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Event Volunteers Survey Response Print E-mail

Dear member:

 
In June this year we conducted a survey of members to understand your preferences for how we should progress the future of providing rogaine events in the ACT.  A short while after the survey, we published the results together with an initial report from the committee.  This letter is a follow up to that report to let you know the approach the committee have now decided to take to address the challenges we have had in running the Association.
 
To recall, the bulk of those responding prefer the current model with its relatively low event fees and dependence on volunteers. This, of course, was also always the model preferred by the committee – the suggestion of having to move to a 'pay for services' approach to event management was not an 'option' that the committee was exploring as an acceptable alternative for volunteering - rather that it might be needed as an unavoidable (and undesirable) substitute if the volunteering model became unworkable. The committee is thus encouraged to continue to pursue our volunteer model - assuming that we are able to develop it so that it becomes sustainable.
 
The majority of respondees indicated that they would prefer that we use a combination of (non-financial) incentives, including volunteer recognition and skill development, to widen and improve the volunteering effort.  The committee have accepted this approach, and admit that we may not have been as proactive and innovative as we might have in this area.
 
It may be worth noting here that ‘volunteering’ to assist at events covers a very wide range of involvements – from relatively minor time commitments such as ‘general’ admin tent person’ to the much more intensive ‘course setter’ or ‘event administrator’. It is in these latter areas that we would hope / need to see the most improvement. In general, although the finding of ‘general admin’ volunteers has sometimes taken more effort and worry than desirable, a lack thereof has not usually caused the actual conduct of the event itself to be in question – but the lack of a course setter has done so on several occasions.
 
To this end, the committee has endorsed several new (and reinvigorated) approaches to encourage volunteers – particularly in the more demanding roles:
 
  • We will clearly state our philosophy:
    • We hope that members would perform some sort of role at least once every couple of years of regular participation.
    • That said, we recognise that this will not be appropriate for all members. Some members live interstate, some have small children or other family responsibilities, some are heavily involved in other community groups.
    • We hope to ensure that volunteering remains rewarding in itself, but we want to find ways to increase the incentives to do it.
 
  • We will make volunteering easier to do:
    • We will formalise an apprenticeship approach whereby people in the key ‘specialist’ roles such as setting, vetting and organising could learn as understudy from experienced members. I personally regard this as possibly the most significant change.
    • We will provide a more detailed explanation of the various volunteer roles, including the time required and whether/how help or skilling would be available.  We will continue to identify and define tasks in a way to allow people to both volunteer and participate in events wherever possible.  We will post this information on the website shortly.
 
  • We will more actively approach people to volunteer:
    • We may begin to target people - gradually approaching people who we know less well but who have done several rogaines.
    • The website will more visibly announce dates, needs, etc.
 
  • We will better recognise the efforts of those who do volunteer:
    • On the website and at events.
    • All who volunteer as course setters, vetters and organisers will get free entry to a future event.
 
There were many other positive suggestions by respondees – such as creating a two tier membership, cheaper for those who opt to volunteer once in a 2 year period – that the committee have noted but, for various reasons, decided not to proceed with at this time.
 
As an aside, I note that a substantial majority of survey respondees indicated that they are already active as volunteers in some (other) community pursuit. Whilst this no doubt reflects well on the calibre of people involved in rogaining, it does not, unfortunately, assist us with the conduct of rogaining events. At the moment the same small group is overused and tasks are not sufficiently shared amongst the membership As a current example, I note that despite targeted approaches to almost 10 members, we were unable to find a course setter for the upcoming Spring 12 hr – until Ron Simpson and Jean Douglass again stepped it to fill the need. I stress again that the repeated reliance on those from a very small pool is unsustainable in the longer term.
 
I thus look on the above initiatives as both reflecting the preferences of members and also offering a positive way forward so that a full program of rogaining events can continue to be held in and around the ACT. I look forward to your helping us make it work! And I would also be happy to receive any feedback on the above.
 
 
Glenn
President, ACTRA

 
Last Updated on Thursday, 03 June 2010 11:57
 
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