sport wales research march 2011 sport volunteering in wales: a research project

Sport Wales Research

March 2011

Sport Volunteering in Wales: a research project

2008-09 Active Adults Survey– Who volunteers? What do they do? How long do they spend doing it? Who

wants to volunteer?

Survey ‘follow-up’ study: over 100 interviews with:– sports volunteers (including coaches)– those who wish to volunteer (coach)– participants who receive sports coaching/instruction– people who don’t want to volunteer

Two research studies

Sports volunteering in Wales

Who volunteers?

In brief: findings from the Survey


Decreases with social class – similar pattern for school and clubMales are more likely to volunteer than females in sports clubs, though not school sports clubsStudents and parents are the most likely groups to volunteerA link between rurality and volunteering – those in rural areas tend to volunteer moreSports participants are more likely to volunteerThose motivated to participate for competition, to learn new skills, for fun, or for socialising are more likely to volunteer

Source: Active Adults Survey, 2008-09; Base: all adults aged 15 and above in Wales

How do people get into volunteering in sport?

How might we get more people volunteering in sport?

People usually ‘fall into’ volunteering


Most don’t proactively seek opportunities, even when they are interested in volunteering– Students are the only proactive ‘type’– ‘Roped into’ supporting activities that they

already had some involvement inOpportunities arise within clubs/classes and existing social networksPeople are most likely to respond to a specific need expressed to them directly in their local community

Source: Active Adults Survey, 2008-09; Sports Volunteering in Wales research project.Base: all adults aged 15 and above in Wales

Qualitative research: four routes into volunteering


Students Active parents

Looking for experience and development opportunities that come with ‘volunteering’ (usually coaching). The only type that proactively seeks out opportunities to volunteer/coach. A volunteer base or future workforce?

A parent whose child is involved in an activity, and is already on the sidelines. Gets involved because the club/class expresses a need.

Sport lovers Skilled volunteers Someone with a passion for their particular sport and has an existing involvement in a club/class. They get involved as they become older, can no longer participate/compete or have reached a certain level of expertise.

Someone with skills that the club needs (e.g. administration, accounting, driving). Usually hear about the club’s need through friends or family and respond to that need.

Source: Sports Volunteering in Wales research project.Base: all adults aged 15 and above in Wales

“My son was learning so I started by helping out with the under-nines … I started off helping out two coaches. One coach moved on with his boy to the under 12s. The other coach I was helping has two children and wanted to spend time with his daughter, so didn’t continue. Consequently I became the lead”.

Rugby coach

Research interviewee

“... I’ve just not looked into it. There is nothing stopping me except me. I suppose if I was approached by the school or a club that would probably be enough for me to get involved but it’s really because I haven’t done anything about it. It’s one of those things that you would like to do but just never get round to it.”

Interested in volunteering, but not currently volunteering

Research interviewee

Questions from the research


We need a culture of engaging more people by asking– Being unafraid to ask, or a greater expectation

on members/parents?What does ‘deployment’ mean, when volunteers are usually engaged locally?What happens to young leaders and students?– Can clubs be developed around them? In what

ways? (How) Can they be engaged long-term?‘Pure sports clubs: a male environment – links to the gender gap in volunteering and club participation?


0

10

20

%

Percentage (%) of adults who have volunteered in sport in the previous 12 months

Meeting the Coaching Strategy target

Source: Active Adults Survey, 2008-09; Base: all adults aged 15 and above in Wales

Questions from the research


We need a culture of engaging more people by asking– Being unafraid to ask, or a greater expectation

on members/parents?What does ‘deployment’ mean, when volunteers are usually engaged locally?What happens to young leaders and students?– Can clubs be developed around them? In what

ways? (How) Can they be engaged long-term?‘Pure sports clubs: a male environment – links to the gender gap in volunteering and club participation?


Issues for volunteers

A challenge for club development


The purpose of developing the coaching / volunteering base is larger, stronger and more sustainable clubsCoaches and volunteers feel adequately supported in their day-to-day volunteering roles: ad-hoc support within clubs and (sometimes) from governing bodies


A challenge for club development


But: not enough support when they want to grow their club– Volunteers often end up feeling overloaded –

they need support from more people– Clubs need support in deciding who to ask,

when, and having the confidence to ask whilst accepting that many will say no

– Potential volunteers don’t always know what roles exist or what they could do


Other challenges


Child protection and other regulations– Not necessarily a barrier to entry, but existing

volunteers thought it might be an issueParents using sports clubs as childcare providers– … even when the child isn’t interested in the

sport– Has an impact on the quality of sessions for all


Conclusions


There is potential to increase the number of volunteers in sport, by asking them (and doing so appropriately).Think about why people get involved in volunteering, and how: this will help to determine whether they will stay with a club or activity later on.Opportunities arise within clubs/classes and existing social networks.People are most likely to respond to a specific need expressed to them directly in their local community.


sport wales research march 2011 sport volunteering in wales: a research project

Documents

research sports volunteering

wales slide

survey sports volunteering

sport volunteering

volunteering students

sport wales research

sports volunteers

wales research project