Shortage of volunteers in the race? Cycling Flanders gives tips

Cycling Flanders is rolling out a volunteer project to prevent cycling competitions, such as the Lotto Belgium Tour, from being compromised.

Inspiration evening in Lichtervelde

About 40 West Flemish cycling associations met in Lichtervelde last night. It is clear that many clubs and organizations have to pull out all the stops to find enough volunteers.

“We are a new concept,” says Eli Declercq of Seven Hills in Heuvelland.

That will also help to inspire volunteers. But sometimes it’s nail biting to say, how am I going to fix that? How am I going to put that piece in the puzzle? That’s not evidence.”

Kristof Sennesael of GP Elverdinge: “The average age of the signalmen is around 70 years. We are also trying to find younger people for this within our municipality. This year we have been reasonably successful.”

Prefer short-term commitment

But the volunteer of 20 years ago is not the one of today. New volunteers come on their terms and no longer want to be fitted into a cumbersome organization or rigid structure. They prefer to commit themselves to a specific task for a short period of time, but do not want to make a long-term commitment. It turns out that organizations that cannot adjust their voluntary activities will run into problems in the long term.

Luc Coupillie of Westhoek Mountain Bike Club: “I understand that principle. But of course it is putting that into practice. That is something else. But well, with us it is already a bit of that.”

Jasper Lobelle of GP Elveringe: “It is a bit with other associations that we work together, local youth associations, fair committee, things like that. I think it is important to show your face to interact with people. Are they going to do something for your club too?”

“Wake Up Clubs”

Cycling Flanders wants to tackle the shortage of volunteers to boost the declining number of competitions.

Björn Leenknegt of Cycling Vlaanderen: “With such an inspiration session as tonight, we want to wake up clubs and raise awareness to actively work around that volunteer policy with the aim of saving their course in the long term. And so Cycling Vlaanderen will be working on a large volunteer project in the coming months .”