and say, "What can I do to help?", the majority of "volunteers" are typically recruited.

In simplest terms, this means that someone has to walk up to someone else and ask them if they can help out. Promote the effort as being for the betterment of the organization. Show the person that they will be doing something worthwhile and their efforts will be appreciated. In other words, you have to "sell it".

I belong to another organization that used to have a newsletter editor that would write long-winded editorials about how we needed people to volunteer. In retrospect, however, I don't recall that he ever actually asked anyone, personally, to help out. I think he was missing an opportunity.

[Peach]

What works even better is telling people to volunteer. You can make it a requirement of club membership that fencers and support family-members should take on at least one responsibility. Possible tasks could include refereeing, scorekeeping, clean-up, organizing sports equipment, washing club uniforms, armoring, running tournaments, conducting demonstrations, handing out flyers, making phone calls, publishing newsletters, serving on division, region, and national committees, and balancing the books.

My daughter's rugby club has a point system for fund-raising, and all members must contribute a certain number of points. I just found out that when I bought a T-shirt from the vendor stand I should have given her name, for instance; last night she and a bunch of other team members manned a concession stand during a concert at a venue which allows nonprofits to take a percentage of profits if they sell refreshments.

[Jay Young]

This is one problem that I have noticed has come up in my division. Myself and one other referee have been doing most of the refereeing in the division. We've been doing this for the last 2 years due to injuries. Now that we're healed, we want to start fencing again, but we've been typecast into the referee role for all tournaments. When one of us does decide to fence, we end up being short a referee. Kinda sucks. Yes, we do get paid, but we're still considered "volunteer officials." (at least at nationals...)

[epeeforlife]

If you have people volunteer to help you, what do you do to encourage this? (Parent specific clinics? Non-monetary rewards? A sense of community?)

We thank them when they help and try not to run them off. It also helps parents when their kids win a few bouts.

[Jay83]

I've volunteered with many things... the executive for the fencing club, at museums, at various programs at University, the hospital etc.

Why did I start? Cause I figured that volunteering at the hospital would look good on a resume. Once I got in though... I realized how fun it was and I started volunteering at lots of different places. Definitely a couple key points for attracting volunteers are showcasing the benefits( looks good on a resume, develops leadership/organizational skills, its FUN!), and showing the need.

Some deterrents for volunteers include: the workload (as someone already mentioned, lower numbers of volunteers mean more work for everyone) and politics. Politics is definitely the main reason why I've stopped volunteering in certain places. When volunteering stops being fun, that's when you should get out.

Heh, maybe clubs could appoint someone as a Volunteer Organizer who's main task is to obtain and retain volunteers....