Volunteers are the most valuable resource a cricket club has. They are a priceless investment using their time, expertise, passion, quality, and patience for their community clubs.
Some of the volunteer roles Horspath Cricket Club (HCC) is currently looking for include:
- Sports Leaders; Managers and Coaches;
- Officials and umpires;
- Administrators;
- Event Organisation and Management;
- Everyone who helps behind the scenes to make cricket possible
Benefits to the volunteer
It is important that people involved in cricket at all levels recognise volunteers' efforts and support and reward those who volunteer within the game.Equally as well as ‘giving’ to an organisation each volunteer will be getting something back – volunteering has many rewards and benefits for the individual.
- Gain experience in a sports environment
- Develop new skills and attributes
- Be part of a club or community sports organisation
- Enhance your employability and improve your CV
- Give something back to the game
Benefits to Horspath Cricket Club
Here are some quotes from volunteer organisers in sports programmes and clubs about the benefits of engaging with volunteers:- “Volunteer coaches and managers allow us to have more kids involved.”
- “Volunteer work offers work experience to volunteers.”
- “Because we are under-resourced we need volunteers to survive.”
- “We want our club to be a community of people all working towards the same ends – the fact that people are willing to work for no financial pay shows that our cause is worth working for and that people aren’t clients.”
- “Because we need the perceptions and experience of as wide a range of people as possible to help us do the work properly, for example people with disabilities, professional people and people from ethnic minorities.”
- “Volunteers can provide much needed extra pair of hands.”
- “Volunteers often have first-hand experience needed to run our club.”
- “We can help volunteers get skills and experience that can help them get jobs in sport.”
- “It is a way to keep ex-players involved in the cricket.”
Community benefits
Volunteering in cricket has the following benefits to your community:- Building a healthy population
- Teaching the values of a healthy lifestyle
- Building relationships of trust between different generations, genders and ethnic groups
- Building community leadership and organisational capacity
- Providing opportunities for individual and collective progression through training and development
- Maintaining facilities which are of wider community benefit than simply for sports
- Advancing standards of personal, community and national performance through the use of volunteer coaches
- Providing non cash-based solutions to community capacity building, consistent with the objectives of community planning
- Improving the wider availability/national capacity of motivational, people management and team co-ordination skills
Common questions
What can I do?The most popular activity is probably coaching; however you can get involved in a wide variety of ways depending on your skills or interests. There are opportunities to coach, assist, organise events, fundraise, get involved in the committee.
Do I need to be fantastic at a sport?
No, you simply need interest and enthusiasm!
Do I need coaching qualifications?
The club can put you through any qualifications that you need to carry out your role. If funding is not available, it is possible to access funding. You may also get the opportunity to do other courses.
How much time do I need to have?
Most people volunteer on average 2-3 hours a week but there are also opportunities to volunteer more or less frequently.
Do I need a disclosure check?
HCC will arrange to have a disclosure check done if you are in charge of children or vulnerable adults.
Who do I need to contact?
Max Eason: HCC Secretary
Email hcc.secretary@live.co.uk
For more information have a look at the club's website at www.horspathcricket.com and visit http://www.ecb.co.uk/ development/volunteering