27 January 2026 | Tennis Victoria

Volunteers are the backbone of regional tennis clubs, often balancing governance, communications, safeguarding, funding and day-to-day operations alongside work and family commitments.

Through the Club Service Officer (CSO) program, Tennis Victoria is providing clubs with flexible, short-term support to help reduce volunteer workload, strengthen capability and build long-term sustainability.

Funded through the Sustainable Volunteer Workforce program and delivered as part of Tennis Victoria’s Sustainable Regional Tennis project, the CSO program allows clubs to access support for a defined period, focusing on areas where assistance is needed most, while upskilling volunteers to confidently continue the work once the support period concludes.

For clubs involved in the program, that flexibility has been critical during periods of change.

“Our club has been through a transition where some of the people who were really strong in areas like grant applications have stepped away, and newer volunteers are still learning those systems,” Sam Allen Wangaratta Lawn Club President said.

“Having the Club Service Officer support during that transition has been incredibly valuable.”

Support through the program has included refreshing club websites and social media, creating volunteer role descriptions, strengthening safeguarding children processes, assisting with grant applications and supporting strategic and operational planning.

For many small clubs, this kind of targeted assistance has helped ease pressure on a small number of volunteers.

“Small clubs like ours are often driven by just a handful of committee members doing a lot of different jobs.”

“Having someone we can lean on, even for things like social media or getting messages out to the community, has made a huge difference.”

For other clubs, the program has helped unlock new opportunities and build momentum.

“With the support of the Club Service Officer, we were able to successfully apply for a $10,000 grant and deliver a new program at the club,” Pip Gent Ocean Grove Club President said.

“Engaging someone through the program really changed the momentum at our club. We’ve seen more people putting their hand up, increased engagement, and strong membership growth.”

Beyond direct support, clubs have also benefited from shared knowledge and resources across the region.

“You find [the CSO] might be working with another club on something you hadn’t thought of at your own club, and they’re able to bring that across. There’s real value in that economy of scale”

By providing the right support at the right time, the CSO program is helping volunteers get back to what they love most – supporting players, building community connection and growing tennis locally.

The Club Service Officer program is delivered as part of Tennis Victoria’s Sustainable Regional Tennis project in partnership with Sport and Recreation Victoria.

Clubs interested in accessing support through the CSO program or the broader Sustainable Regional Tennis project are encouraged to contact Tennis Victoria to learn more. Reach out to Michael King, Community Capability and Education Manager at [email protected]