The Heart to Heart Shark Tank launch event held earlier in 2023 involved Sharks Have Heart community partners offering information relating to their respective organisations to potential volunteers.
The Cronulla Caringbah JRL Club was one to significantly benefit from the inaugural Shark Tank event, recruiting a volunteer who now contributes over 15 hours of his time per week in allowing their club to smoothly and successful operate.
Next Wednesday night Sharks Have Heart will be conducting their second Shark Tank, to be facilitated by Mary Konstantopoulos, a volunteer Board member for Hockey Australia and a woman running the Ladies Who League sports media group.
Konstantopoulos juggles her fulltime Bank governance role with her Board position at Hockey Australia, where she has made a sizable contribution over the past four years.
“Being a volunteer director can be lot of work, but the opportunities I've had as a result of being on the board have been so significant,” Konstantopoulos said in an article published on the Australian Sports Commission website.
“Sport is such a fundamental part of our society, therefore, it's important that our sports are governed well, so that they can continue long into the future,” Mary added.
Someone who first began volunteering in a sports journalism role, Konstantopoulos extoled the virtues of volunteering as something that can provide both personal and social benefits.
“I have learnt so many skills through volunteering in sport that are more beneficial than any of the skills I learnt through university,” Konstantopoulos continued. “I would tell anyone wanting to volunteer to just do it. There is a sport volunteer role for everyone. Your contribution will be greatly valued, and you will meet some incredible people along the way.”
Konstantopoulos is now set to lend her considerable knowledge, profile and experience to the second Shark Tank event, which is again aimed at supporting the Sharks JRL clubs and a variety of local community partners and organisations.
As per the first event, the Shark Tank invites Shark Have Heart partners to deliver a brief pitch about their organisation and what kind of skills, experience, the types of people and specific roles for which they hope to attract volunteers.
Hearing from a panel of guests, those in attendance will receive tips for successfully recruiting, along with stories and personal accounts as to the "helpers high" that individuals have experienced from volunteering in their communities.
Information as to Sharks Game Day volunteering opportunities will also be provided.
Through the period of the COVID19 pandemic the volunteer sector was heavily impacted, with Sport Australia reporting a significant decline in volunteering numbers. An estimated 2.9 million volunteers help to make sport happen across Australia, from coaching players, managing community clubs and providing positive sporting experiences for participants of all abilities and at all stages of life.
With that in mind, Shark Have Heart are calling on all potential volunteers to attend their second Shark Tank on Wednesday, April 26, to be held at PointsBet Stadium.
Cronulla-Sutherland JRL Clubs, sporting, community and From the Heart Giving partners, including Skillz4Me and Feel the Magic, will present on the night.
To register your interest and attendance, please go to the following link: https://forms.gle/j2titqeMKsMhH4Qr9
