Conducting a skills audit
94% of volunteers in clubs come from within the membership, according to the LTA club survey (December 2014). The next members of your management committee will almost certainly be visiting your club or venue every week throughout the summer season. You are unlikely to know every single member at your club, their day job and skills, but there is an easy way to find out.
The audit
A quick and simple audit of skills among your membership can highlight potential volunteers, allowing you to appoint the right people with the right skills in the right roles. Download the skills audit form which can be tailored to your venue by adding a logo, contact and adding questions.
Distribution
The audit should go out to all suitable adult members, but also include the parents of junior members who may want to help out. You need to decide whether you hand out a paper-based form and get members to fill it in while they are at the venue or send to members by e-mail. Either way, provide a clear deadline and chase for a response. You are unlikely to get a 100% response, but if you have a few leads on potential volunteers, it will be worth the effort.
Young volunteers
You should decide with the management committee if you invite juniors aged 13-18 to participate in a Tennis Leaders course at your venue or linked school or college. You can then offer them volunteer roles within your club, but remember than under 16s should help on an activity then over 16s can lead an activity while being supervised.
Access further guidance on young volunteers.
Roles
Have a clear idea of what roles you need fulfilling before you start the audit and check out their role descriptions so you know what skills are needed. Alongside the audit, you could provide a list of roles available with brief overview and time commitment required to encourage people to put themselves forward.
Match-making
Once you have all the forms in, you will need to review matching alongside the available roles. Identify potential options for each role with a ranking if you’re lucky enough to find more than one per role. Share this with your chair and then discuss who makes a personal approach to encourage the members to take on the appropriate role.
If potential volunteers are also provided with the list of vacant roles ask them to state, based on their skills, experience and interest, which roles they are particularly interested in.