Volunteering or a job in sports? Give a Day and Sammi help you choose
Love sports but unsure how to get involved? Whether you want to give back as a volunteer on weekends or take the leap into a full-time sports career, finding the right path can be tough. Discover how the new partnership between Give a Day and Sammi connects you with the perfect sports opportunities in your area.
Do you want to do something with your passion for sports, but don't really know where to start?
There is more than one way. Some people commit themselves as a volunteer, others make it their profession. And often, these two worlds blend together nicely. That is why Give a Day and Sammi are partnering from now on: we help you with volunteering, Sammi with paid jobs. Want to see right away what there is to do in your area? View the sports volunteering opportunities on Give a Day here or the paid sports jobs on Sammi.
Why sports cannot exist without volunteers
A sports club needs sports professionals. But just as much, people who help at a tournament, organize activities, or just roll up their sleeves every now and then.
"Volunteers are an indispensable link in our sports sector. At the same time, we see that people want to contribute in very different ways. One person is looking for a commitment of a few hours a month, while another wants to make their passion for sports their profession. It is especially important that people find their way to the place that suits them."
— Bart Wolput, Give a Day
Can you grow from a volunteer into a job in sports?
That choice does not have to be final. Someone who is a volunteer at a sports club today might discover tomorrow that a job in sports also suits them. And vice versa, many sports professionals volunteer alongside their job.
Today, the sports sector is also much broader than just coaches and physical education teachers. There are jobs in sports management, administration, communication, events, infrastructure, policy, and coaching.
Why are sports jobs so hard to find?
They are scattered across different channels. And they easily disappear among the wide range of offers on general job search websites.
That is exactly what Sammi focuses on.
"We noticed that there are an incredible number of opportunities in sports, but people looking for a job in our sector often have to search through a large volume of general job vacancies. With Sammi, we want to make that easier: a place where sports professionals and sports employers can find each other."
— Julie Galle, Sportwerk Vlaanderen / Sammi
Sammi aggregates official job vacancies from the sports sector and connects them with people looking for an internship, side job, or permanent job that matches their experience, interests, and availability.
Why are Give a Day and Sammi collaborating?
For us, the focus is on volunteering commitments. For Sammi, on paid work. Two different forms of commitment with a similar ambition: bringing people and organizations together.
That is why we find it logical to work together.
"We don't want someone looking for volunteer work to have to search through job vacancies. And someone looking for a paid job doesn't need an overview of volunteer commitments either. By working each from our own expertise and referring people in a targeted way, we can together provide a much more complete picture of the opportunities in sports."
— Julie Galle
In the long run, we want to guide visitors to the right opportunities even more specifically. Are you looking for volunteer work in sports? Then you will find relevant commitments with us. Are you looking for a paid position? Then Sammi will lead you to sports vacancies that match your profile.
Volunteer or professional? Above all, do what suits you
There is no right or wrong way to commit to sports.
Maybe you want to help at a sports event for one Saturday. Maybe you want to coach a youth team every week. Or maybe you are ready for a new step and want to work professionally in sports.
"The strength lies precisely in that diversity. Sports need volunteers, but also people who are professionally involved in it every day. If we can help people better find the right place, we ultimately strengthen the entire sports sector."
— Bart Wolput
That is what Give a Day and Sammi want to contribute to together: letting people discover where they can put their time, talent, and passion for sports to use.
Whether that is as a volunteer or as a professional.
Take the first step
Don't know which direction you want to go yet? Just start with what is closest to you.
Discover volunteering in sports on Give a Day or check out the sports jobs on Sammi.
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