The sport sector needs your help!
SPORT VOLUNTEERS ARE VITAL
You know that volunteers are vital at every level in sport and physical activity, from local grassroots participation to elite international competitions. So much sport and physical activity simply could not happen without those who freely give their time, energy, and commitment to our sector. Many volunteers gain huge personal and social benefits from their volunteering experiences. Sport volunteering, at its best, is a ‘win-win’ situation.
BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM
Even before Covid, however, there was evidence that sport volunteering was in decline across Europe. There are now worrying signs that the pandemic has made the situation worse, and this could have a longer-term impact on the future of the sport and physical activity sector.
LET’S MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR SPORT VOLUNTEERS AND SPORT ORGANISATIONS
As European sport moves into recovery, there is a real need to find practical solutions to rebuild the volunteer workforce by attracting more people with the right attitudes, motivations and skillsets, and retaining them through good quality volunteer training and management. This is the main aim of the ongoing V4V project, an Erasmus+ sport project led by the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE) with the active support of 12 partners (national and international sport federations, a government body, two universities, two research centres and two European networks). More details about V4V can be found at: http://www.v4v-sport.eu
WE NEED SOME MORE HARD FACTS AND DATA ABOUT SPORT VOLUNTEERING
However, before V4V can identify and develop innovative solutions, the project needs to find out more about sport volunteering and the main challenges organisations face, and to hear about good practices and possible solutions. We have already carried out exhaustive desk research and interviewed 50 sport volunteers across Europe and beyond. The last strand of our research includes now a survey of all sport organisations across Europe (EU and non-EU countries) to do just that. The survey is a unique attempt to reach out to the broadest range of sport organisations of all shapes and sizes (clubs, associations, federations etc.) across Europe to find out more about how the sector recruits, trains and manages their volunteers. We also want to find out more about the skills needs of volunteers in the many roles they play, the challenges sport organisations face in regard to volunteering and hear about possible solutions. The survey is available in 18 European languages.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT VOLUNTEERING – TAKE PART IN THE ONLINE SURVEY AS YOUR RESPONSE MATTERS!
We would be grateful if you would take part in the survey by completing the online questionnaire available in:
- English: EUROPEAN SKILLS SURVEY ON SPORT VOLUNTEERING (surveymonkey.com)
- Danish: EUROPEAN SKILLS SURVEY ON SPORT VOLUNTEERING (surveymonkey.com)
THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR PRECIOUS TIME TO SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT SURVEY!
The questionnaire should take no more than 30 minutes to complete and your responses will be treated anonymously and in confidence.
If you need any assistance with completing the questionnaire, please contact Mr Geoff Carroll or Mr Aurélien Favre ([email protected] / [email protected]) from EOSE who are coordinating this research activity.
