Volunteering

Mazda

Every not for profits are struggling finding volunteers. Croquet is no different. We want to know why you volunteer OR why you don’t volunteer so we can make volunteering more attractive.

GCPlayer

There are always people who

are keen to help
Can be persuaded to help
Don’t want to help
Are not able to help

Mazda

GCPlayer Agree but we want to know why. It’s the same as we need to know why someone decides to come and try,

ArthurTCC

Very Hard to find the anwers. What I do know is A club can’t thrive under a dictatorship style committee. When members feel shut out, they disengage. But when you genuinely invite ideas, listen to them — good or bad — and treat people with respect and inclusion, something shifts. Members start to feel that the club is theirs, not just run by a select few.
And that’s when they take the next step: volunteering.
The reality is that in today’s 24/7 world, the old model of clubs running canteens, baking for fundraisers, or selling chook raffles just doesn’t work anymore.
What is hard is helping members understand that a club only gives back what we collectively put in. Without shared effort, nothing grows.

Hobbs

ArthurTCC
Volunteers are vital for healthy clubs - however it’s like a relay race - the baton needs to change between members to avoid empire building and stagnation - not everyone will be in the relay team every year - some will sit out.

CroquetWade

ArthurTCC What is hard is helping members understand that a club only gives back what we collectively put in. Without shared effort, nothing grows.

I think we can basically sum everything up with this.

My marketing of croquet would be to join the 'new wave' thinking that people are currently doing surrounding digital devices and the algorithms they allow to meld their minds. Which is the idea of Hobbs touched on about 'what is a croquet club?'

Cause hoops on a lawn could be any public park. That's the croquet but. What's the 'club' bit mean?

It is difficult to get people to 'buy in' (purchase) when the product is vague. Have a solid product, like Toombul and Mcilwraith's gardening clubs and people join in. (i mean join in contributing, not so much membership joining)

Can your club say 'What is Mt Isa Croquet Club? What are the good reasons specific to us to leave the house and come to our club?

The healthy clubs I've noticed tend to have a strong identity. Eildon are very technical with a focus on quality play. McIlwraith are social and club proud. Members are expected to join that identity.

It isn't about having the right identity, its about having the one that the club wants. And it isn't all or nothing. McIlwrith invite qld players to coaching sessions, Eildon do trips interstate and have a social subcommittee.

It isn't an easy process, and one that Toombul is doing atm. East Brisbane sat down too and everyone talked about what they wanted the best version of their club to be. EB was under 30 members at turn of the year. I don't know the exact numbers now, but I do know last week there are currently 14 people going through their come and try system.

When you see me get angry, it likely isn't at you personally, its because I've seen how to fix croquet and I'll go cross at people preventing it. So apologies in advance 🙂

ArthurTCC

Hobbs Absolutely. No Volunteers, NO Events. Only problem is that is difficult to have people Wanting to take the Baton. Then you end up with the same people year in year out that does 80% of the work. I have been invovled in Clubs for over 20 years, (a Previous world to Croquet) and do not think much changed except that yes, harder to have people participate. My wife and I went to our first ever meeting, an AGM and had the big Welcome mat put in front of us. In a cLub of 100 odd people there was 5 members there + us. Could not understand why? Yes we came home with a JOB.

Hobbs

ArthurTCC
The issue and I’ll call it an issue of volunteers in croquet is probably the same one the kids aquatic club had in 1980, some do and some don’t (volunteer). But I guess we were younger then!
My experience in croquet volunteering - it’s like being in a bucket of mangrove crabs - you need a tough outer shell to withstand the argy bargy!
I really liked the articles published around the topics of the vision of clubs, competitive and social players (that’s an issue) pity more members haven’t accessed them!