Involving Olympic Inspired Volunteers

In 2012 over 78,000 volunteers will help to make the Olympic Games a success in London. The two main volunteering programmes for the Olympics, London Ambassadors and Gamesmakers together received over 273,000 applications for only 78,000 spaces! A fantastic display of the overwhelming enthusiasm that there is for volunteering through the Olympics.
In Southwark we want to find ways of harnessing the enthusiasm for volunteering that the Olympics is bringing for the long term benefit of the local community. So how can you use the ‘magic dust’ of the Olympics to create exciting opportunities for volunteers?  

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Ways to involve Olympic inspired volunteers

An Olympic inspired event:

In the run up to the Olympics do you have any events going on that could involve volunteers? An Olympic fair, lunch, walk or sports day could be great ways of enthusing service users and local people about the Olympics and also involving volunteers who want to do something special and give something back to celebrate the games.

Activities around the Olympic values

The Olympic values are excellence, friendship and respect, and the Paralympic values are courage, determination, inspiration and equality. Do these values reflect particular aspects of your work in which you involve volunteers? Perhaps you could highlight these areas when recruiting volunteers for activities with an Olympic Twist.

Activities during the Olympic Games

Are you planning any special events or activities while the games are in full swing next year? If so have a think about how you could market it to attract some of the volunteers who were keen to be involved in other oversubscribed Olympic volunteering schemes.

Sport, arts and culture, environment and conservation

Volunteering in these areas are particularly akin to the Olympic values and may be more attractive to Olympic inspired volunteers. If you have any volunteering opportunities in these fields in the next few months please let us know and we can help you to advertise it to volunteers as an Olympic Inspired opportunity.

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Games inspired Volunteering resources:

Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Games: Games Inspired Volunteering

This is a comprehensive guide to creating Opportunities for volunteers inspired by the Olympic games. Published by Volunteering England the resource provides guidance on creating olympic inspired opportunities, applying for the 2012 games inspired kitemark, and preparing for extra volunteer involvement.

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Gain official recognition for your project

Inspire Mark: It’s worth noting that non-commercial organisations that deliver projects and events genuinely inspired by the 2012 Games can apply to have them recognised through the Inspire programme. To find out more about the Inspire Mark, visit: http://www.london2012.com/about-us/our-brand/inspire-programme.php

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Useful sites

http://www.london2012.com/volunteer The official website of the Olympics. Find out about developments to the LOCOG Games Makers programme here.

http://www.londonambassadors.org.uk/  Applications are now closed. But if you would like to find out more about the London Ambassadors volunteers who will be helping out throughout the games, here is the place to look.

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/WhatWeDo/London+2012+Games/I+and+L+2012 Volunteering England are running a programme focused on inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 games.

http://www.london.gov.uk/teamlondon/what-is-team-london Team London is the Mayors commitment to volunteering. Not Directly 2012 related, but the London Star awards could be a good way to celebrate your volunteers.

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Submit an opportunity

Do you have an Olympic inspired opportunity? Do you want to recruit volunteers?

Visit our registration page to send us an opportunity if you are already registered, or to register with us if you are based in Southwark or have activites based in Southwark. Your opportunity will be advertised to thousands of volunteers throughout Southwark who want to get involved with the Olympic spirit!

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Speak to our Good Practice team

If you would like any advice or support around developing opportunities for the Olympics or recruiting volunteers please contact a member of our good practice team:

Truly Johnston 020 7358 5957

Barbara Idowu 020 7358 5956

e-mail goodpractice@volunteercentres.org.uk