BC Athlete Voice needs more friends. We want to connect with passionate people that care about BC Athletes and value the contribution they make to sport and the community. We know that BC Athletes are great people and have great friends. We need you to introduce us. BC Athlete Voice wants to ensure that people around the province know what we do and how we support BC Athletes.

Why is friend-raising important for BC Athlete Voice and for sport and athletes in general?

• We can't work alone. We need to get the word out to our friends and our networks on the importance of supporting and valuing athletes in BC.
• Friends come in all different shapes and sizes. Your friends maybe in business, education, health or retail - it doesn't matter, they all will have great connections within their own bubble. If we are able to harness all these diverse linkages we can support BC Athletes in new and exciting ways.
• Friends have a lot to offer. Anyone can get involved in supporting our provincial athletes in a whole range of ways. Sure, financial contributions are fantastic, but friends are also a great resource for the skills they have and the knowledge and support they can share.
• Friends are in it for the long haul. We're looking to establish friendships with supporters of BC Athletes that will go the distance, that will enjoy the good and bad times. After all, you can always rely on great friends.

So how can athletes friend raise?

Spread the message... Let other people know why athletes are important. Let them know your story, your experiences and the how the different things you do in sport and as an athlete make a positive difference in so many different ways. You never know who you my inspire to get involved and be part of supporting sport and athletes.

Give your supporters a plug... This is a chance to talk about and thank those that support you and support sport. This shows your firends that there are other people and organizations that are making a difference and that it's important that they think about doing the same. Saying thanks is important and highlights the good work being achieved.

Identify how your friends can help... Activate your friends by being specific in the things they can do to help. If you have friends that is a business owner, would they be interested in getting their staff involved in supporting sport in their community, if you have a friend that is a lawyer, would they be interested in providing pro bono consulting services for athletes or sport organizations? We have tremendous human resources all around us, in our families, schools and workplaces. All they need is someone to pursuade them to act and get involved.

Connect the dots... It's important that once you identify friends that can and will help, that you connect them with a person or organization that will value them, utilize them and reward them. This way everyone wins. You have connected your friends to a great cause, they can get excited about putting their talents to work and the we gain another important supporter to help spread the message on why athletes and sports are important for our communities and for the whole province.

So what are you waiting for? Get friend raising! And remember - if you have any friends that are interested, want to get involved and support athletes and sport and you don't know who to connect them - let BC Athlete Voice know, we can help!

If you have any questions please contact BC Athlete Voice at info(@)bcathletevoice.ca