Volunteer support strategy
Kent County ASA (KCASA) recognises that volunteers play an important role in the delivery of swimming and its associated disciplines (referred to as 'swimming' from now on in this document) in the County of Kent and that the sport thrives thanks to the tireless efforts of many.
Swimming requires additional volunteers for the increasing work that is needed to be done. Volunteering is no longer an informal casual commitment and traditional methods of recruitment, largely through ‘arm twisting’, are inappropriate in the context of the modern sporting community.
The KCASA volunteer strategy aims to address the complex and demanding world of the volunteer. This will require commitment, dedication, planning and funding. This strategy provides a framework which will ensure that the KCASA continues to prosper and that its volunteers are provided with every opportunity to meet the increasing demands placed upon them.
If KCASA is to sustain the enthusiasm and expertise of all those who give their time so willingly to the sport there is a need to ensure that the future generations of volunteers are appropriately trained, deployed, supported and motivated.
KCASA is committed to the promotion of swimming opportunities from participation to elite level in Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water. All of these include opportunities for people with disabilities.
Volunteers contribute to the sport at every level and they play a wide range of crucial roles, their contribution is enormous and the County places great importance on the opportunity to build on this invaluable human resource. With the rapid changes in sport and legislation, volunteers are required to assimilate and respond to more and more information and to understand and contribute to what appear to be (and are) forever changing development initiatives.
The KCASA Volunteer Strategy will ensure that volunteers receive the necessary levels of support, training and recognition.
It is difficult to quantify accurately just how many volunteers are actively involved in the sport in Kent. The roles played by volunteers range considerably and include activities such as teaching, coaching, management, administration, officiating, representation on committees, fund raising, etc both at club and county level.
Swim 21
The ASA’s Swim 21 programme provides the most comprehensive club development programme of any sport in England. In the London Region and South East Region this programme is driven primarily by Regional Club Development Officers, with the help of volunteers, who form the basis of the Swim 21 Accreditation Assessment Panels.
Training of Volunteers
Training opportunities for volunteers are led by the IoS, SportsCoachUK, British Swimming and the Region/County education/volunteer training teams. Swim 21 also covers training needs and, as clubs work their way through accreditation, so training will be increasingly accessed, subject to available funds.
The following indicates the main areas of interest:
- Child Protection
- Equal Opportunities
- Integration of Disabilities
- Coach and Teacher Education
- Officials
Team Management Courses for volunteers in the above will be coordinated and/or supported by Kent County ASA and volunteers will be encouraged to attend.
Recognition of Volunteers
KCASA will support the Volunteer Recognition Schemes promoted by the ASA and will recognise the role of volunteers within the county.
Communication
KCASA will provide communication channels for its volunteers through the County Volunteer Co-ordinator, Club Secretaries, notices by email and the KCASA website.
