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Melbourne Heart Fan Forum - January 6th - Bench Cafe


Jimmy
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I have done a few different things volunteering for the club - handing out brochures, working in the membership tent and then helping out on match day a few times. I felt there was very little organisation and direction given to me, and I was just thrown in, also very little appreciation.

They did have an induction before the season for volunteers, but as I started a bit late I never got this.

During the Perth game, I sent a couple of tweets during the game, nothing inappropriate, just commenting on the game. I may have said something not entirely flattering about Ian Ferguson, but nothing terrible. I then got a call from someone at the club telling me that somehow FFA had seen my tweets and I should not be tweeting if I am a volunteer. Obviously I didn't know this as no one had ever told me.

After the Perth game, I assumed that I would continue to volunteer on future match days, but since that phone call I have heard nothing further from the club. I assume my volunteering days are over.

I don't mind that much because I did end up missing parts of the game, so happy to just watch as normal. I just don't think this is how a willing, passionate supporter who is willing to give up their time should be treated by the club.

Not to put down the club, but this whole area needs to improve.

Natalie I think that when there's a choice between a conspiracy explanation or incompetence to explain a situation, then incompetence wins every time. I wonder if the problem is that the person at the club who is in charge of managing volunteers has also had no specific training.

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There seems to be a serious issue with the volunteer work done for Melbourne Heart. If people on the forum here who have volunteered with the club, please send me a PM in regard to your experience, I will be chasing this one up.

Something that also had me puzzled, is why mixed messages were going out to people at the Jets game with the Free ticket thing. I myself brought 4 family members and I know of many other people who managed to bring quite a few people, and we still didn't break 6K. This was a huge opportunity to just smash out the tickets, and get a nice big crowd in the stadium to remove some of that negative

publicity it has come Hearts way.

I wonder if tickets were limited? and by that I mean did the club say to themselves 'only give out 500' or something? It was also put out

on twitter by David Lyon (Fan Engagement Manager) that the more the merrier would be great, and then some people struggled to get tickets? Is this just what I have heard from a few people and is a non issue? or did other people find they couldn't grab an extra one or 2 two if they needed them?

We now have almost a month to get our thoughts together for the Fan Forum, so what else (other then a better on field performance) could Heart be doing or doing better?

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Something that also had me puzzled, is why mixed messages were going out to people at the Jets game with the Free ticket thing. I myself brought 4 family members and I know of many other people who managed to bring quite a few people, and we still didn't break 6K. This was a huge opportunity to just smash out the tickets, and get a nice big crowd in the stadium to remove some of that negative

publicity it has come Hearts way.

Bozza,

FWIW I still think the best idea (which wasn't mine!) on free tickets is to include two (free) GA tickets to the first two home games of the season (excluding a derby) as part of each membership taken out before the season starts.

That way they're not really free, just part of every membership package.

A way of stimulating interest at the start of the season.

Alternatively, they could be valid for any home game (excluding derbies) during the season. Shouldn't be too hard for the software.

Another point. Why have to queue at the membership tent? Tickets could be distributed electronically.

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Why are we made to jump trough hoops at every oprtunity?

Just advertise the night and throw the gates open...

Fan Forum Registration

A reminder our Fan Forum is taking place on Wednesday 30 January, 6pm at AAMI Park.

We hope to get as many members along as possible and in order to register for the event, you will need to email membership@melbourneheartfc.com.au with your name. You will need to enter through Gate 4 on the Richmond side of the stadium. Public parking is available via Entrance D (eastern car park directly across the road from AAMI Park) but is limited due to the Australian Open.

Edited by LR9
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There's sometimes a lot of unwarranted complaining on these forums I reckon.

Basically thats all i do on this forum because i have no idea how to contact the club even though i have been a member since day 1.

Sending tweets to scotty munn does nothing, seems to pick and choose which ones he responds too

Write a letter. I did. I just kept sending them haha. I got a letter back from 'scott munn' and a phone call from the fan guy.

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Latest club email of 17 Jan says Sidwell will attend the fan forum - interesting development

"FAN FORUM UPDATE

Melbourne Heart FC will host a Fan Forum at AAMI Park at 6pm on Wednesday 30 January. The Club is pleased to announce that Melbourne Heart Chairman Peter Sidwell has joined the panel, alongside Head Coach John Aloisi and CEO Scott Munn.

The Forum will be an opportunity for members and fans to have open discussions on topics of their choice about the Club."

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I have done a few different things volunteering for the club - handing out brochures, working in the membership tent and then helping out on match day a few times. I felt there was very little organisation and direction given to me, and I was just thrown in, also very little appreciation.

They did have an induction before the season for volunteers, but as I started a bit late I never got this.

