Without our volunteers in the Vale of Glamorgan, there is no doubt that we wouldn’t be able to work towards our Vision of an ‘inclusive, confident and healthy sporting community’.
So, Volunteers’ Week is an opportune time to reflect on the tremendous impact of our sporting volunteers in the Vale of Glamorgan.
There is such a diversity now in the voluntary roles being undertaken in sport; coaching, refereeing, club administration, committee membership and kit maintenance, all of which are essential in creating a successful sporting environment.
A look at our statistics highlights the importance of our volunteer workforce:
· 446 volunteers involved in the delivery of the Dragon Sport programme.
· 184 volunteers involved in the Disability Sport programme.
· The young people involved in the Leadership Project in the Vale impacted upon 4954 participants and 21,594 participations (in the 2014 – 2015 academic year).
This is just the tip of the iceberg, with hundreds more volunteers positively contributing within the 200+ sports clubs and community organisations, primary schools and secondary schools in the Vale.
To demonstrate our appreciation for the fantastic contribution of the Vale’s sporting volunteers, we are supporting Volunteers Week and adopting the ‘Give to Gain’ principles. Below are just a few case studies to illustrate the ‘Give to Gain’ principles in action and the impact of volunteering in the Vale:
Barry Island Park Run
Give to Gain Principles:
The mutual benefits of volunteering are clear to everyone
Volunteers know exactly what is expected of them
The Barry Island Park run has been one of the most successful Vale of Glamorgan-Sport Wales funded projects. Through the commitment of 14 core volunteers, who between them recruited a further 184 volunteers, they have been able to facilitate 1340 different people to take part in 51 Park Runs since the project commenced in May 2015.
All the volunteers who were recruited were given volunteer training, which creates a better quality of volunteer, and this is reflected by the amount of runners who have taken part throughout the year. The two key success factors for the volunteer element of Park Run is the understanding amongst the participants that if they do not take their turn in volunteering, the Park Run will not take place and that there are identifiable roles so volunteers know what is expected of them. It is not just individuals that have volunteered with the Barry Island Park Run, several family groups have helped as the Park Run has an emphasis on the whole family taking part, with volunteering offering the family another opportunity to undertake activity together.
Coaches of the Future – Building a Future Workforce through Volunteering
Give to Gain Principles:
Volunteers know exactly what is expected of them
The Barry Island Park run has been one of the most successful Vale of Glamorgan-Sport Wales funded projects. Through the commitment of 14 core volunteers, who between them recruited a further 184 volunteers, they have been able to facilitate 1340 different people to take part in 51 Park Runs since the project commenced in May 2015.
All the volunteers who were recruited were given volunteer training, which creates a better quality of volunteer, and this is reflected by the amount of runners who have taken part throughout the year. The two key success factors for the volunteer element of Park Run is the understanding amongst the participants that if they do not take their turn in volunteering, the Park Run will not take place and that there are identifiable roles so volunteers know what is expected of them. It is not just individuals that have volunteered with the Barry Island Park Run, several family groups have helped as the Park Run has an emphasis on the whole family taking part, with volunteering offering the family another opportunity to undertake activity together.
Coaches of the Future – Building a Future Workforce through Volunteering
Give to Gain Principles:
Volunteers are valued, developed and supported
The mutual benefits of volunteering are clear to everyone
Volunteers know exactly what is expected of them
‘Coaches of the Future’ is part of the Vale of Glamorgan’s Olympic legacy programme to help ‘inspire a generation’ of participants and coaches. Through the scheme, young volunteers are offered mentoring, access to training, recognised qualifications, and practical coaching experience. In return, the young volunteer is expected to commit a specified amount of time to volunteering and attend appropriate training. In the 2014 – 2015 academic year, the Coaches of the Future impacted upon 1420 participants across 4035 participations. They attended 43 training courses between them, completing 323 voluntary training hours. As a result of their involvement in the scheme, there are examples of scheme participants who have been offered paid coaching positions as well as achieved entrance to University and further education.
