Needing volunteers for your swim team this year? Here are some key tips for organizing volunteers to help your swim season run more smoothly!

Communication is Key

Before the season starts, make sure you’ve done your research and laid out a plan for how you’ll utilize volunteers. Then, communicate clearly what those plans are.

If you’re asking parents to volunteer, this will allow them to arrange their schedules and figure out how to contribute to the swim team. If you’re using volunteers from outside the parent circle, communication will help you find the best people for your needs. Regardless of who you’re having volunteer, communication will always be useful. It will help keep plans clear to all, which in turn will keep your swim team running as smoothly as possible.

Set Expectations Early

Along with clear communication, setting expectations in advance is a key step to success. Just as you let your swimmers know what to expect this season, volunteers should be in the know of what you expect out of them as well.

This is especially important if you’re expecting parents to volunteer. If this is the case, make sure your website or email you send out states front-and-center what you expected from parents. Or consider adding an “Acknowledgement Section” to your registration form for parents to initial that talks about volunteer commitment expectations.

Set Up Background Checks

If you’re thinking about using outside volunteers rather than parents, think about setting up background checks. This sounds serious, and that’s because it can be. But it’s always better to be safer rather than sorry for the sake of your swimmers.

As fun and family-friendly as swim team is, it can also attract dangerous individuals. Because of the age and vulnerability of many swimmers, it’s essential that all swimmers are assured a safer and more secure environment with reduced risk of physical, emotional, mental, or sexual harm. Regular background checks of volunteers are a good process to get in the habit of. It will give not only you but the parents of your swimmer’s peace of mind knowing you’ve taken measures to secure safety.

Define Jobs Clearly

You want to make it as easy as possible for volunteers to sign up and access important information. Defining jobs clearly can help make that happen. If you’re using sign-up forms, be sure job descriptions are included. Have fun with this! List the job description, the benefits (good view of the pool, access to shade, etc.), and even personality traits to have if you’re going to be good at the job. This will arm your volunteers with all the knowledge they need to be successful.

Acknowledge

It’s important to give a little shout-out to people you see going above and beyond. By acknowledging those that go the extra mile, you’re showing you appreciate the hard work and you’re reminding volunteers what it is that makes your team special. It’s likely your volunteers don’t expect to be rewarded for doing their job, but it’s a nice bonus to be acknowledged amongst peers. Acknowledging hard work may also inspire helpers to do it again next season, so be sure to take note of those hard workers!

SLS has Got Your Back

If you’re not sure where to go for background checks, Summer League Swimming is ready to help you out. We provide nothing less than advanced-level background checks. While there are over 1,200 background check companies in the US, many of them only offer low-quality checks. At SLS, we want to do better so you can do better. That means offering comprehensive background checks that will keep your swimmers safer.

Our goal is to introduce youth from the ages of 5-18 to the sport of swimming by providing fun, safer, and healthy environments. No matter where you are in the United States, we’re ready to lend a hand. Let us help you reach your full potential!