ABSTRACT
Volunteers play a critical role in sport policy in England and in other countries where there is a strong tradition of volunteering and where a large proportion of sports participation takes place in clubs run by the members themselves. This raises several questions about the relationship between the government and volunteers in sport which are relevant to the relationship between government and volunteering in general. Is the relationship best thought of as a ‘partnership’ in which both parties have different objectives and agree to a mutually acceptable ‘deal’? If so, what is the balance of power in the partnership? Or is the relationship more one of synergy, where the objectives of both parties coincide? As an example of a partnership, government may want to grow sports participation, while a sports club’s objective may be to enable their existing members to share an enthusiasm for their sport and to play it. In exchange for government support with developing facilities, the club might agree to start a junior section to promote sport to young people, thus changing its activity and modifying its objectives – with implications for the ‘work’ of its volunteers. As an example of synergy, the UK government presently aims to promote volunteering in general as an expression of active citizenship. It recognizes the important role of sports clubs in facilitating volunteering, so might develop policies to allow them to flourish, for example, by reducing legislative burdens.
