The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (“LOCOG”) and the Life-Time UK Alliance (the “Alliance”) have today set out how they intend to work together to deliver a fantastic London 2012 volunteering programme and to help the Government build a strong legacy for the future of volunteering.
The Life-Time UK Alliance brings together a number of key volunteering agencies, under the leadership of Volunteering England, which sees the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a unique opportunity to strengthen volunteering in the UK.
LOCOG and the Alliance intend to work together in many ways to help people across the UK understand what is needed to be a LOCOG volunteer.
Through the recruitment activity planned for later this year, the Alliance will help LOCOG to create a better understanding of other volunteering opportunities across the UK, and inspire all applicants to consider volunteering in their communities before 2012.
The Alliance partners will also assist LOCOG with its communication with volunteering organisations across the UK, helping to keep them informed about LOCOG’s plans and to increase applications from people who are new to volunteering and who are from diverse communities across the UK.
The Alliance will offer advice to teams within LOCOG about best practice in volunteer management, increasing applications from diverse communities, and training for people who manage volunteers.
Jean Tomlin, HR Director at LOCOG says:
‘I welcome the support of the Life-Time UK Alliance members as they can help LOCOG reach out to people across the UK and motivate them about volunteering during Games-time as well as using the inspiration of the Games to get them involved in their communities now.’
Justin Davis Smith, Chair of the Life-Time UK Alliance and Chief Executive of Volunteering England says:
‘The 2012 Games offer a unique opportunity to showcase all that is great about volunteering in the UK, and to leave a lasting legacy that will benefit the community for years to come. In association with our partners in the Life-Time UK Alliance, we are delighted to be helping LOCOG to maintain the excitement and energy of the Games long after the last gold medal has been awarded, through an increase in community participation and engagement in volunteering.’
About the Life-Time UK Alliance
The Life-Time UK Alliance brings together a number of key volunteering agencies, under the leadership of Volunteering England, who see the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a unique opportunity to strengthen volunteering in the UK.
Our aim is to assist LOCOG with its volunteer programme and to harness and enhance existing networks and resources to draw together the benefits of Games-Delivery volunteering and of initiatives in volunteering and community participation inspired by London 2012. This will help us to bring real value to LOCOG, the Nations and Regions, volunteering bodies and the volunteering infrastructure across the UK, and, of course, to individual volunteers themselves.
Our vision for the 2012 Games can be summarised as follows:
‘To help LOCOG to ensure a fantastic Games-Delivery volunteering programme, a real sense of connection to the Games for the Nations and Regions, a huge popular movement of voluntary action inspired by, and associated with, the Games, with a lasting legacy for volunteering beyond 2012, characterised by:
- Greater public awareness of volunteering and its value to society
More people engaged in volunteering in their local communities with the support of the Volunteer Centre Network A more diverse volunteering population, including people who have never volunteered before A great experience of volunteering achieved through high quality management of volunteers More sustainable and better-funded volunteering systems and organisation An improved supply and demand system for managing volunteers and volunteering opportunities – both online and through the volunteer centre network. The Life-Time UK Alliance consists of the following organisations:
Volunteer Now - formerly Volunteer Development Agency (Northern Ireland) Volunteer Development Scotland Wales Council for Voluntary Action Greater London Volunteering TimeBank Media Trust v YouthNet