Each year rugby volunteers devote countless hours week in week out, year after year to provide a safe, enjoyable and well-administrated environment for all rugby stakeholders to participate.
Recognising and rewarding volunteers is a key component in genuinely valuing volunteers and is vital in the retention of volunteers. Everyone who volunteers deserves some form of recognition, even if it is a simple thank you for helping out.
Rewarding volunteers takes recognition a step further. It provides something tangible to the act of volunteering as a way of commending higher levels of performance among volunteers.
Effective recognition and reward programs
Recognition and reward programs tend to work best when they are:
linked to the performance appraisal process
based on accurate records of volunteer service and performance
immediate - recognise volunteer effort soon after it is given
specific - give personal recognition
consistent - recognise everyone's achievements, avoid showing favouritism
sincere - mean what you say
enthusiastic - being positive and up-beat builds enthusiasm in others
Ideas for recognising and rewarding volunteers
Below are but some ideas which may be useful:
- Smiling, saying hello and thank you
- Sending welcome letters when volunteers are first recruited
- Including volunteers on club organisational charts
- Get to know a little bit about the volunteers in your club
- Offering personal praise to volunteers while on the job
- Make sure volunteers get a relaxing, decent lunch break
- Offer volunteers a complimentary lunch
- Ensure the club is a happy, pleasant place to volunteer!
- Writing letters and postcards of thanks
- Writing letters of reference and including details of service
- Acknowledging volunteers in club newsletters
- Presenting volunteer awards at the annual general meeting
- Sending get well, birthday and Christmas cards
- Create a birthday calendar of volunteer birthdays and acknowledge their birthday
- Offer a ‘buddy system’ so volunteers can work in pairs which is socially rewarding
- Arranging loyalty discounts at local sport stores or restaurants
- Awarding life memberships
- Giving identification pins, badges, shirts or caps
- Reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses
- Holding social events in honour of volunteers
- Acknowledging efforts during committee meetings
- Listening to volunteers' ideas
- Funding training courses, conferences and seminars
- Provide formal acknowledgement of volunteers with a certificate
- Presenting club awards for 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and more years of service
Volunteer Recognition Program
The Australian Rugby Union recognises the efforts and skills of volunteers and have implemented the National Volunteer Recognition Program in an effort to encourage and lift the profile of Community Rugby volunteers.
The program's objective is to reward those volunteers who have contributed to the development, promotion and/or advancement of Rugby Union within Australia. Click here for further information on the National Volunteer Recognition Program.
in addition, your State/Territory Union may also offer a Volunteer Recognition Program, so make sure your club is aware what is available within your Union.
Running Your Club
Click here for more information on Volunteer Management, including how to manage volunteers, position description templates for various roles within the club and volunteer research, visit the Running Your Club on-line administration resources at www.rugby.com.au/runningyourclub.
