The volunteering landscape and behaviour have changed, with many people having less time and willingness to commit. Therefore, creating a culture within your club which supports, appreciates and values volunteers is vital.
The most well run and organised clubs:
- Know their annual tasks and when they need to be done
- Adapt their structures to the availability and skills of their people
- Provide fun, enjoyable and rewarding experiences
- Support, guide and mentor volunteers in their respective roles
- Have people with the skills and behaviours to inspire young people to play and develop
- Appreciate, value and reward volunteers – a simple THANK YOU goes a long way!
- Encourage, invite and support new volunteers to take on small tasks in areas they are confident in
- Where roles are paid they will carefully consider, manage and balance the financial and cultural needs of the club to provide the best possible outcomes
Get Season Ready Support and Resources
Click on the links below to explore the resources and support available to help your club prepare for this season
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Use this handy list of questions alongside our resources to help you prepare for the new season:
- Do you have the right people in place with clear roles and responsibilities to deliver your club's plans?
- Are people adequately trained, qualified, insured, supported, and valued for their contributions?
- Are there plans to recruit, retain, and develop volunteers and members?
- Have you shared details of the free coaching, umpiring and safeguarding courses?
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Click on the links below to access our toolkit of resources and support to help your club #GetSeasonReady.
Please click on the links below to access some hockey specific support from England Hockey:
- England Hockey Volunteers Webpages for Recruiting, Retaining, Rewarding Volunteers
- England Hockey Coaching webpages to help Recruit and Develop Coaches
- England Hockey Officiating pages
- England Hockey Hockey Hub, home for Coaching / Officiating Resources / Guidance / Learning Opportunities
- Planning Safe Hockey
- England Hockey Young Leaders page
In addition, Sport England, UK Coaching and Buddle have a range of specific help and support for your club and the people in it:
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#GetSeasonReady fosters a community of learning and shared experiences. Click on the links below for the current opportunities available:
Your Free Learning Opportunities Are HereReady to upskill for free? Our new learning for coaches, officials, and club leaders are now available. Learn more about the opportunities on our membership page and book or access your course directly on Hockey Hub today.
England Hockey Officiating Conference 2025
Join us for the second annual National Umpiring Conference on Sunday 31 August 2025, a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills, gain valuable insights from top speakers, and network with officials from across the country. Book your place now via Hockey Hub.
Workshops, Courses and E-Learning
Both England Hockey and Sport England’s Buddle provide access to a host of workshops, webinars and supporting information to help the running and development of your club.
Ongoing Club Development: A Long-Term Vision
Building a successful and sustainable club requires more than just focusing on the current season. It's about creating a strong foundation for the future.
Read on, challenge yourself by answering our handy questions, and then access a range of resources to help you inspire and increase the effectiveness of the people within your club.
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- Do you know what needs to be done for your club to run effectively? Does your club have an annual planner with key timelines?
- Do you map out key tasks, responsibilities and specific skill sets you need to make your club function effectively? Is this reviewed each season?
- Where does your club workforce come from and how do you approach them? On registering for the club, do you ask your members what skills they have and if they would be interested in getting involved in the club?
- Does your club utilise your associated workforce (e.g. parents or family members)? Are all parts of your membership represented amongst the people making decisions about the running of the club?
- Do you know why people in your club volunteer? Does your club have a Welcome Induction process for volunteers to make people feel at ease in their role? Do you offer guidance, support and mentoring?
- Are there areas/roles where there is only one person trained or an over reliance on one or two individuals to cover many tasks? Is there a succession plan?
- How does your club communicate the skills and support it needs to run well?
- What is your club’s volunteer culture? Are your volunteers made to feel valued, listened to and appreciated? Can you create a great volunteering culture and experience at your club?
- Does your club actively support and mentor young people to take on club tasks?
- How does your club recognise and reward your volunteers?
- Where roles are paid is there clarity in management and employment structures? What is the long-term strategy with paying roles and how financially sustainable is it?
- How do you provide training and development opportunities if people want them? Do you annually budget for this?
- What is your club doing to provide a safe environment for young people?
- Are all people that work regularly with young people DBS checked and completed safeguarding training? How are other qualifications tracked? Is there adequate cover across the whole club?
- Do you maximise the use of technology to reduce volunteer workload and increase effectiveness?
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Our club support programme is designed to help you achieve your goals. It includes resources for all clubs, specialist advice for specific projects, targeted support for clubs with high potential in junior growth and increasing diversity and inclusion, and tailored services for bespoke needs. Find out more.
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An opportunity to meet your Club Development Manager and other clubs in your area and discuss common issues, development opportunities and share ideas and best practice. Dates can be found on our monthly calendar on the Club Support page and invites will be sent directly from England Hockey Clubs team.
