Volunteers - the beating heart of Barclays Free Park Tennis
Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions play a vital role in offering people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities the chance to pick up a racket and enjoy tennis at no cost.
These sessions are made possible by an incredible network of volunteers nationwide, who generously give their time to deliver and lead these activities, sharing their passion for tennis with their communities.
Chris Howard, Head Coach of South East London Tennis, has been instrumental in advancing these sessions in Lewisham. He has recruited a dedicated team of eight activators who volunteer their time to run Barclays Free Park tennis.
Sourcing volunteers
While sourcing volunteers may seem like finding a needle in a haystack, Chris has found success in sticking to what he knows, utilising the engaged existing network of tennis enthusiasts rather than casting the net too wide.
Chris tapped into the local community WhatsApp group, which has over 270 members. This group includes a range of people, from those who have never played but want to keep up to date on social events at South East London Tennis, to active members eager to learn more about the sessions on offer. Chris said, “It was a place where we knew we’d find volunteers who were interested and passionate members of the tennis community.”
Converting volunteer interest into support
To ensure initial interest translated into active volunteer participation, Chris maintained regular communication, readily answering questions and supporting volunteers throughout the application process. He also facilitated practical training sessions, offering tips on leading sessions and how to coach players of all abilities.
For the first month, Chris attended every session to provide hands-on support and respond to any queries. Now, he is confident that the volunteers have the necessary tools and skills to carry out successful sessions.
Activator, Doris Aboagye says that this support was crucial in helping her complete the application process. She said: “Chris provided us with all the support we needed, providing all the information about the application process, training sessions, ideas of drills and much more.”
Providing this level of support was a no-brainer for Chris, who says, “we really value these people; it’s imperative that they enjoy it from the get-go, and they won’t do if they feel daunted by the process or uncomfortable in what’s being asked of them.”
Retaining volunteers
For Chris, retaining volunteer involvement is all about enjoyment; “they don’t need bribing, that’s not their incentive. Their motivation is in enjoying it, doing it for the community and sharing their love of tennis with them.”
Doris agrees, saying she loves that in her role she can “give back to the community. When you see someone who hasn’t played tennis before with a smile on their face it feels so rewarding. And if you love playing tennis anyway, why not!”
To foster an enjoyable environment in South East London, Chris has emphasised the need to be flexible and accommodate individual needs. For example, in the early days some Activators felt daunted by leading a full session, Chris responded right away, capping sessions so that volunteers wouldn’t feel overwhelmed and when they were ready, they began to build numbers up to full capacity. For volunteers like Doris, this has allowed them to feel much more settled in the role and they look forward to it rather than fear it.
To anyone thinking of becoming an Activator, Doris would say “go for it, without a doubt. You get so much out of it personally.” As for Chris, he’s already on the lookout for more volunteers to support his team and facilitate more Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions.
If you’re interested in becoming an Activator, check out our how to become a Barclay's Free Park Tennis Activator page: