Thinking About Volunteering

The Club depends upon volunteers. Every event, activity and improvement ultimately happens because members are willing to contribute their time, skills and experience.

Whether you are helping behind the bar, organising entertainment, maintaining the premises, running a section, joining a working group or serving on the Committee, volunteering should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Before taking on any role, it is worth understanding exactly what is expected and what support will be available.

Questions Every Volunteer Should Ask

1. What is the objective?

Before accepting a role, ask:

• What are we trying to achieve?
• What does success look like?
• How will we know if the project has been successful?

A clear objective helps everyone work towards the same outcome.

2. What is my role?

Ask:

• What am I actually responsible for?
• What decisions can I make myself?
• What decisions require Committee approval?
• What is outside my responsibility?

No volunteer should be expected to do everything.

3. Who do I report to?

Ask:

• Which Committee member is responsible for this activity?
• Who should I speak to if problems arise?
• How often should progress be reported?

Every volunteer should have a clear point of contact.

4. Who will help me?

Ask:

• Is there a team?
• Are other volunteers involved?
• What support will be available?

Successful projects are usually team efforts.

5. What authority do I have?

Ask:

• Can I spend money?
• Can I communicate with members?
• Can I engage suppliers?
• Can I make operational decisions?

Authority should match responsibility.

6. What resources are available?

Ask:

• Is there a budget?
• Are facilities available?
• Is training available?
• Are systems already in place?

Volunteers should not be expected to create everything from scratch.

7. How much time is expected?

Ask:

• Is this a one-off task?
• Is it a monthly commitment?
• Is it seasonal?
• What is the realistic workload?

It is better to understand expectations at the start.

8. How will decisions be made?

Ask:

• What decisions can I make?
• What decisions belong to the Committee?
• How will disagreements be resolved?

Clear decision-making prevents misunderstandings.

Questions Volunteers Should Expect the Committee to Answer

The Committee should normally be able to explain:

• Why the activity is being undertaken.
• What outcome is sought.
• Who is responsible.
• What authority is delegated.
• What resources are available.
• How progress will be monitored.
• How success will be measured.

If these questions cannot be answered, the activity may need further planning before volunteers are recruited.

Shared Responsibility

A common misunderstanding in voluntary organisations is that responsibility can be handed entirely to one person.

In practice, successful activities usually involve:

• The Committee providing direction and oversight.
• Volunteers carrying out agreed tasks.
• Regular communication between both.

Delegating tasks does not remove the Committee's responsibility for the activity. Equally, volunteers should not be expected to carry unlimited responsibility without support.

Communication and Accountability

Members often find it easier to engage with named individuals rather than anonymous communications issued simply by "The Committee".

Where practical, Club communications should identify the person responsible for the activity, event, project or decision being discussed.

Examples might include:

• Bar Manager
• Entertainment Manager
• Membership Secretary
• Property Coordinator
• Lottery Promoter
• Project Lead
• Committee Sponsor

Identifying responsible officers, organisers and project leaders helps improve communication, accountability and member engagement.

Volunteers Are Not Employees

Volunteers give their time freely. They are not employees and should not be expected to carry sole responsibility for major activities without support.

Successful volunteering usually occurs when:

• Objectives are clear.
• Responsibilities are understood.
• Authority is defined.
• Support is available.
• Progress is communicated.
• Decisions are made at the appropriate level.

The most successful Club activities are usually those where the Committee provides leadership and oversight whilst volunteers contribute their skills and enthusiasm within a supportive team environment.

Volunteering Should Be Enjoyable

The Club values every volunteer contribution, whether it is helping for a few hours at an event or taking on a long-term role.

The best volunteering experiences occur when objectives are clear, responsibilities are understood, support is available and people work together as a team.

If you are considering becoming involved, please ask questions, understand what is required and ensure you have the support you need to succeed.

A simple rule of thumb: Before accepting any role, make sure you understand:

• What needs to be achieved.
• What authority you have.
• Who will help you.
• Who is accountable.
• How success will be measured.

If these questions cannot be answered, the role may not yet be properly defined.