Derbyshire 2012 volunteers

[goldmedal]

Just came across this snippet on the Telegraph - It's a bit long, but a worthwhile read.
VOLUNTEERING spare time to help others has rarely come with as much incentive as it does now.

With just 920 days until London stages the 2012 Olympics, time is running out for people in Derbyshire who want to play a part in the world's biggest sporting event.

Not everyone can be part of "Team GB" but anyone can be part of Team Volunteering.

Providing you have passion, energy and enthusiasm, a ticket to the Olympic Park is within reach.

But those who wish to volunteer at the games will have to persuade organisers that they possess all three of these attributes at an interview in London.
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And the only way to do that is by proving it with a CV that shows they have been involved in volunteering before.

Kay Adkins, volunteering co-ordinator of Derbyshire 2012 Games Management Group, said now was the time for those wishing to take part to start volunteering.

"If you can show a track record of volunteering, that will stand you in good stead," she said.

"There are a number of opportunities in Derbyshire, so it's a question of thinking about what sort of volunteering you want to do.

"Maybe you're a busy person and don't have time to help out at your local centre each week. In that case, helping out at a one-off event, such as the Derby 10k run, is a good idea.

"You also need to make sure you get a certificate to take to an interview."

To help youngsters build up their volunteering CVs, Derbyshire Sport, a partnership of local agencies which aims to improve people's lives through sport, has set up an academy which helps them log what roles they have undertaken.

Called the Derbyshire Sport Coach and Leader Academy, it has a website exclusively for members to record their volunteering hours and details of what they participated in.

As the volunteer accumulates hours, they achieve milestones and are rewarded with branded sports clothing.

Most importantly, those with the most hours will be considered for the volunteering opportunities at major events including the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Mrs Adkins said volunteering at the Olympics would be extremely rewarding.

She said: "Just being in such an amazing event would mean you would get a real buzz. The whole atmosphere will be just incredible.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Volunteers at the games will be asked to carry out a range of essential tasks, from helping spectators to language services and medical care.

Other roles will include welcoming and directing visitors, car park duty, distributing uniforms and clean-up operations.

To ensure volunteers are ready to go for 2012, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games has devised a programme to train all those helping out to the highest standards.

Mrs Adkins said such training would benefit volunteers in the long term.

"They'd get great experience and for some it will be a real step towards a future career," she said.

"As well as that, volunteering on a local level will help you get to know your neighbours.

"It makes you feel good about yourself and is a good opportunity for youngsters to change other people's perceptions of that generation."

Another initiative is the Sports Volunteer Award, aimed at young people aged 16 to 19 who are currently involved in youth volunteering and would like to gain qualifications to become a sports coach.

It involves attending an emergency first-aid course and safeguarding children course, as well as completing a 30-hour volunteering placement.

Youngsters will also work towards a level-one coaching qualification of their choice.

The award, which is funded by Derbyshire Youth Service and managed by Derbyshire Sport, is also open to people aged up to 25 if they have a learning or physical disability.

Those who take part are automatically accepted for the Derbyshire Leadership Academy and become a priority to have training costs subsidised by Derbyshire Sport's coach bursary fund.

Unemployed people also have the chance to enrol on a training course that could lead to them landing a role at the 2012 London Olympics.

The Personal Best programme is being held across the East Midlands, with YMCA Derbyshire delivering training in our county.

It aims to improve the job prospects of people who are out of work and give them a shot at becoming one of the 70,000 games volunteers.

The programme, paid for by the European Social Fund, is offering to train up to 302 people in the East Midlands who are out of work or socially disadvantaged in order to raise their skills and improve their employability.

Mrs Adkins said she hoped these schemes would ensure Derbyshire will be well represented at the Olympic Games on a volunteering front.

"It'd be great to see thousands of volunteers from our patch at the Olympics," she said.

"It would be another way of Derbyshire being involved in something special.

"We can't take the facilities out of London but we can take the people of Derbyshire to London."

Lee Parry, senior volunteering officer at the city council, said he was confident people would want to volunteer at the Olympic Games but conceded keeping people interested afterwards would be difficult.

He said: "It's easy to get people picking up a racket during Wimbledon but far harder to do so three weeks' later.

"It's crucial we do all we can to prevent the same thing happening as regards to volunteering."

[bobby]

It just shows how much effort goes on behind the scenes. It's like motor racing - without the marshall's race wouldn't happen. Same applies to 2012, but I think some people applying will think it's just a free ticket to the games, the reality is you could spend all week directing traffic without seeing a single event.

[professor]

This is a good article. Th eessence of volunteering is to help the event, do a good job and bring your experience to help promote that event. You may not be at the hub of the games but you will be part of the Olympics and it will be something you will never forget.