Engaging Young People In Club Decision-Making The ‘What’, The ‘Why’ and a Brief Look at The ‘How’

Introduction to Youth Participation in Club Governance What are we talking about? Including young people; More than just consulting young people. It is actually listening to what they say and valuing their contribution; Getting young people involved in the decision- making processes and structures of your club, for example, club Boards, Committees, Advisory Groups, and Management positions; and Taking young people seriously;

Why Involve Young People? To address the shortage of volunteers in rural and regional communities and ensure long term survival of clubs; To encourage a greater connection between community and young people; To avoid young people being frequently overlooked and undervalued; To build skills and confidence among young community members; To allow the club to better service the needs of young club members by being well informed about their needs; and To empower young community members to be involved in making decisions that effect them.

What are the Benefits?

What are the Benefits for the Individual Young Person? Young people experience: Skill development Personal and social development Self confidence and empowerment Community recognition and appreciation Their self esteem and sense of belonging to the community is enhanced; They are able to have input in to decisions that directly effect them; and They have the opportunity to become role models for younger community members.

What are the Benefits for the Club? The club gains greater access to young people which is important for consultation, increasing membership and recruiting volunteers; Accuracy, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency in club planning; New skills and perspectives are introduced to the club; Older members of the club may become re-energised and more forward-looking; Spreads the workload for existing volunteers; Creates a depth of knowledge and experience which helps to build a sustainable club; New community contacts and networks become available; The Club is potentially more appealing to funding bodies; and Potential leaders are identified and developed to support the club in the future.

What are the Benefits for the Community? Greater youth participation in the community; Adults appreciate young people’s ability which helps to break down negative youth stereotypes; Young community members develop leadership skills which could then feed in to local councils, committees and decision-making bodies; Positive youth role models are developed; Strong and healthy sporting clubs are sustained to support healthy lifestyles; and Effective community governance structures are created/maintained.

How do we do Include Young People in Club Decision-Making? 10 Steps to Follow: Consider if your club is ready and resourced; Identify barriers to participation for young people; Decide what model of youth participation your club will employ; Work in partnership with the community; Recruit young people; Induct young volunteers; Effectively communicate with young people; Invest in young volunteers; Mentor young volunteers; and Recognise their contribution.

How do we find out more? For a more detailed explanation of the steps involved in engaging youth in club decision-making stay tuned for a NSW Sport and Recreation Succession Planning Guide for Sports Clubs which will be out later in 2010.