BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

If you would like to volunteer at your local cricket club, with a local school, or at international fixtures and events, there are plenty of opportunities for people of all ages and experiences.

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do; thinking about how you want to benefit from volunteering is a good start to finding an opportunity that's right for you.

Gain confidence. Volunteering can help you gain confidence by giving you the chance to try something new and build a real sense of achievement.

Make a difference. Volunteering can have a real and valuable positive affect on people, communities and society in general.

Meet people. Volunteering can help you meet different kinds of people and make new friends.

Be part of a community. Volunteering can help you feel part of something outside your friends and family.

Learn new skills. Volunteering can help you learn new skills, gain experience and sometimes even qualifications.

Take on a challenge. Through volunteering you can challenge yourself to try something different, achieve personal goals, practice using your skills and discover hidden talents.

Have fun! Most volunteers have a great time, regardless of why they do it.

There is immense joy and a sense of pride in volunteering so get involved today.

WHO CAN VOLUNTEER?

Anyone can! You don’t have to be an ex-player or a mum or a dad of a promising player; if you are prepared to give-up a little of your time, you can volunteer!

You might be an ex-player, you might be a parent/grandparent but you might just as well be a student looking for work experience to bolster a CV, or a retired bank manager/accountant who can put their bookkeeping skills to use!

All clubs could benefit from the knowledge and skills that people from their community can bring.

If you are a club looking to recruit volunteers it is always good practice to include a role description when advertising any opportunity. People like to know what is expected of them and what the commitment will be.

ORGANISATIONS WHO CAN HELP

There are many organisations dedicated to supporting the voluntary community, which means that cricket clubs can get lots of additional help.

Volunteer centres can be an excellent source of help for your club when you are looking to find new volunteers. They can extend the range of people who volunteer in sport and may well be able to identify someone with specific skills who would not necessarily have found their way into sport or your club.

Volunteer Scotland is an organisation dedicated to linking-up those who want to volunteer to organisations that need them - Volunteer Scotland.

HOW TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS

Below are a range of editable documents and templates to assist clubs with the recruitment of volunteers.

This includes templates for a range of volunteer position descriptions that can be used when advertising positions.

IDEAS FOR REWARDING VOLUNTEERS

Many volunteers do not seek awards and the spotlight. However, there are a number of small ways you can show your appreciation. Below are a few ideas:

Reduced membership fees

Club clothing

Subsidising course costs

Membership of regional/national associations

End of season presentation evening

Supporting a student through a nationally recognised volunteer award (e.g. Community Achievement Award, Saltire Award, Duke of Edinburgh, etc.)