At Pan Idræt's field hockey team Copenhagen Black Swans you will find one of Denmark's most international teams, and that is no coincidence.
At Black Swans, they have developed a structured action plan for receiving and retaining new members, not least international citizens who come to Denmark to work – people who are colloquially referred to as “expats” (short for “expatriates”).
The hockey players in the Black Swans speak more than 10 different languages and come from all corners of the world, giving the team a unique cultural mix and a special community.
The recipe for a good reception is simple: No matter who you are and where you are from, you should feel like you can be part of it – both on and off the field.
Below you will find the recipe for how the field hockey team from Pan Idræt works with reception!
The good reception
If you, as an LGBT+ person and/or expat, pick up the hockey stick for Black Swans, you may have been recruited at the gym, in the party scene or even on Grindr. Black Swans are very aware of where they are present and whether there is an opportunity to attract new players through their current members. There is no better recruitment method than personal contact!
If you are an experienced hockey shark, the club ensures that you can simply join the team – where you will be assigned a “buddy”. This person will, among other things, support and integrate you into the team.
If hockey is new to you, you will enter a 6-week program to master basic techniques and rules in the company of a coach who has a special focus on new players.
Whether you are new or experienced in hockey, you will be assigned a contact person to ensure that you have no doubts about anything. This ensures that there are no misunderstandings and bad experiences.
"There is generally a good understanding on the team that we must welcome as a team. It is always good that the new person knows that we have them and their arrival under control. Some newcomers come from a culture where it can be difficult for them to adapt to the Danish club culture. If they show interest in learning it, then you also need to have the strength to support it," says Esben Shane, team manager at Copenhagen Swans.
During training
There are six steps to ensure that new players (and the rest of the team) have good experiences every time they come to training.
Welcome back to the community
Once the training is over and a few days have passed, the contact person will contact the potential new member and follow up. If Black Swans has gained a new member, they will receive a Welcome to the Swans flyer!
Here, the culture of the team is particularly discussed, so that no new members have any doubts about the guidelines and the club's values. When it comes to expats, it is particularly important that there is a common language on the team and that they receive an introduction to Danish club life - not least the community rules.
"Diversity contributes to increased well-being and joy of life when it is articulated correctly. We insist that the team should be a safe space for everyone to be themselves. But if you have behavior that does not respect that, it will be articulated. There is an open expectation that you are a team player," says team leader Esben Shane and continues:
“One of the things that expats often have a lot of is eagerness and gratitude. This has contributed a lot to our policy that the team is a “safe space”, where we work based on the values of respect, equality and compassion. It also creates a greater acceptance of how different people can be, and thus also inclusiveness,” concludes Esben Shane.
Four tips for welcoming expats
Are you a member of an association, volunteer, trainer or manager? Here are four quick tips from Esben Shane for working with the reception and retention of expats:
- Make a decision that you are now a team where there is room for expats
- Agree on what the plan looks like and how it should be done
- Find a common language, even literally
- Make agreements on EVERYTHING and take NOTHING for granted
Read more about Copenhagen Black Swans on their website. sports page or Facebook page.
