Summary
Think Active commissioned Sport Structures to provide an audit of sports volunteering within Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire to act as the evidence base to support the development of a sports volunteering strategy setting out priorities for the next 3-6-9 years.
Approach
The volunteer strategy is recognised as the first to engage with a cross section of sport and volunteer partners to extend across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. The strategy was developed through a detailed field research approach which involved an online audit with individual volunteers and volunteer organisations. The responses included 156 individual volunteers and 46 organisations working within volunteering.
As well as the audit process the development of the strategy included a number of facilitated stakeholder consultation sessions to shape the strategy. These sessions were essential in ensuring ownership and commitment to the strategy. A draft strategy was widely circulated within Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire enabling a final document to be produced.
Outcome
The action plan of milestones provided a focus for specific developments at the 3-6-9 stages. Where as the detailed action plan provides specific actions against the following core areas for 2007-2010: Recruit and Deploy, Retention, Recognition and Reward, Training and Development, Management and Support, Coordination and Partnerships.
The strategy was launched and implemented across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire.