Recruit Club Members: Families
FAMILIES (parents, siblings, caregivers) of people with ID are a vital component of the Special Olympics movement. Contact your National/State office to check on the process of registering families.
There are 3 types of family involvement
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS
Take on volunteer and leadership club roles
SUPPORTIVE
Attend practices & competitions
NON-PARTICIPATORY
Ensure athletes participate In practices
Family members can engage in multiple roles in a club:
As volunteers
Many clubs rely on parents for key roles. While parents are typically very dedicated volunteers, be cautious not to over rely on their support. Have a succession plan ready when these parents no longer have their children involved in the club.
- As coaches
- As club management team members
- As fundraisers
Many clubs rely on parents for key roles. While parents are typically very dedicated volunteers, be cautious not to over rely on their support. Have a succession plan ready when these parents no longer have their children involved in the club.
Family Engagement Ideas
- Create a Family coordinator role on the management team to oversee family recruitment and engagement.
- Create a welcome letter for new athletes and their families with a list of volunteer opportunities and activities.
- Host a new family orientation session.
- Invite families to all events with sign-in to capture contact information.
- Organize family townhall meetings to get their feedback.
- Create a Club newsletter or social media group for families.
- Engage siblings to organize fundraisers or awareness raising campaigns at their schools.