Access Volunteers
Volunteers are an extremely important part of Canoe England and without all their valuable help we would never be able to achieve so much within the sport of canoeing. This is the same for all the access volunteers (Local Rivers Advisers, Regional Access Advisers and Local Coastal Advisers) for whom the work can be both demanding and un-rewarding but it is very much appreciated and is vital to helping promote access and provide opportunities for more people to get out on the water.
Volunteer Role Descriptions and Agreements
During 2008 the Access and Environment Team developed a set of Access Volunteer Role Descriptions and Agreements; these are primarily intended to support the Access Volunteer.
By defining the roles and responsibilities of Access Volunteers Canoe England is seeking to prevent many of the, often unreasonable, demands that are placed on the volunteers. This will also enable the volunteer to feel confident in what they are saying and how to deal with any awkward situations. The paperwork is available and will be sent to all current access volunteers. Access Volunteer Sessions
As part of this process, during 2009 the Access and Environment Team will be running at least three update sessions for Access Volunteers. It is intended that there will be a Northern session, one in the Midlands and one in the South, although given the distance between Kent and Cornwall, it may be more appropriate to hold two in the South. These events will be advertised on the Canoe England website and Canoe Focus, as soon as the dates and locations are available. These events will be on a first come first served basis, so if you would like to take part please contact your Regional Access Adviser.
Communicating with Volunteers
Another important aspect of our work is working towards better communication with all of our access volunteers .Whilst e mail is good you may have other preferred methods of communication and indeed no regular access to the internet. The Access and Environment Team would appreciate knowing which method is best to contact you by. The Team will also be using a variety of mediums such as e mail, websites, newsletters and Canoe Focus in order to ensure the lines of communication are strengthened.
During 2009 the Access and Environment Team will create a set of documents containing policies, guidance notes, contact details etc, to assist all the access volunteers. This information will be both electronic and in paper format.
Contact Us
If you have any queries,feedback or wish to become a volunteer please contact
Andy Green, Head of Access and Environment at [email protected]