Sports clubs provide the best opportunities to offer volunteer help to your favourite sport. Volunteer roles include coaching, administration, refereeing, technical suppport and management opportunities.

Moldgreen Juniors have always been blessed with a great set of parents wanting to volunteer but as the saying goes you can never have to much of a good thing.

Q&A on becoming a volunteer with Moldgreen Juniors.

1) How do I become a volunteer?

There are a wide variety of opportunities for people of all ages who want to get involved with Moldgreen Jnrs. No matter what your background is, whether or not you play the game, understand the game, you could be a volunteer. Opportunities range from groundsman, to secretary, to PR & Marketing, to orange peeler. Rugby is a sport for all people of all ages.

All you need to do is make contact with the club via the web site.

2) How much time do I need to give?

Volunteering will take up as much or as little time as you would like to give, even if you work full-time and have a busy lifestyle you should still be able to find something that suits you. It is always advisable to agree some Terms of Reference with the club, this will help ensure that your time is as effective as possible.

3) What are the benefits for me?

As a Volunteer you will:

Learn new skills and improve areas of personal ability, such as communication, leadership, organisation and life experience.

Build confidence and develop active community citizenship.

Gain a real sense of achievement in an internationally successful sport.

Encounter new experiences and job opportunities (developing your CV)

Keep your mind and body active through different volunteer roles.

Have opportunities to gain experience and/or awards in sport.

Most clubs take an active role in recognising their own volunteers for the highly valued work they carry out. However, the RFL also runs a Volunteer Recognition programme, which is available to all volunteers within rugby.

4) Do I get expenses?

Moldgreen Jnrs will pay any out of pocket exspenses you have (by arrangment), guidelines for 'reasonable expenses' can be discussed at any committee meeting.

5) Can we pay additional expenses to out volunteers as a way of thanking them?

The simple answer is 'no'.

6) What can I expect as a volunteer?

When you first start volunteering at a club you should be given an induction into your role, if not, why not ask for one. Your Club Volunteer Co-ordinator (CVC) can supply you with the Terms of Reference for your specific role. They should also be able to identify any available courses to help you in your role.
If you aren't clear about anything, or feel in any way uncomfortable about what you have been asked to do don't be afraid to ask someone. If you need further assistance.

7) What do I do if I'm unhappy with any aspect of volunteering?

We want all our volunteers to be happy in their role. Therefore, if you are unhappy with your role or any aspect of volunteering at Moldgreen Jnrs, we advise you to discuss this in confidence with your Club Volunteer Co-ordinator or president.

8) How long will I have to commit for?

As a volunteer you are free to leave whenever you like. If things don't work out or your circumstances change it's good to talk it through with the person in charge and give them some notice if possible.

9) Can people on benefits volunteer?

Yes. Volunteering while in receipt of welfare benefits is acknowledged as something which can improve peoples' personal circumstances because it increases self-confidence, builds skills and enhances employment prospects. Volunteers must inform their local benefit office of their intention to volunteer and it is probably wise to wait until a written approval is received before beginning. Some organisations provide a standard letter for volunteers to take to the benefit office which describes what the volunteering involves, and how much time will be spent.

Volunteers on Job Seekers Allowance can do as much voluntary work as they wish as long as:

* they are still actively looking for work as agreed with the Employment Service Adviser

* they can be contacted quickly if the chance of a job comes up you are willing and able to start work or go for an interview within 48 hours

* do not receive any pay other than to pay for expenses like fares or special clothing needed for the voluntary work

For those who are on long term sickness or incapacity benefits the volunteering activity should not be the same as previous paid employment e.g. a bus driver volunteering to drive a mini bus for a community transport group. These volunteers should definitely wait to get written approval from the benefits agency before volunteering.

It is very useful for organisations to develop good relations with local employment and benefit offices so that they fully understand the nature of volunteering in your organisation. The Department of Work and Pensions web site is www.DWP.gov.uk or see Volunteering England Website.

10) I am not a British national, can I volunteer in the UK?

There are no restrictions on volunteering by EU nationals. The same goes for nationals of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. People with refugee status (or who have exceptional leave to remain) and family members can do any type of work including volunteering.

Asylum seekers and family members may volunteer - including whilst they are appealing against a decision to refuse them asylum.

You can find the latest information about volunteering by non-EU nationals, and more details about volunteering by refugees and asylum seekers from Volunteering England.
11) Are there age limits on volunteering?

There are no upper or lower age limits to volunteering although extra support may be need when very young or frail elderly people are involved.

Parental consent should be given for volunteers under the age of 18 and risk assessments carried out to identify where additional support measures should be introduced. For example, young people should not generally be unsupervised or undertake activities which places them at risk. The Children and Young Persons Act places a limit of two hours a day for over 14s working in profit-making organisations.

Similar risk assessments should be made for older volunteers where there is the possibility of the onset of ageing making some tasks more difficult. Where this is the case, bring in some additional support measures and comforts, and look at making the role more suited to individual capabilities. Annual review session which encourages volunteers to assess their own capacities will make it easier to introduce changes.

Check the age limits on insurance policies and challenge if necessary. Age is purely a number and no indication of a person's capacity to volunteer.
12) Do volunteers need to be covered by insurance in the same way as paid staff?

Appropriate insurance cover is just as important for volunteers as it is for staff of organisations. Some policies are required by law while others are optional. The most common policies are:

Employers' Liability Insurance - all organisation are legally required to have this cover for their employees in the event of an accident, disease or injury suffered in the course of their work. It can also be extended to volunteers. The minimum level of employers' liability insurance is currently Â£5 million. You are also required to keep certificates of employers' liability insurance for 40 years.

Public Liability Insurance - this covers organisations in the event of injury, death, and loss or damage to the property of non-employees (i.e. members of the public). It only covers legal liability and will provide compensation only where there is an accident that is due to negligence. Check that your policy covers the work of your volunteers and any acts which result in a volunteer causing injury or loss to other volunteers or employees. Without this insurance, the organisation or the individual responsible for the negligent act could be held personally liable.

Personal Accident Insurance - this will provide cover in the event of an injury or death which occurs during the course of work for the organisation, whether or not there is any legal liability. This type of insurance is not provided by all organisations and there may be exclusions regarding who can be covered (e.g. age restrictions) and what activities are covered. Shop around and negotiate the best policy for your organisation.

Motor Vehicles Insurance - all drivers are required by law to have motor vehicle insurance. If your organisation involves volunteer drivers using their own vehicles, you must ensure that volunteers have up-to-date insurance cover (and a current driving licence valid for the type of vehicle being driven) and that they have told their insurance company that the vehicle is being used for voluntary activities (which should not cost them any extra on their insurance premiums). Consider issuing drivers with a standard form that can be sent to insurance companies informing them of the nature of the volunteering. The returned form acts as a confirmation that the volunteers are insured. It is possible to arrange 'contingent motor liability insurance', which protects the organisation against any legal liability that may arise from a volunteer being involved in an accident during the course of their volunteer work and who has not informed their insurers. You may also want to add cover for drivers to your public liability policy.

An organisation providing advice to the public should also consider professional indemnity (or errors and omissions) insurance to cover themselves and their volunteers in the event of giving incorrect advice.

Some insurance companies have age limits for cover on some polices. These should be challenged as they are often arbitrary and can lead to discrimination, particularly at the upper age level where the cut off is often 70 years. Recent challenges to insurance companies have lead to some changes so it is worth pursuing.