Let’s hear it for the volunteers (original) (raw)

The stars of the Olympic Games London 2012 off the field of play were the Games Makers, the volunteers who supported the delivery of the event in a number of ways. Both they and the other London 2012 volunteers have continued to lend their services at community level as part of a growing volunteer network in the city. The legacy of volunteering continues on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with more than 80,000 hours given by Park Champions providing visitor information, mobility services and other services.

Named the European Volunteering Capital for 2016, the city’s next generation of volunteers are now receiving opportunities thanks to the Team London programme. Its Young Ambassadors engage in social action projects, raising awareness of issues such as homelessness, food insecurity, the environment and violence against women and girls. The programme also strives to attract visitors to London. In their pink uniforms, its members are a highly visible presence on the city’s streets, helping tourists find their way around.

This volunteering culture has also been supported outside the capital. In the south coast town of Weymouth, where the London 2012 sailing events were held, the Weyfarers initiative builds on the Ambassador programme rolled out during the Olympic Games. Its volunteers are trained to give information and support to visitors and local residents, thus helping to promote the area and increase visitor numbers.

The Join In programme was set up immediately after the Olympic Games to develop the UK’s volunteering network. It enabled clubs in need of help and volunteers looking to offer it to find each other. In its first year of existence, Join In delivered over 6,000 events across the UK, with over 300,000 people taking part.

According to research conducted by Join In, the overall value of sports volunteering in the UK is an estimated GBP 53 billion per year. This research also estimated that one sports volunteer alone can create well-being worth GBP 16,032 to themselves and to the average 8.5 people they encourage to take part in sport. In 2016, Join In was replaced by the Sport and Recreation Alliance as the UK’s advocate for sports volunteering.

The Olympic Games London 2012 helped reverse a steady decline in volunteering in the UK since 2005. Government figures released in 2013 showed that the proportion of people volunteering at least once a year increased from 65 per cent in 2010 to 71 per cent in 2012.

The role played by sports volunteers inspired by London 2012 is directly shaping government policy. Launched by the UK government in December 2015, Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation formally recognises the importance of volunteering in encouraging people to engage in sport and the benefits this brings to volunteers and the sports they support.