Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Press release
30 September 2009

Volunteering England and YouthNet are today calling on volunteer involving organisations across England to get involved with the Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games project.

1,500 volunteer involving organisations are invited to sign up to the project, to enable 100,000 people to get involved with Games-inspired volunteering opportunities between now and 2013.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be inspired to volunteer by the 2012 London Games, many of these will not have previously volunteered.

The Office of the Third Sector is funding the project, building on YouthNet’s online service Do-it (www.do-it.org.uk), to ensure anyone inspired by the Olympic ideals will be able to easily find volunteering opportunities in one central place.

The Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games project is designed to be a catalyst for change, using the opportunity of a generation to encourage active involvement in volunteering.

It will run throughout all three stages of the Olympics: pre-Games build-up, Games time and post-Games, to create a lasting legacy built around positive volunteering experiences, stronger volunteering infrastructure and continued interest in volunteering.

Angela Smith, the Minister for the Third Sector said:

“Volunteers play a hugely significant role in strengthening and enriching our communities, and also gain so much from the volunteering experience themselves. These opportunities will give 100,000 individuals, 70,000 of whom will have never volunteered before, a valuable and unique opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. These opportunities, provided through up to 1,500 organisations, will make a massive difference to communities across the UK.”

Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England added;

“Volunteering England is proud to be part of the Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games project. The 2012 London Games present a fantastic opportunity for volunteering. We want to capture this energy and inspire future generations to volunteer.

Volunteering England will support the 2012 London Games through the Inspiration and Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games project, helping to create thousands of new Games inspired volunteering opportunities and strengthening the systems that support volunteering.

We will support LOCOG in developing their Games delivery, as well as bringing together volunteering bodies, promoting the role of Volunteer Centres and spreading Good Practice in volunteer management.”

Fiona Dawe, YouthNet Chief Executive, said:

“Hundreds of thousands of people will be inspired to volunteer by the 2012 London Games and many of these will not have previously volunteered.

“Organisations will be better supported by building on our existing infrastructure and this project will play a vital role in ensuring new volunteers are able to channel their energy and enthusiasm into volunteering, benefitting our community in the run-up to the Olympics, Paralympics, and beyond.”

Sign up as a Do-it partner now to post your 2012 Games inspired opportunities.

For support about creating Olympics inspired opportunities, please visit www.volunteering.org.uk/2012 or email the Volunteering England team at 2012@volunteeringengland.org

Notes to editor