Tomorrow my daughter shares her birthday with arguably Rockhampton’s most famous son: Rod Laver. To the younger readers he was today’s equivalent of Roger Federer, perhaps even better, having won 2 calendar grand slams, that’s the Australian, Wimbledon, French and US Open’s in the same year. The only tennis player to have currently achieved this. How will his home town celebrate his 80th birthday? Hopefully plans are in place. Either way, tomorrow provides the ideal opportunity for a photo opportunity beside his bust at the entrance to Rod Laver Plaza in the Riverside development and post it with birthday wishes on social media. Good publicity for the town, its attractions, and people who came from here.
Last week we heard that Rockhampton had gained the hosting rights for the Oceania Cup. The Pacific Nations hockey tournament which provides the winning men’s and women’s nations qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This is a great accomplishment for the town and Central Queensland. Arguably Australia’s current most successful sporting team, men’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist and World Cup holders the Kookaburra’s, here September next year, along with the Hockeyroo’s, who on the weekend just missed out in a penalty shoot out with the number 1 ranked Netherlands to feature in the women’s World Cup final. Rockhampton also has produced several hockey stars who have played for the Australia: Kim Ireland, Matt Gohdes, Jamie Dwyer, and Australia’s Commonwealth Games flag bearer and former Kookaburra’s captain, Mark Knowles.
Did you know that currently the Australian men’s rowing team are in Rockhampton training on the Fitzroy River, away from the cold of Canberra in preparation for their world titles? Remember Moura born, Rockhampton raised Alexander ‘Sasha’ Belonogoff in the quadruple sculls at the Rio Olympics, that gut busting silver medal win? Rockhampton is also set to host around 1200 secondary school students for the 2018 Queensland Schools and Inter-Regional Rowing Championships September 22-24.
Sport is important for the town for many reasons, but it relies on an essential component that gets little recognition in the ensuing media coverage, the volunteer. The unpaid help that puts in the time to do the planning, chasing up sponsors, sweeping the courts, doing the media releases, cleaning up after the event and much, much more. It’s not luck or money that puts Rockhampton in a position to host major sporting events or produce great champions, it is the volunteers.
Regrettably many organisations are finding it harder to attract volunteers. As part of this cultural change I’ve been writing about, could a local not-for-profit organisation access some funding (Building Better Regions!) and develop a ‘Volunteer Wanted’ website and digital marketing strategy? More than lists of tasks volunteers are needed for and all the local community groups, but a site that also contained relevant stories about the organisations, the important role they play. Ideally these stories would be video’s that could also be posted on social media channels. As there is a market in our community that possibly hasn’t been effectively reached regarding the essential role volunteers play. Youth.
Imagine what an injection of youth could do for organisations and the community. New energy, idea’s, increased longevity for the organisation; this might be unsettling for some, but adapting is part of cultural change.
Could more effort be made to connect and engage with our youth? Should it start at a grass roots level, like local sports clubs and community help groups? Short video stories with relevant youth angles. They would be a good start.
What also would be good, the Australian Rowing Team tomorrow posting a video of them wishing Rod Laver a happy birthday on social media. Be great exposure for Rocky. Another job for a volunteer! Happy birthday for tomorrow Rod.
www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2017/07/11/how-to-attract-more-young-people-to-volunteer-at-your-nonprofit/#2efee4531464