Take part now and have your say on sport volunteering in Europe
EOSE and the partners in the V4V project have launched a new survey aimed at the whole sport sector which covers key issues related to sport volunteering. The target group for the survey is all sport organisations with an interest in sport volunteering and the recruitment, retention, and engagement of sport volunteers.
V4V is an EU Erasmus+ Sport project which aims to analyse and make visible the skills acquired through volunteering in sport in Europe and improve the situation for sport volunteering in Europe. V4V is led by 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). The partners now call on the whole sport sector to support this vital initiative through completing and promoting the European Skills Survey on Sport Volunteering.
>> SPORT VOLUNTEERS ARE VITAL
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, 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 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.
>> THE SECTOR NEEDS MORE DATA ABOUT SPORT VOLUNTEERING
However, before V4V and the whole sector can develop and propose concrete innovative solutions, there is a recognised need to find out more about sport volunteering and the challenges organisations face and to hear about good practices and possible solutions.
This is the main ambition of the online survey which has been made available in 18 different languages.
>> A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SECTOR
The survey is a unique attempt to consult the broadest range of sport organisations to find out about how the sector recruits, trains and manages its volunteers. It also focuses on the skills needs of volunteers in the different roles they play and the challenges sport organisations face in regard to volunteering.
The V4V partners encourage all sport organisations in Europe to complete the survey and actively promote it to their members, partners and networks.
>> 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 18 different languages.
Please access the online survey by clicking on the flag of the chosen language (the original survey was developed in English and then translated.
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.
>> HOW THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY WILL BE USED
V4V will use the findings from the survey and other strands of research to:
- Create a new, highly practical online toolkit to help sport organisations at all levels to improve their recruitment, training, management and retention of volunteers;
- Develop a European self-assessment tool so that sport volunteers can identify and showcase all the prior learning, skills and attributes they gain through volunteering in sport – something that will help them progress in their volunteering, transfer to new sport organisations and improve their opportunities for paid employment;
- Organise a European Sport Volunteering Skills Summit (planned for December 2023) for all interested stakeholders to consider the outcomes of the research and formulate strategies.
By completing the questionnaire, sport organisations will make an invaluable contribution to the future of volunteering in the sport and physical activity sector.
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V4V Partnership: European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE); International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA); European Volunteer Centre (CEV); World Rugby; International Judo Federation Academy Foundation (IJF); Romanian Football Federation (FRF); Finnish Athletics Federation (SUL); The Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA); Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth (IDPJ); Estonian Foundation of Sports Education and Information; University of Physical Education (UPE); National Institute for Sport Research (NISR); Leeds Beckett University (LBU)
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Contact: Aurélien Favre – EOSE Executive Director
Website: www.v4v-sport.eu
