Volunteerism in Youth Sports and Recreation

1
Volunteerism in Youth Sports and Recreation

• Suggested Strategic Actions to support women and
  newcomers as volunteers

March 2009 PowerPoint Presentation
partnered by
2
Introduction

• Objectives
• To increase the number of women and newcomers
  included in community life, specifically in
  volunteering in the sports and recreation sector
  in Durham Region.
• To increase the number of women and newcomers
  that have opportunities to participate to their
  fullest potential as they give back as volunteers
  in sports and recreation groups in Durham Region.

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Introduction

• The consultation process included
• Online surveys
• Individual interviews
• Focus groups
• Community Consultation

4
Volunteerism in Durham Region

• Sport and recreation volunteers are beneficial
  because
• multiple positive influences for youth are
  important,
• they can encourage the philosophy that sport is
  fun, win or lose,
• developing young people into taking a more active
  role in their community is important, and
• they provide opportunities for kids in low-income
  families.

5
Volunteerism in Durham Region

• Women are motivated if
• it involves their children
• they had more time
• they were asked/or the need was made known
• Newcomers are motivated if
• it helped to improve their English skills
• it helped them to get to know Canadian culture
• they could get experience for jobs

6
The Female Volunteer

• Individual-level barriers
• Lack time
• Lack confidence
• Lack awareness
• Organizational-level barriers
• Volunteer burnout
• Volunteers lack time
• Coaching/training clinics
• No centralized location to advertise volunteer
  opportunities
• Lack of childcare
• Police checks

7
The Female Volunteer

• Cultural-level barriers
• Limited involvement of women in leadership roles
• Women do not receive credit for their skills in
  leadership roles (e.g. as a coach, referee,
  trainer) from other volunteers, parents, youth
• Women are not often encouraged /supported by
  spouses, clubs to get involved in leadership
  roles

8
Volunteers New to Canada

• Individual-level barriers
• Lack time
• Different priorities
• Lack confidence
• Lack awareness
• Few newcomers involved with specialized skills
• Organizational-level barriers
• High cost
• How to tap into or reach the immigrant
  community
• Difficulties in expanding volunteer recruitment

9
Volunteers new to Canada

• Cultural-level barriers
• Limited involvement of newcomers in all levels of
  sport/recreation
• It is assumed that newcomers are not interested
  in typical Canadian sport and recreation
• Skills of immigrants are not recognized or used
  fully
• Newcomers often opt to participate in
  sports/recreation with others of similar culture
  or background
• For faith/cultural reasons volunteering/employment
  is sometimes not encouraged, especially among
  women

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Suggested Strategic Actions

• 1.0 Individual-level Strategies
• 1.1 Promotion Communication
• 1.2 Mentorship Leadership Development
• 1.3 Volunteer Recognition
• 1.4 Volunteer Compensation
• 2.0 Organizational-level Strategies
• 2.1 Attraction to leadership roles
• 2.2 Childcare support
• 2.3 Collaboration Flexibility
• 2.4 Subsidies for low-income families
• 3.0 Cultural-level Strategies
• 3.1 Equity training