Due to rising levels of concern about the trend of decline in sport volunteering and the impact of this on the community sport system, NSW Sport and Recreation commissioned Griffith University to complete a study of innovative volunteer club practices and the issues facing volunteers throughout New South Wales.
Focus groups, face-to-face interviews and an on-line survey were conducted with representatives across the three sports involved in the study: Little Athletics, Rugby League and Softball.
The sports were selected by NSW Sport and Recreation and were broadly representative of male and female dominated sports; inner and outer metropolitan and regional centres; summer and winter sports; a large participant / high profile sport; team and individual sports; and included one smaller association of a lesser profile sport.
Focus groups were conducted with eight representatives from sport organisations at state, district and association levels. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with representatives of volunteer sport clubs, and a total of 242 sport volunteers completed an on-line survey about issues facing volunteers.