Participation Commitment Program

Shared Participation. Shared Commitment. Shared Success

What is this program and why:

Participation through ‘volunteering’—by parents, guardians of our athletes/participants, staff and the community at large—has always been integral to the success of Richmond Gymnastics Association. As a non-profit society registered under BC Societies, Richmond Gymnastics is governed by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. The Association has a rich history of invaluable volunteer contributions, with every effort making a significant impact. We would not be where we are today without the steadfast support of our committed members, and it is essential that we continue to foster this spirit of engagement moving forward.

As a community sports organization, Richmond Gymnastics is committed to staying true to its mission, vision, and values while providing high-quality programming at all levels. Like any non-profit, we operate within the limits of the funds available to us, which come from training fees, grants, fundraising, and other activities that the gym schedules from time to time.

The Participation Commitment Program not only helps us maintain affordability and sustainability but also fosters a strong sense of belonging, ownership, and connection among our members. This shared commitment strengthens our community and enhances the overall experience for all our athletes and their families, and ensures that Richmond Gymnastics remains a place where children can thrive—both on and off the gym floor. This shared commitment helps us run successful events, and activities, maintain high-quality programming, and foster a strong sense of community within our club.

Who participates:

Participation Commitment Program is mandatory for all families who are enrolled in our Team program.

How does this program work:

As part of this program, each athlete contributes/pays a participation commitment fee, which is returned/refunded upon completion of all the required participation hours. We understand that each family structure and time availability/commitment is different. There are mainly two ways a family can contribute:

  • Be a ‘Working/Active Member’: The Association regularly offers opportunities for a member to participate in and complete the required hours. Members are advised of the tasks available and how one can sign up. Members can review the available tasks, consider where their interests or strengths lie, and sign up based on availability and schedule. All opportunities are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please make note of the ‘mandatory’ tasks within each category of ‘participation requirements’

  • Be an ‘Opt-out Member’: Life is busy and giving time can be challenging. This simply means that the member supports in spirit and is not available to actively participate and complete the required hours. As a result, the member’s deposit is forfeited and considered a contribution to help support the ongoing operations of the Association.

Participation tasks:

Active participation can take many forms, including assisting at events, supporting club activities, or contributing in other meaningful ways that help strengthen our community and enhance the experience for all members. Active participation is one of the most valuable contributions that one can make. Planning events, running activities, and completing the many tasks listed below simply wouldn’t be possible without the help and support! There are two main categories of participation requirements: please refer to the matrix in the registration package for the number of hours your are required to complete for each category.

a. Event participation eg: Competitions held in-house, Richmond Dogwood Invitational, other events

b. Gym maintenance/ Additional participation

Richmond Dogwood Invitational

Competition hosted by RGA January 29- Feb 1, 2026 at Richmond Olympic Oval.

  • Volunteer coordinators

  • Hospitality

  • First Aid

  • Sponsorship/marketing committee

  • Mandatory set up and take down of equipment

    *more details on additional tasks to come

Overall gym maintenance / organisation

  • Daily and biweekly cleaning of the gym

  • Gym reorganization, equipment set up, foam pit cleaning

  • Laundry (to be fair to all, members must not sign up for more than 2 laundry shifts)

Decoration committee

  • Decorating the gym, kitchen, and general parent viewing area for holidays/ seasonal events.

Gym enhancement tasks

  • Liven up the gym during seasonal activities and refresh/maintain specific areas such as kitchen and general parent viewing area.

Marketing / promotion

  • Participation in marketing/awareness events

  • Gaining sponsorships

Gym special projects

  • Repairs, maintenance, or projects that require specific skills. Please reach out the office with your specialty if you are interested in contributing.

How to sign up and record hours:

RGA makes every effort to send regular emails to members on new activities added to the task list, along with instructions on how to sign up for these opportunities. Sign up for activities is generally by ONE of the following ways, as communicated when tasks are detailed:

  • Physical sign-up sheets: members sign up by writing their name on the sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin board

  • Electronic-sign up: members sign up for the open positions online on our registration portal or via other portals, as detailed

  • For specialized tasks, if requested, send email to admin@richmondgymnastics.com and express interest

    RECORD HOURS: Participation Commitment Log Sheet - linked - Event participation log sheet | Gym maintenance/organisation log sheet

    Each family is responsible for accurately recording their participation hours using the log sheet. Log sheets must be submitted to the office either in person or via email every 2–3 months, or as requested (pictures of the log sheet are not acceptable). Accurately tracking and submitting hours by the member is essential to ensure that participation is recognized and reconciled with the office to qualify for any deposit refunds or program benefits associated with the Participation Commitment Program.

    Mandatory tasks - for Season 2025-26 - should you choose to participate to claim your deposit back:

    a. Event participation eg: Competitions held in-house, Richmond Dogwood Invitational: minimum ONE set-up shift or ONE take-down shift

    b. Gym maintenance/Additional participation: two bi-weekly gym cleaning shifts are mandatory for families with one child in the program, three bi-weekly gym cleaning shifts are mandatory for families with two or more children in the program. A bi-weekly cleaning shift may be reclassified as a gym re-organization/deep clean shift.

    Note: New sign-up sheets for cleaning tasks are posted on the bulletin board regularly. Members do not receive monthly email reminders for these routine postings unless a special activity or event is scheduled. All sign ups are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Something else you might want to know!

How do I know how much the fee deposit is and how many hours we need to put in?

The fees, and required hours to qualify for a refund are determined by the hours your child trains per week. Please refer to the fee matrix in your registration package, and for details on when the fees(deposit) would be charged.

Do we have to let you know if we choose to opt out of the Participation Commitment Program? (eg: busy/doesn’t fit our schedule)

We would appreciate if you could let us know in advance so that we can plan our activities accordingly and estimate how much manpower will be available. This will also allow us to remove you from the mailing list for Participation Commitment tasks helping avoid unnecessary emails cluttering your inbox.

What if I start putting the hours in and then do not have time to continue?

We understand- life happens. You may choose to stop participating at any time. This simply means that if your required hours are not completed, you will not be eligible to receive a refund of your deposit. Please note that the deposit and participation hours are not prorated.

What if I email you to opt out and then decide later that I want to participate

Absolutely—we understand that circumstances can change: If you’d like to start participating again, simply email us to be added back to the mailing list. You can then begin signing up for activities and recording your hours.

What if I sign up for an activity, and am then unable to show up

Please advise us via email or phone so that we can offer the space to the next person on the waitlist. A timely communication is appreciated so that we are able to attend to the designated tasks efficiently.

Good to knows…

  • Any excess participation hours completed within a given training season do not carry over to the following year and are not transferable to another family.

  • Do not wait until the last minute to start accumulating your hours. Start as soon as tasks are posted.

  • Athletes who are active participants in RGA programs are not eligible to claim hours for any task unless their participation and the hours earned have been pre-approved by the Association. We believe it’s important for our young athletes to learn the value of giving back to the community without expecting something in return. This helps build a strong foundation for personal growth and learning, and teaches the importance of community, humility, and generosity.

  • Participation hours and event changes: The hours outlined in the matrix (in registration package) are based on hosting the Richmond Dogwood Invitational and scheduling other activities throughout the year. If any of the planned activities or events are revised or cancelled the required participation commitment hours will be adjusted accordingly. The total number of required hours may not change but the hours required for each category of tasks may be revised.

updated July 2025