Parent / Guardian Volunteering
The Little Athletics motto is “Family, Fun and Fitness”. Little Athletics is a family sport and is one activity where the whole family can be involved and participate. Like other Little Athletics centres, Algester Little Athletics Centre is a not-for-profit organisation which is run solely by volunteers, most of whom are parents of current athletes at the Centre. Unfortunately, there isn’t always enough helpers. Our Centre cannot operate without the assistance of parents and carers filling the many and varied roles needed each week to run our competition. To hold the weekly competition, we need around 65 volunteers to run all of the events. It can be quite difficult to fill all the roles necessary to ensure we can provide a safe and fun weekly competition for our kids.
Parent / Guardian Participation Levy
To encourage assistance, our Centre collects a $40 parent participation levy from each family as part of the fees payable during our sign on day. To obtain a refund of the parent participation levy at the end of the season, each family must have helped out for 75% of our eligible competition days, which usually calculates to be approximately 15 competition weeks. A mother, father, carer, guardian, grandparent, relative or older sibling of an athlete can help out to contribute to the 'family' total. One volunteering 'point' toward the levy refund can be obtained from the following:
(a) Canteen volunteer for no less than 2 consecutive hours during Centre carnival or championship days, or for the duration that the canteen is open during Centre weekly competitions
(b) Event Official for no less than five (5) events on any given day, or the maximum number of events for that specific discipline on any given day (if less than 5 events)
(c) Age Marshall for the duration of any given Centre weekly competition
(d) Assisting set up prior to the commencement of any Centre competition or carnival (from the specified set up start time for the duration of the set up process until completed) and assisting pack up at the conclusion of any Centre competition or carnival (from the specified set up start time for the duration of the pack up process until completed)
(e) Assistance at any Centre working bee (for no less than 2 consecutive hours)
(f) Event Official at Regional or State competition (for no less than 2 hours)
(g) Fundraising volunteer, such as Bunnings BBQ; sale of raffle tickets at competition days
(h) Mowing the grounds (if unpaid)
(i) Attendance at officials workshop or coaching workshop (j) Team manager
Minimum participation for end of season trophies
Families are also required to obtain a minimum of 4 'trophy points' during the season in order for their children to qualify for a trophy or award at the end of the season. This is in addition to the athlete attendance and participation requirements for trophy day. This has become necessary due to the ever decreasing number of helpers we have each week, which is not sustainable for the continuation of our weekly competitions.
In order to meet these volunteering requirements (ie. 4 helps) families must help out a minimum of 2 times from the list in Column A below. It is then open to families to chose 2 options from Column B (or alternatively, 3 from Column A and 1 from Column B, or 4 options from Column A if preferred).
It is up to families how (and when) they'd like to volunteer, provided that at least 2 are from Column A, and a minimum of 4 are recorded over the course of the season. Volunteers will be recorded by the event chiefs and committee members, and a running sheet will be available online to ensure transparency, and to help families keep tally. To be clear, each individual parent / carer does not have to help 4 times - the workload is spread across the entire family. Therefore, families could meet this criteria in as little as 2 weeks if both parents or other family members help out.
Important: When reading the spreadsheet, please note that 0.2 is given for each event helped at (eg raking, spiking) which goes toward Column B. Please note that 5 x 0.2 points is required to receive a "B" (unless a full "B" point is given for assisting, such as age marshal).
It is essential to please write your name down at each event you help at so we can ensure we keep an accurate record.
We would really love it if families could please do their little bit, so we can share the workload as evenly as possible across our membership and to ensure that our children can continue to enjoy little athletics for many, many years to come.
Column A
Canteen volunteer for no less than 3 consecutive hours during Centre carnival or championship days, or for the duration that the canteen is open during Centre weekly competitions.
Assisting set up prior to the commencement of any Centre competition, regional event or Algester carnival (from the specified set up start time for the duration of the set-up process until completed).
Assisting pack up at the conclusion of any Centre competition, regional event or Algester carnival (from the specified pack up start time for the duration of the pack up process until fully completed).
Column B
Assistance at any Centre working bee (for no less than 3 consecutive hours)
Helping out at tiny tots (minimum 2 hrs)
Age Marshall for the duration of any given Centre weekly competition
Mowing the grounds (if unpaid) or linemarking
Fundraising volunteer, such as Bunnings BBQ (minimum 3 hours) or sale of raffle tickets at competition days (duration of event)
Team manager / assisting team manager (for duration of event)
Event Official / volunteer for or no less than five (5) specific events on any given day, or the maximum number of events for that specific discipline on any given day (if less than 5 events)
Volunteering at events during competition days (such as raking / retrieving) – minimum 5 events
Event Official or volunteer at Regional relays or championships (for no less than 3 hours)