Doorstep Sports – Developing Community Volunteers
Give to Gain Principles:
The mutual benefits of volunteering are clear to everyone
Volunteers know exactly what is expected of them
‘Coaches of the Future’ is part of the Vale of Glamorgan’s Olympic legacy programme to help ‘inspire a generation’ of participants and coaches. Through the scheme, young volunteers are offered mentoring, access to training, recognised qualifications, and practical coaching experience. In return, the young volunteer is expected to commit a specified amount of time to volunteering and attend appropriate training. In the 2014 – 2015 academic year, the Coaches of the Future impacted upon 1420 participants across 4035 participations. They attended 43 training courses between them, completing 323 voluntary training hours. As a result of their involvement in the scheme, there are examples of scheme participants who have been offered paid coaching positions as well as achieved entrance to University and further education.
Doorstep Sports – Developing Community Volunteers
Give to Gain Principles:
Volunteers are valued, developed and supported
The mutual benefits of volunteering are clear to everyone
The Doorstep Sports project is led by the Vale Sports Development Team in conjunction with partners including Communities First, the Glamorgan Voluntary Services, Newydd Housing and Elim Elevate. The project involves the delivery of drop in sports sessions for children and young people in Communities First areas.
Volunteers assist within the project and are offered access to training and mentoring. One volunteer has had a positive journey as a result of his involvement in the project. Upon arrival on his first day of volunteering, he was extremely shy and found it difficult to communicate with the adults present. Since participating in the project, his confidence and self-esteem has increased greatly. His grandfather commented how volunteering in sports has developed his confidence from someone who was shy and found it very difficult to communicate with other people, to somebody who is now more confident in communicating with people of all ages. His confidence has increased to the point where he now puts himself forward for the additional training offered, where previously he would not have had the confidence to do so. Through his volunteering he has achieved his First Aid, Safeguarding, Football Leaders and Dodgeball Activators certificates and has been selected onto the Vale Sports Development Team’s Coaches of the Future project, where he has accessed further training such as Sports Leaders UK Level 2 and Badminton Leaders. He is now in Barry College and has been successful in recruiting an additional volunteer for the Doorstep Sports project by stating how successful his involvement in volunteering has been. He remains involved in volunteering up to three times a week.
Karen Davies is the Sports & Play Development Manager for the Vale of Glamorgan, working with volunteers within community clubs, organisations and schools for more than 15 years. She has also been actively involved in volunteering roles within sport herself on a local, regional and national basis, particularly within gymnastics, for over 25 years.
The mutual benefits of volunteering are clear to everyone
The Doorstep Sports project is led by the Vale Sports Development Team in conjunction with partners including Communities First, the Glamorgan Voluntary Services, Newydd Housing and Elim Elevate. The project involves the delivery of drop in sports sessions for children and young people in Communities First areas.
Volunteers assist within the project and are offered access to training and mentoring. One volunteer has had a positive journey as a result of his involvement in the project. Upon arrival on his first day of volunteering, he was extremely shy and found it difficult to communicate with the adults present. Since participating in the project, his confidence and self-esteem has increased greatly. His grandfather commented how volunteering in sports has developed his confidence from someone who was shy and found it very difficult to communicate with other people, to somebody who is now more confident in communicating with people of all ages. His confidence has increased to the point where he now puts himself forward for the additional training offered, where previously he would not have had the confidence to do so. Through his volunteering he has achieved his First Aid, Safeguarding, Football Leaders and Dodgeball Activators certificates and has been selected onto the Vale Sports Development Team’s Coaches of the Future project, where he has accessed further training such as Sports Leaders UK Level 2 and Badminton Leaders. He is now in Barry College and has been successful in recruiting an additional volunteer for the Doorstep Sports project by stating how successful his involvement in volunteering has been. He remains involved in volunteering up to three times a week.
Karen Davies is the Sports & Play Development Manager for the Vale of Glamorgan, working with volunteers within community clubs, organisations and schools for more than 15 years. She has also been actively involved in volunteering roles within sport herself on a local, regional and national basis, particularly within gymnastics, for over 25 years.
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