GO CLUBS Template #3
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PLAN
INTRODUCTION Volunteer numbers are getting harder and harder to attract, this can be attributed to multiple
causes, but the bottom line is a majority of clubs are struggling to attract sufficient volunteers
for the running of their local clubs. This places more pressure on fewer and fewer people
increasing the chance of burn out and that your club will lose irreplaceable members.
Why Can’t I find Volunteers? So what stands in the way of a people volunteering for club? Some are unable to make the
time commitment, some are unsure of what volunteering would involve, others just simply
haven’t been asked.
Evidence suggests that just advertising in the newsletter is not going to attract volunteers,
that clubs need a targeted when searching for potential volunteers around the club. To do
this clubs need to understand what it is they have at their disposal, your members are your
greatest asset, and within them you will find all sorts of knowledge, skills and experience that
can only be of benefit to your club going forward.
Like any position there needs to be a clear outline of the responsibilities and requirements of
the role, just telling people “they’ll figure it out” is going to place a lot of undue pressure on
the very people you are trying to attract and retain.
This is why the role descriptions are so important for the attraction of volunteers, by outlining
specific the duties of each position it gives potential volunteers an understanding of their role
as well as rough outline on how much of a time commitment each position is.
One of the most essential positions outside of the executive committee which mandated
through legislation, is the volunteer coordinator is one of the most important roles for the
club, the volunteer coordinator should with the help of the executive be across the needs of
the clubs and have a database of potential volunteers that are suitable for each role.
The club should when having players sign on ask specific questions about the skills that
people within the club may have, or any experience they might have in running nfp
organisations.
How do I find Volunteers?
Your volunteers are coming from two sources, internally and externally. Your internal
volunteers are those who are connected to the club while external volunteers are community
minded people who are just looking for a way to give back. The trick is to engage both types
to get a maximum amount of experience and talent into your organisation.
Starting with the external volunteers there are 2 ways through the Go Clubs program that
clubs can use to attract new volunteers. The first through NEATO which is not technically
volunteers but is able to supply administration workers to help with the accreditation process
or to alleviate some of the day to day work such as draws and ladders free of charge to the
club. This is though the work for the dole program and assists in up skilling unemployed
locals. To access administrative crew a club only has to be registered with Go Clubs, and
once a club reaches a level 4 accreditation then they have access to NEATO ground crews
to assist with basic maintenance and field upkeep.
Clubs can contact NEATO on 4051 4444 to book a worker.
FNQ Volunteers is another avenue that clubs can use. FNQ Volunteers is a NFP but it will
cost $121 to join, once paid this means that FNQ volunteers will actively canvas and seek
out volunteers on your behalf.
CDP Preparation Tips cont
o Analyse the club’s financial records, including financial position over the past
few years.
o Analyse the club’s membership figures to see if there are any trends over the
past few years such as an increase in overall participation, and changes to
age and gender groups.
Bring in an external person to facilitate your planning workshop. This
independent person may be from another club, from your regional or state
associations, or a professional facilitator. An external facilitator will be invaluable
in keeping your workshop on track, drawing out important issues for discussion,
summarising the information being discussed, and managing group dynamics
and personalities at the meeting.
Ask stakeholders outside of your club to provide feedback on your draft plan, e.g.
parent bodies, development officers, contacts at Council. It’s always helpful to
get a second opinion to ensure an important issue or opportunity hasn’t been
missed.
The CDP should be formally adopted by your club committee and displayed in
your club house and on your website.
Personalise the CDP. Add in your club logo, photos and reformat into your club’s
colours.
Instructional notes have been provided for each section throughout this template. Delete the
notes provided before you finalise your CDP. When you draft your CDP, remove these first
three pages from your document so your club development plan starts on the following page.
CDP Implementation Tips
The following should be considered in the implementation of your CDP:
The CDP should be prominently displayed in your clubhouse and on the club’s
website, and electronic copies distributed to all members who wish to obtain a
copy. Make sure key stakeholders outside of the club are aware of your CDP.
Provide copies to your local Councillor, peak body and sponsors to ensure all
potential supporters are aware of your club’s aspirations.
A committee member should be designated the responsibility of overseeing the
implementation on the CDP, with tasks shared amongst various committee
members, club officials and volunteers.
The CDP should feature prominently in regular club reporting. The officer
responsible for implementation of the CDP should frequently report on the
progress of implementation to the club committee (e.g. standing agenda item),
which should be recorded in minutes and communicated to members.
In order to give your club the greatest chance of successfully implementing the
CDP, the tasks outlined in the Action Plan should be incorporated into your
club’s annual budget, with funding applications submitted to supplement the
club’s main income streams accordingly.
