Volunteers matter—make sure they know
When I remember the times I volunteered to coach one of my kids’ sports teams, what mattered most was when the organization showed appreciation for busy parents like me who stepped up to help. It’s amazing how simple it is to make a volunteer feel like he or she is doing something that matters.
One of the first standout experiences was coaching my daughter and an excitable group in U5 soccer. The program administrator, who was a city employee, came to each coach at every game, simply said, “Thank you,” and reminded us that the league would not be possible without volunteers. We had games every Saturday, and of course, she had to be there, but instead of sitting and watching, she made sure to connect with all the coaches and ask how things were going. It was powerful.