I remember seeing the Olympic Park for the first time whilst reporting on London 2012 for Able. Even though I’d lived in London a few years ago, I, along with hundreds of others, had never set foot in Stratford before. The people that prevented me from walking miles more than necessary and quite possibly in circles that day, were the Games Makers. There seemed to be thousands of them and all equipped with the ‘how to get to’ and the ‘what to do when’ that anyone visiting the Games could ever need. I’d say that they were the glue that held the Games together.
Volunteers are likely to have a similar impact in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games, especially since the key venues are spread across the city. Around 15,000 people have been selected, many with no previous experience but all with the three vital qualities: friendly, welcoming and dedicated. Of course, some of the Clyde-siders, as they are known, will receive specific training with the others given guidance, instruction and supervision.
Even though they’re ‘on duty’ it’s highly likely that the Clyde-siders are in for a great time. It can only be a thrill to know that they’ll be part of something talked about for years to come. Saying that, volunteering in other ways can be just as satisfying.
It isn’t just big sporting occasions where volunteers are required. There are hundreds of projects up and down the country that simply couldn’t operate but for peoples’ dedication to volunteering. Furthermore, volunteering can be just the ticket for disabled people looking to gain valuable experience that they can add to their CV to show potential employers.
As well as that, the nature of volunteering tends to be for charitable concerns and so provides two softer benefits: satisfaction and doing some good. This perhaps explains why even people with fulltime jobs will sometimes choose to volunteer at weekends and the like; there’s something about it that makes them feel good. The volunteering sector is far less cutthroat than industry and it’s a great place to learn new skills, make new friends and understand more about the workplace at the same time. It’s also a great way to build confidence by showing off little used skills or uncovering those you never knew you had.
The best way to start volunteering is probably to take the cause first and the volunteering bit second. If you volunteer for something you’re not interested in, you’ll probably give it up after a short while; it’s far better to gain that all-important feel-good factor. When I think back to London 2012, every Games Maker I met seemed to have thrown themselves into their role, no matter how small within the overall scheme of the Games.
I suppose you get out what you put in.