The CDP should be reviewed annually in a formal way such as an annual
planning workshop, to check on progress and review priorities, making
adjustments to the Action Plan as required.
A brand new CDP should be prepared every five years to seek a ‘fresh’
perspective on the club’s future and involve current club members.
<INSERT CLUB NAME>
CLUB DEVELOPMENT PLAN
2013-2018
<Insert Club Name>
CLUB DEVELOPMENT PLAN
<Insert start year – insert end year>
<Insert the club’s contact details
- Club name
- Street address
- Postal address
- Website
- Email address
- Phone number>
Acknowledgement: <Insert a paragraph acknowledging the contributors to the development of the CDP>
Document control:
Key Milestones Date Milestone Achieved Signatories (two required)
Draft plan prepared
Final plan formally adopted
Annual review 1
Annual review 2
Annual review 3
Annual review 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volunteer MAnagement PLAN .............................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1
Why Can’t I find Volunteers? .......................................................................................................... 1
How do I find Volunteers? .............................................................................................................. 2
Acknowledgement: ......................................................................................................................... 6
Document control: .......................................................................................................................... 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... 7
CURRENT SITUATION ..................................................................................................... 8
SWOT ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 10
KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED ................................................................................ 11
ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................................ 12
STRATEGIC DIRECTION ............................................................................................... 13
VISION ........................................................................................................................................... 13
GOALS............................................................................................................................................ 13
OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................... 14
ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................................ 17
INSERT CLUB NAME> STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2018: SUMMARY .............................. 22
CURRENT SITUATION
Club Overview
<Instructional note: Insert a brief paragraph providing an overview of your club, providing
information such as the club’s mission statement (from constitution), years of operation,
organisational structure, service area, types of activities provided, and previous strategic
planning activities undertaken.>
Club Status
<Instructional note: Provide a summary of the club’s status as identified in the ‘Club Health
Check’. Identify areas the club is doing well in and areas requiring improvement.>
Key Achievements
<Instructional note It is important to celebrate the past achievements of your club. If you
have had a CDP previously, list the key actions that were implemented from this plan. If
you haven’t had a CDP previously, make a list of key achievements for your club in recent
times, e.g. field lighting installed, role descriptions prepared for all committee members,
establishment of a social competition for adults. >
SWOT ANALYSIS <Instructional note: A SWOT analysis helps to identify the depth of issues and possibilities
for the club by drawing out the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of your organisation as
well as the external Opportunities and Threats. The SWOT analysis should incorporate the
information gained through the Club Health Check as well as other matters raised during this
exercise.
Complete the SWOT matrix below.
Consider the internal strengths and weaknesses of your organisation.
Strengths Weaknesses
E.g. Our club has a large volunteer base.
E.g. Club facilities are ageing and in poor
condition.
Consider the external opportunities and threats to take advantage of or plan to mitigate.
Opportunities Threats
E.g. There is a growing demand for ‘pay,
play and away’ competitions.
E.g. Government funding for sports clubs
has declined in recent years.
KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED <Instructional note: Considering the results of your Club Health Check and your SWOT
Analysis, you are now in a position to understand the key issues to be addressed in the
CDP. To address these issues (internal weaknesses and external threats), it’s important to
consider the opportunities available either within the club (strengths) or external to the club
(opportunities).
Use the table on the next page to identify issues under a series of ‘Club Development
Categories’. These issues and opportunities will help to guide the vision, goals, objectives
and actions for the remainder of your CDP.
Below is an example of the types of issues and opportunities that could be included:>
Development
Categories
Issues Opportunities
Facilities and
Equipment
Club facilities are ageing and in
poor condition.
Access state and local government
funding to upgrade facilities.
Membership E.g. Junior membership numbers
are in decline.
A new school is opening close to
the club. There is potential to
promote the club through the
school.
Volunteer
Management
The club constantly struggles to
attract and retain volunteers.
Access the resources of
Volunteering Queensland and
Volunteers FNQ to enhance
knowledge and networks.
ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Development Categories
Issues Opportunities
Administration and Finance
Sustainability
Strategic Planning
Facilities and Equipment
Membership
Volunteer Management
Sport/ Activity Development
Infrastructure Development
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
VISION <Instructional note: Based on the understanding you now have about the club’s current
situation, think about the kind of club you want to become in the life of this plan.
Insert a statement which describes the overarching vision for your organisation for the life of
this development plan. E.g. “To develop Smithsville Tennis Club into a safe and sustainable
club that offers tennis participation opportunities to suit a diverse community.”>
GOALS
<Instructional note: Goals highlight a purpose for action. For this plan, identify goals for each
of the Club Development Categories which will help guide the development of specific
objectives and then actions for each of these categories. This process ensures the issues
identified by your research into the club’s current situation will be reflected in the directions
proposed in the plan. Complete the table on the next page to identify a goal for each of the
Club Development Categories.
