Volunteer Toolbox

Volunteers are the lifeblood of community sport organizations- over 73% of community sport organizations across Canada are completely volunteer driven.  Many local community sport organizations have highlighted their challenges with respect to volunteers including a shrinking pool, high turnover, ineffective recruitment methods and onboarding processes, and a lack of organizational capacity to effectively recruit, onboard, train, manage and recognize new volunteers.

Thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund, the Ottawa Sport Council has developed this toolbox to address these challenges. The toolbox contains resources for all community sport organizations to support their volunteer requirements

The Ottawa Sport Council has partnered with Volunteer Ottawa to develop a Sport Volunteer Recruitment Portal. Members of the Ottawa Sport Council can now post their volunteer opportunities on the Ottawa Sport Council Sport Portal. Learn more and post your opportunities!

Three key volunteer roles in a community sport organization are Board Member, Event Volunteer and Committee Volunteer.

Volunteer Onboarding is a multi-step process of integrating new volunteers into your community sport organization to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Watch and learn why Onboarding is Key

Volunteer management is key to a successful volunteer experience. Volunteer management includes the recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling and appreciation of volunteers- tasks which take capacity that organizations often do not have. One solution is a dedicated volunteer manager – whose only role is to work with volunteers and can make the difference between a great experience and an underwhelming one.

Learn about the Importance of a Volunteer Manager

Volunteer appreciation is the act of thanking your community sport organization’s volunteers and recognizing their contributions. Volunteer appreciation is a key component to ensuring volunteers understand their positive impact in your organization. It is important that volunteers know that they are making a difference for the sport organization itself, and for its participants.

Watch and learn about the key steps in Volunteer Appreciation

What steps should you take when your volunteers decide to move on? There are many reasons why volunteers quit, and not all of them have to do with the the organization. A volunteer might be moving to a new city. Their school work or career work may have increased. They could have health issues. Sometimes when volunteers leave it is because of something the organization, or its leaders, did or didn’t do.