Volunteering
Reducing the Spectre of life on the committee
Serving on a committee is an unavoidable part of Ramblers life
for many volunteers in Groups and Areas. Reviewing how the
committee organises and recognises the work of its volunteers
could help to improve the experience of being on the committee,
and contribute to keeping volunteers more involved.
There are few activities as sociable as walking with others and
few designed to kill off social interaction as much as formal
meetings. While the former is one of the most enjoyable aspects
of involvement with the Ramblers, the latter can be perceived as
a necessary evil for many volunteers in Area and Group
committees.
A survey of Ramblers volunteers indicated that, on average, they
spend some 40 hours a year in meetings. And that’s time often
squeezed into evenings at the end of the working day, or
weekends.
Whether people see meetings as “serious leisure” or as “fun
work” what is clear is that to be persuaded to stay involved
with a committee, it needs to balance out getting the job done
with being an enjoyable experience.
Many Ramblers Groups and Areas achieve this balance with
remarkable ease. Yet, groupings of people are remarkably quick
to fall into established routines and ways of doing things. Is
it worth reviewing the way we organise our committee meetings?
What does the way they are organised tell us about how much we
value the time and effort of our volunteers?
How does your committee stand up to these three questions?
1) Are there basic refreshments and a short break as part of
the meeting?
There’s no need to provide canapés and bubbly, but ensuring that
some refreshment is available can make a great difference,
especially for volunteers who don’t have time to grab dinner
after a day’s work. It’s amazing what a few plates of biscuits,
fruit, tea and coffee can do for keeping the brain nourished and
the tummy from rumbling.
Where time can be found to build in a short break in the meeting
for refreshments, it may have the double advantage of giving
committee members a chance to socialise.
2) Is the venue comfortable?
While many are excellent venues, we know that some community
centres and function rooms can plumb the depths of bleak
utilitarianism. If the paint’s chipped, the lighting is poor and
the tables wobble, it’s unlikely to make people feel valued or
at home.
3) Do committee members have the opportunity to get together
in recognition of their efforts?
Ensuring some kind of recognition for the committee as a whole
can be a good way to encourage people to stay involved. Groups
can be great at organising social events for all members, but
less good at finding opportunities to celebrate the work of the
committed volunteers. A special gathering for committee members
once can celebrate the work done together and afford a
well-deserved pat on the back.
Of course, these suggestions have some cost implications: Buying
the refreshments; hiring a suitable venue; getting a bottle of
wine or two for an annual gathering. Committees do need to be
sure that any expenditure is reasonable and proportionate.
Nevertheless, ensuring that committee members get to meet in a
comfortable and welcoming environment can be seen as a necessary
investment in the vital human resources. If it helps committee
members to feel valued and comfortable, it could be a very
cost-effective way to keep the committee going and to encourage
volunteers to get involved and stay involved.