Volunteering at Dell Quay

An overview of what's involved

There are many, many ways to volunteer at Dell Quay. Volunteering is at the heart of the Club - a club for the members, run by the members, supporting other members. Volunteering is also one of the best ways to meet new people and get to know more about the Club. So, if you are new or have been away from the club for a while, please do take the plunge and volunteer! If you are unsure of where to start or have any questions, please contact any member of the General Committee for more information.

The table below gives you an idea of what is involved in the various roles and whether you need any training.

There are three main areas:

1. Helping on the Day - these are the roles which support various events on the day - racing, social sailing, paddlesports (rowing, SUPs and kayaks), regattas and open meetings as well as club social events. You can volunteer for these roles through the Sailing Club Manager Duty Roster. We ask that all members volunteer for at least 2 of these roles during the season.
   
   
2. Management of the Club - the club is managed by the General Committee. It delegates certain areas of responsibility to the Sailing, Cruiser, Rowing & Paddlesports, and House Committees. Details of these committees appear in the front of the yearbook.
   
   
3. Behind the Scenes - there are a host of roles involved in behind the scenes work - such as physical maintenance, communications, training, yearbook and calendar production.

This overview is intended as a taster only. There is also information about some of the roles in the yearbook.

1. Helping on the Day - Roles	Qualifications/Training Required	Best part/Challenges	Time Involved
Duty Officer - oversees and coordinates all events at the club on the day of the duty. You are the team leader for that days volunteers. You would also be the first point of contact for any emergencies or incidents.	In-house training is provided each year. Some experience of other duties is advisable. The club also provides refresher training at the beginning of each year. This is done in conjunction with the Galley Supervisor and Race Officer refresher training so there's an opportunity to compare notes with and meet other volunteers.	Best part - You will come into contact with all volunteers on the day (so it's a great way to meet people) and you are pivotal to the day, you also get to show potential new members around. There's normally plenty of time for a cup of tea on the balcony and just enjoying being at the Club. Challenges - No shows for duties can mean helping fill any gaps, but even that can be fun if you're willing to muck in.	One of the first to arrive and last to leave so can be more than 5 hours.
House Duty - helping to provide refreshments or working in the bar. Varies from tea, coffee cake to major undertakings for social events (e.g a sit-down meal for 60 people).	No qualifications are required. Each session is run by a Galley Supervisor who will provide you with some guidance on food hygiene and how the galley or bar operates.	Best part - This is a very social duty and is a great way to meet other members and learn more about the club. Challenges - It's unpredictable so you could be run off your feet or twiddling your thumbs, but if the latter there's always tea on the balcony.	Usually 5 hours.
Galley Supervisor - plans the menu for each opening of the galley and supervises the galley and bar service. Some Galley Supervisors also food shop in advance of the duty.	Food Safety Level 2 - We normally do this through an online provider it takes no more than half a day and can be done in short modules the club pays for this. In-house Galley Supervisor training - Usually a half-day session at the club covering all you need to know! The club also provides mentoring so new Galley Supervisors can shadow an experienced one (or vice versa). In addition, at the beginning of each season we provide refresher training.	Best part - As with House Duty, it is a very social duty. Challenges - Being responsible for the galley and bar from open to close. It can feel like a long day if its busy although we encourage all those doing a house duty to ensure they get a break at some point.	Usually 5 hours.
Patrol Boat Helm and Crew - provides assistance to members on the water as well as helping to launch and recover the patrol boat.	The Helm is required to have both Powerboat Level 2 and RYA Safety Boat qualifications. Both of these qualifications are usually offered in-house by the club at a very modest cost. The Crew needs no qualifications other than being fit and healthy and willing to get into the water to assist a sailor if needed.	Best part - You're on the water enjoying the beautiful surrounds of Dell Quay as well as having a great view of the event! Challenges - You're on the water and you must be prepared to get into the water if needed!	Usually 5 hours.
Race Officer/Assistant Race Officer - runs the days racing programme, including starts, recording results and dealing with protests.	In-house training is provided for Race Officers. Assistant Race Officers do not need prior training, although the Race Officers course would be useful. Doing ARO duties is a good pre-training for being a RO.	Best part - The racers are really appreciative of the fact the RO/ARO are essential for them to have a good race. It's fun to develop the skills to do this well and there is a lot of satisfaction in having given the racers a really good day out. Challenges - There's a lot of concentration required at the start and finish; building up experience as ARO is recommended.	Usually 5 hours but can be longer.
2. Management of the Club	Qualifications/Training Required	Best part/Challenges	Time Involved
There are four committees at Dell Quay: The General Committee (management of the club as a whole). The Sailing Committee (responsible for watersports and water related training). The Cruiser Committee (responsible for club cruises, provision of committee boats, socials for cruisers, and the Victoria Class & 8M radio controlled model yachts. The Rowing & Paddlesports Committee (responsible for rowing, stand up paddleboarding, and kayaking). The House Committee (responsible for the galley, bar and social calendar as well as aspects of the club house).	General Committee - Some in-house training is provided in relation to directors duties. Otherwise, no formal training is required although it is helpful if members have experience from other committees or roles within the club. For other committees, no qualifications are required. An enthusiasm for the responsibilities of the committee is encouraged (e.g. planning social events and parties, helping juniors, racing). And it is important that volunteers have the time required to fulfill their roles.	Best part - You are able to influence the direction of the club. There is also a sense of camaraderie amongst committee members. Challenges- We're a volunteer Club and everybody is doing it in their spare time, so sometimes it can take a long time get things agreed, but if you are willing to muck in you can overcome that.	Usually a 2 hour meeting 10 times a year. Other special meetings (e.g specific to an event) also occur. The Cruiser committee meets less frequently about 6-8 times a year.
Behind The Scenes & Keeping The Club Going	Qualifications/Training Required	Best part/Challenges	Time Involved
General Maintenance - you can help maintain the fabric of the club and its assets (ribs, dinghies) by joining any and all of the following: Working Weekends - Where members come together to undertake essential club maintenance. These occur twice a year, usually in February and March. Fridays on the Quay - Where members come together on the last Friday of the month to undertake particular projects (and enjoy a packed lunch together). Specialist Project - Groups are formed on an as needs basis (e.g. the incredible team who helped to build the new pontoon and balcony). Specialised Maintenance - There are also roles involved in particular aspects of club maintenance: Club Bosun Workshop Tsar Black Shed Tsar Environmental Tsar Support Roles - A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to support the various activities of the Club. Most of these are listed in the first few pages of the year book and include: Bar Coordinators, Chichester Harbour Federation and RYA reps, ENews and Quay News (Communications), Child Safeguarding Coordinator, Membership and Berthing Secretaries, Honorary Reporting Accountant, Grant Application Coordinator, and the Webmaster.	None.	Best part - Comradeship and seeing the results of your efforts in improvements to the Club. Challenges - It depends on the role, but relatively few: these roles are normally an opportunity to do something worthwhile for the Club, use or develop a skill without the need for being on a Committee.	It can be as little as a morning at one of the working weekends to being part of the regular crew at Fridays on the Quay.