Below is an example of goals:>
Development
Categories Goals
Administration
and Finance
To demonstrate efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in the
administrative and financial management of the club.
Sustainability To manage the club in a way which ensure its viability into the future
and limits the club’s environmental impact.
Volunteer
Management
To create a club environment which attracts, retains and values
volunteers.
<Instructional note: Insert a single goal for each Club Development Category. >
Development
Categories Goal
Administration
and Finance
Sustainability
Strategic
Planning
Facilities and
Equipment
Membership
Volunteer
Management
Sport/ Activity Development
Infrastructure Development
OBJECTIVES
<Instructional note: Objectives set a specific target, identifying exactly what the club seeks to
achieve. You are likely to have a number of objectives within each Club Development
Category which identify the specific targets you seek in order to achieve the goal for that
category. The below table provides an example of objectives. Complete the table on the
next page with your club’s objectives. >
Example:
Development
Categories Goals Objectives
Volunteer
Management
To create a club
environment which
attracts, retains and
values volunteers.
To increase the club volunteer pool to more
than 40 volunteers each season.
To retain at least 50% of volunteers from
each season to the next.
<Instructional note: Insert objectives for each category and corresponding goal. There are
likely to be a number of objectives for each goal (add more rows as needed). Remember
that objectives should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-
bound) to help them be addressed and so your club knows when they have been achieved.>
Development
Categories Goals Objectives
Administration
and Finance
Sustainability
Strategic
Planning
Facilities and
Equipment
Membership
Development
Categories Goals Objectives
Volunteer
Management
Sport/ Activity Development
Infrastructure
Development
ACTION PLAN <Instructional note: The Action Plan will detail the tasks your club will need to complete in an effort to realise the club’s vision and achieve its
stated objectives and goals. Group actions within club development categories and corresponding goals and objectives that have already
been identified. Add and remove rows as needed. Use this Action Plan to guide your club’s decision making and to track your CDP
implementation progress.>
Club
Development
Category Goal Objectives Actions
Performance
Indicators
Resources +
Responsibility
Target
Completion
Date
Category Area Category area goal
Specific category area objectives
What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?
Responsible person, resources needed
When will it be completed?
Administration
& Finance
Example:
To manage
the club in a
responsible,
accountable
and
sustainable
manner to
ensure its
viability into
To demonstrate
sound financial
management
To prepare and annual budget
Budget is
prepared and
adopted
annually
Treasurer,
management
committee
At the first
committee
meeting
following
the AGM
Club
Development
Category Goal Objectives Actions
Performance
Indicators
Resources +
Responsibility
Target
Completion
Date
Category Area Category area goal
Specific category area objectives
What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?
Responsible person, resources needed
When will it be completed?
the future
Sustainability
Strategic
Planning
Club
Development
Category Goal Objectives Actions
Performance
Indicators
Resources +
Responsibility
Target
Completion
Date
Category Area Category area goal
Specific category area objectives
What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?
Responsible person, resources needed
When will it be completed?
Facilities &
Equipment
Membership
Club
Development
Category Goal Objectives Actions
Performance
Indicators
Resources +
Responsibility
Target
Completion
Date
Category Area Category area goal
Specific category area objectives
What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?
Responsible person, resources needed
When will it be completed?
Volunteer
Management
Sport/ Activity
Club
Development
Category Goal Objectives Actions
Performance
Indicators
Resources +
Responsibility
Target
Completion
Date
Category Area Category area goal
Specific category area objectives
What action do you need to take? How will you know if you have achieved this?
Responsible person, resources needed
When will it be completed?
Development
Infrastructure Development
INSERT CLUB NAME> STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2018: SUMMARY <Instructional note: Your club may wish to concert your full CDP into a concise summary to promote to your members and supporters. A
shortened version may result in the CDP being more widely read and understood by those outside your committee. Simply copy and paste the
information from previous sections of this document into the appropriate tables below and save as a separate ‘CDP Summary’ for
distribution.>
<Insert vision statement>
Club Development
Area
Goals
Administration and
Finance
Sustainability
Strategic Planning
Facilities and
Equipment
Membership
Volunteer Management
Sport/ Activity
Development
Infrastructure
Development
Administration and <Insert Objectives>
Finance
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Sustainability <Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Strategic Planning <Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Facilities and
Equipment
<Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Membership <Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Volunteer
Management
<Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Sport/ Activity
Development
<Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
Infrastructure
Development
<Insert Objectives>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>
<insert Actions>