During the Perth game, I sent a couple of tweets during the game, nothing inappropriate, just commenting on the game. I may have said something not entirely flattering about Ian Ferguson, but nothing terrible. I then got a call from someone at the club telling me that somehow FFA had seen my tweets and I should not be tweeting if I am a volunteer. Obviously I didn't know this as no one had ever told me.

After the Perth game, I assumed that I would continue to volunteer on future match days, but since that phone call I have heard nothing further from the club. I assume my volunteering days are over.

I don't mind that much because I did end up missing parts of the game, so happy to just watch as normal. I just don't think this is how a willing, passionate supporter who is willing to give up their time should be treated by the club.

Not to put down the club, but this whole area needs to improve.

First thing they need to do is start treating their volunteers better.

I couldnt agree more with this comment

I've been volunteering on match days since day one coz my mates dad was in charge then and he told me when he left that he saw volunteers as gold and treated them that way because they were basically the key to a successful club. Since then i've seen it go down hill significantly, lack of communication and appreciation are definitely reasons for why it isnt working as well as it was in the past.

Like i still want to volunteer and have done for part of this season because i want the club to succeed but the people who run it have little respect for the people who give up part of their day to come in early and stay late to help try and make this club successful.

Very sad to read these. Pretty much as I expected though, although in addition Natalie fell foul of FFA's censorship rules. FFA brooks absolutely no adverse criticism of its people or what it does, which is the mark of an insecure organization and insecure people running it.

Basically a volunteer has to be treated even better than an employee. It is essential that they have a defined role and know exactly where their boundaries are, and within those boundaries they have to be allowed to carry out their duties without interference. The worst thing to do to a volunteer is to unload on to them the mundane parts of other people's jobs. It requires a special kind of person to be 'in charge' of volunteers. Perhaps Heart hasn't got that sort of person at the moment.

Agreed. I've emailed and spoken with the Fan Engagement Manager about volunteers as the feedback above is very concerning. I've asked that Heart look to implement best practice in all areas concerning volunteers, including provision of hardcopy codes of conduct, signed agreements, insurance etc.

He says that there will be a review of all policies (including those concerning volunteers) post-season. I think that will be a good time to make all the changes required.

My aim is to have a concrete policy in place before next season, one that recruits, trains, protects, guides and recognises Heart volunteers appropriately. If anyone has feedback or suggestions, please let me know.

See you all at the forum.

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Agreed. I've emailed and spoken with the Fan Engagement Manager about volunteers as the feedback above is very concerning. I've asked that Heart look to implement best practice in all areas concerning volunteers, including provision of hardcopy codes of conduct, signed agreements, insurance etc.

He says that there will be a review of all policies (including those concerning volunteers) post-season. I think that will be a good time to make all the changes required.

My aim is to have a concrete policy in place before next season, one that recruits, trains, protects, guides and recognises Heart volunteers appropriately. If anyone has feedback or suggestions, please let me know.

See you all at the forum.

Nice one Stretch. Great job. Agree that a post-season review is probably the best way to go, so long as proper policies are then implemented.

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Just a reminder.

Dear Heart Member,

If you are planning to attend the Melbourne Heart FC Fan Forum next Wednesday 30 January at AAMI Park, please remember to confirm your attendance by emailing membership@melbourneheartfc.com.au no later than 5pm on Monday 28 January.

The forum will commence at 6pm next Wednesday. We look forward to seeing you there.

Your team at Heart.

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Just a reminder.

Dear Heart Member,

If you are planning to attend the Melbourne Heart FC Fan Forum next Wednesday 30 January at AAMI Park, please remember to confirm your attendance by emailing membership@melbourneheartfc.com.au no later than 5pm on Monday 28 January.

The forum will commence at 6pm next Wednesday. We look forward to seeing you there.

Your team at Heart.

Yeah, got that too, at the email address I'd already registered from.

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Mods, please change thread name!!

Does anyone have a rough list of things they promised and things what they would change at the last forum?

Do you have to be a member to go to the forum?

Mate, just show up on the day, that's what I'm doing, there is probably going to be 16 people there (including staff, reporters and security), there hardly gunna knock us back. I haven't registered, CBF giving the club the time of day atm.

But for anyone who does, all you had to do from memory was say you'll be attending in an e-mail to membership@melbourneheartfc.com.au

Edited by LR9
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Mods, please change thread name!!

Does anyone have a rough list of things they promised and things what they would change at the last forum?

Do you have to be a member to go to the forum?

Mate, just show up on the day, that's what I'm doing, there is probably going to be 16 people there (including staff, reporters and security), there hardly gunna knock us back. I haven't registered, CBF giving the club the time of day atm.

But for anyone who does, all you had to do from memory was say you'll be attending in an e-mail to membership@melbourneheartfc.com.au

Seriously it takes 2 seconds to type an email, half the length of what you just wrote... as if that is so hard to do?

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