Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Every year, thousands of people give up their time to support the sport they love and help others to enjoy time with horses. These volunteers are an essential part of many equestrian organisations or events – without them, our industry would look very different. Volunteering can come in many forms, from mucking out stables or leading riders, to administrative support or collecting score sheets at competitions, and can be a great way to develop skills and build a loyal support base for your organisation. However, finding the right people isn't always easy. If you're looking for volunteers to help support your organisation or event, check out our guide for everything you need to know.
Before you start looking for volunteers, it's important to be clear about what you need them to do. Spend some time thinking through what you want help with – make a list of tasks to be done, being as specific as possible, and any skills that might be necessary in order to get them done.
Compile written role descriptions to ensure that all aspects have been covered, even if just to help you get a better idea of the type of person that you’re looking for and what they’ll do. It might help to do this with a colleague or two so that you can bounce ideas off each other.
RECRUIT FOR ONGOING ROLES
It's best to recruit volunteers for ongoing roles rather than one-off ones. For example, if you need support for a particular rider or group, or with administration tasks or promotional activity, then recruit someone to come in at regular times each week to help with these tasks. You might need to spend some time training them in the beginning, but this will quickly pay off once they become more independent. Ongoing volunteers become an extension of your staff, and it's easy to think of them as such, but remember to thank them regularly for their huge commitment to your organisation.
Time spent training and nurturing a volunteer is wasted if they only work a few hours and don't plan to return. However, a good day at an event or similar can be a great way to introduce people to your organisation and the activities you deliver, so could be a useful way to recruit volunteers, as long as you are able to convert them into long-term repeat volunteers.
FINDING VOLUNTEERS
While it might be possible to find volunteers through your local community or word-of-mouth, there are a number of organisations with a pool of people ready and willing to help you. The Pony Club runs the Young Equestrian Leaders Award, which has volunteering at the core of its three levels and is a good source of young people looking for opportunities. Similarly, young people in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme are also looking for volunteering opportunities. Other youth and community organisations such as the Scouts, Cadets and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) are often keen to provide opportunities for their people to give time in their community, so trying reaching out to your local group and developing a relationship with them.
In England, the network of Active Partnerships may have local support to help you connect with organisations and people looking for volunteering opportunities – click here to find your local Active Partnership and see what they can help you with.
When recruiting volunteers, it’s essential that good practices are followed to ensure an organised process and that everyone is kept safe. Make sure that you’re up to speed with relevant safeguarding requirements, and that disclosure checks are carried out for the volunteers you’re bring in.
A structured recruitment is essential in finding the right person for the right role. Here are some tips…
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
If you need to interview…
Make sure your volunteers are prepared for the tasks they agreed to, and be honest about time commitments. Let them know how long they'll need to be prepared to give. In addition, let them know what they should wear for the tasks they are being asked to do – if they’re going to be around horses, they’ll need to be dressed appropriately. If they need safety equipment such as a riding hat, will this be provided? Should they bring lunch? Where should they park? Give them as much information as you can so they'll know what to expect on the first day.
Let other staff members know when volunteers are coming and what they'll be doing. Encourage staff to welcome volunteers and make them feel at home. Be sure to make introductions to the entire staff on a volunteer's first day.
On your volunteer’s first day, set aside time to get them settled and make sure they’re comfortable with the tasks allocated them – particularly if more specialist skills are required. It may help to arrange a buddy system with a more long-term volunteer or member of staff, who can show them the ropes while they get settled in. Show them where they can find the toilets and get a drink, and make sure you let them know who to ask if they have questions. The goal is to help them feel comfortable with you, not like outsiders. Check in on your new volunteers periodically to see how they're doing and if they need anything. They'll appreciate your concern.
What can greatly improve the experience for volunteers is providing meaningful recognition of the time and energy that they’re putting in – and this doesn’t need to be challenging or costly for your organisation. A recent study found that making a few small changes is enough of an incentive for most volunteers, such as…
Here are a few additional ideas to test…
A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
It’s natural for people to gravitate towards socialising with others, and it’s a great way to build bonds within your team – connected volunteers are more likely to become life-long supporters. There are many ways that organisations can leverage and create new social environments for prospects and volunteers…
Sport England Club Matters also has some excellent resources to help recruit and develop volunteers. Sport Wales also has similar excellent resources to help, as does Sport Scotland.