Teamwork makes the dream work!

The best approach is to have a mix of skills and contributions in your group.

How this approach can help

In choosing roles and contributions, it’s not just about what you could do or what needs to be done. We think it’s important to balance these things with choosing at least one role that makes you feel good, that gives you energy. This approach can encourage people to get involved, stay involved and contribute more. It can also be a way to reduce volunteer burnout.

It can also be a useful audit tool to work out who is already involved in your group and where the strengths and gaps might be.

People often play multiple roles in groups, and this can be a way to make those roles visible and clearer, plus help with passing on roles to other people when needed. More organsied groups might want to write them up as role descriptions, which can assist with managing role accountabilities.

We summarise some common contributions below. Create new ones though if you like and choose your own adventure!

Some people love living on the edge, but things generally work better in groups when things are organised and efficient. Administrators are sometimes over-looked champions, who take care of things like important information and documents, shared drives and folders and records. What is your group’s bank details for the new grant application again? Where can I find our catch-up calendar? Check with the admin guru!

Some people are naturally good administrators, but others need to work harder at it. It can be a thankless task, so others in the group should help Administrators to find another role that gives them joy and energy to balance the admin tasks.

Positivity builds energy, motivation and confidence, whilst negativity destroys them. This makes the role of cheerleader so important. With the right mindset, it’s the easiest contribution to make. It can be done by everyone in a group. It is a way to invite everyone in your place to play a role, even if they only have 5 minutes a week to contribute.

For example, the Building Busselton Town Team thanked local businesses by leaving postcards under the front door, telling them what they most appreciated. What a nice touch. Think outside the box, but a good ol’ thank you can go a long way!

What is your team doing? Why? Who's involved? When is the next social event? Communicators let people know what’s happening and encourage them to get involved. Social media can make things easier, but remember that not everyone is online, reads well or speaks English. This makes in-person coffee meetings, reaching out to other groups and bumping into people on the street important as well. Internal communications are also important. Some groups use apps like Whats App to share information and even make decisions.

It’s often about who you know, and this is where the connectors shine. They are good at building relationships, making connections and finding common goals. This is usually done in-person, but it can also be done online.

Connectors reach out to local businesses, leaders and other community groups. They meet the movers and shakers. The sometimes create informal or formal partnerships.

Doers are actively involved in making their place better. Instead of waiting for a local authority or "somebody else" to do something, they have a go and get stuff done. Doership is for everyone—whether you’re picking up a piece of rubbish, hosting a street party, or planting a verge garden, every contribution counts.

Doers don’t like meetings, so think either about how to keep them short and sharp, or just let them come along on the day that something needs to be done. A small group can achieve a lot when there is a larger pool of doers who turn up when required.

Innovation and progress rely on people with vision and dreams. Dreamers imagine what the future could be like, how it could be better. Dreaming can be a powerful force when others share it and want to help to bring it to life.

But, this superpower can be diluted, because Dreamers are often not doers. They know what should happen, but they are less good at turning those ideas into reality. Other people in the group can help them by not squashing the big ideas, but asking what’s the first step we can take on the journey towards the dream? Like all the other roles, Dreamers can really help groups and also benefit by being part of them.

Drivers are the project managers. They encourage, push and prod things forward. They hate seeing things drift or get derailed. Bigger projects and events really benefit when there is a Driver involved. They use project plans, schedules and To Do lists to keep things moving.

Enablers are special. It’s not about what they do, it’s about how they help others to do stuff that they might not have thought was possible. This makes their contributions so valuable as they can supercharge teamwork, teach skills and provide people with confidence to have a go.

Active enablers might teach people by showing them the ropes or working alongside them, whilst more relaxed enabling might be more like a mentoring role.

Money isn’t everything, but it sures helps! And fundraisers have a knack for finding and getting it. This might include: grants, membership, sponsorships with local businesses, product sales, events, recycling bottles or cans or even crowdfunding projects. Check out our How To Guide on how to raise revenue for your team.

If you create a list of the passions, skills, resources and connections that you already have in your group or place, you can also achieve a lot with very little, so don’t just wait around until you get some money.

The Gapfiller is a flexible, all-rounder prepared to step into any role for the good of the group. They consciously or sub-consciously assess where the strengths and interests lie in the people around them, and gravitate towards the gaps. This is a crucial contribution as it allows others to do things that they are better at or want to do.

Inspirers provide the essential spark that gets everyone else moving. Their primary role is to motivate others to believe that they can make a difference. In community settings where people might feel that creating change is too difficult or that they lack the authority to improve their street, Inspirers help to shift that mindset.

They typically contribute to the team by:

• Building confidence: Helping people to recognise their own potential and the value of their unique gifts.
• Communicating permission: Demonstrating through their attitude that you don't need a formal title or a master plan to start making a difference—just the willingness to have a go.
• Sustaining momentum: Reminding the team of their purpose and what is possible when projects face challenges or hit a snag.

Inspirers often collaborate closely with Dreamers, who provide the vision and story to energise people, and Cheerleaders, who celebrate the ideas and actions of the team along the way. Together, these roles cultivate a positive, supportive environment that empowers local doers.

Knowledge holders are the ones who ground a team or a project in its context. They help to provide a deeper understanding of the neighbourhood, which could include:

• Local history: They understand the story of the place—what’s been tried before, why things are the way they are, and the heritage that makes a street unique
• People and relationships: They know who to talk to. They have the established trust and the "social map" of the community, which helps teams connect with residents who might otherwise be hard to reach.
• Place-based insight: They know the physical place intimately—the shortcuts, the quiet corners, and the spots that need a bit of love.

While doers might focus on making things happen and dreamers on the vision, knowledge holders ensure the team's actions are respectful of the past and relevant to the present. They often work alongside listeners, who help learn and remember what the community is saying, ensuring the team stays grounded.

We think that leadership is a contribution, not a position in a hierarchy. Whilst everyone can make leadership contributions, most groups need someone or a small group of people to coalesce around. Good leaders step back, so that others can step up. Some teams move away from traditional hierarchies in favour of an "Eldership model" of governance. This shares the load and avoids power imbalances, ensuring everyone feels empowered to lead and contribute.

Leaders look ahead by identifying the skills needed for critical roles and preparing potential successors so that the team remains sustainable. They also work with leaders in other organisations.

The loudest voices aren't always the ones with the best ideas. The quiet people might have the most to offer. The Listener plays a quiet but incredibly powerful role in making sure a team stays grounded and connected to the "pulse" of their place. Listeners often become Knowledge Holders. They know the people, the history, and the unique stories of a place. This ensures the team doesn't repeat old mistakes or accidentally steamroll something the community already loves.

By listening instead of just talking, they notice the quieter people who might have amazing gifts, but haven't been asked to help yet. They help the team align what the team is doing with what local people would like.

Being organised can make a huge difference. Some teams fumble around, forget things, miss deadlines or don’t know what is happening. Organisers help their team to be more effective and efficient. Whilst Administrators concentrate more on the processes and paperwork, Organisers coordinate people and timelines. They can really help the Doers, Dreamers and Communicators to be more effective.

The spokesperson has the authority to speak on behalf of the group and represent its interests. They provide the official public voice for a community group, giving media interviews, delivering speeches, and answering public questions.

They make sure that external communications match the group's core goals, values, and official policies without sharing unauthorised or sensitive information. They explain the group's stance or projects to the public .They might also need to address disputes, correct misinformation, or respond to difficult community issues.

These are just a selection of common roles. But they can’t cover every situation or potential contribution. Think about what you could do and choose your own role. Don’t be a passenger, do something!