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In discussing the process of club development and the role of volunteers, defining yacht club characteristics is important:

• Voluntary individual membership.
• Orientation towards the interests of members.
• Democratic decision-making structure.
• Volunteer work is the most important resource.
• Independent of public authorities.
• Non-profit orientation.

How and Why Clubs Develop

The need for development is driven by societal factors:

• A “proactive” attitude toward development among organizations, states and municipalities.
• Increased expectations from the public sector:
  • “Co-production”: Community organizations’ desire to collaborate with clubs.
  • Sports clubs are subsidized in Denmark.
• Increased competition from commercial sports.

Development occurs through qualification or through changes in the framework and context of society:

• Qualification
  • Information
  • Courses and education
  • Guidance and process support
• Framework and context
  • Targeted support for specific activities
  • Economic incentives
  • Partnership/co-production
  • Competition
  • Legislations/regulations

Development Through Volunteers

Sport clubs rely heavily on volunteer labor in their operations. The level of volunteering is largely determined by the following:

• The tradition and culture of volunteering
  • Ideals in certain countries and cultures.
  • Ideals in certain sports.
• Characteristics of the specific sport or sports club
  • Degree of “collectivity” in the sport
  • Degree of “belonging” to the club
  • Dependence on volunteer labor
  • How “open” or “closed” the activity is defined (level of member inclusion)
• The management of the club and recruitment policy
• Club size
  • “Free rider” principle: In small clubs, it is harder to go unnoticed and avoid volunteering.

Key Takeaways

• Sailing clubs use few volunteers and the number of volunteers is stable.
• The nature of volunteering depends on the culture of volunteering and the way the club is organized.
• Few volunteers in sport participate in courses and educational programs.
• Only one in five volunteers think that courses and educational programs are important for volunteering.
• Courses or education programs have little impact on the volunteers’ desire to continue. Non-intentional learning leads to greater retention.
• The recruitment of persons with relevant backgrounds (job experience, education, etc.) is more important than courses.

What is Conducive to Growing a Volunteer Base?

• People are asked and encouraged to volunteer
• Natural inflow of young members who “are socialized to volunteerism”
• Demands are made for members and parents to assist
• Volunteer work is considered meaningful
• Individuals have freedom in how they volunteer
• Being open to new ideas and initiatives
• Experience of success and “being in a great association”
• Praise and recognition
• Good fellowship among volunteers
• Passionate and visionary leader
• The club is small or divided into small, autonomous units
• The club strives for a common good
• Volunteer management

Barriers to Volunteering

• The bad excuses
  • “Not like the old days!”
  • “Modern people are self-centered”
• Formal, bureaucratic rules and obstacles
• Bad facilities for activities
• Conflicts in the club
• Lack of support
• Lack of trust that “new” volunteers can do it as well as “old” volunteers
• Volunteering steals time from other areas of the club
• Members from cultures without the same tradition of volunteering