Defining the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic legacy
Volunteering England believes the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games offer the opportunity to transform the volunteering landscape in Britain. Many people will be inspired to volunteer for the first time and will hopefully be encouraged to continue long after the Games have finished.
We believe a successful legacy will rely on the integration of volunteering in the following key areas:
1. Legacy of Future Volunteers – creating a new generation of people who are inspired by the Games and are volunteering for the first time to continue volunteering in their community after 2012;
2. Legacy of Education and Training – helping to create a better trained, better skilled workforce through the Personal Best Programme and generic training and accreditation offered to volunteers; providing a pathway into employment and further education for volunteers who choose this route;
3. Legacy of Diversity – creating a more diverse volunteer community by providing the opportunity for volunteers to work alongside people of a different age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, belief or disability status than themselves, thereby breaking down barriers and misconceptions and leading to greater social integration and cohesion;
4. Legacy of Partnership – creating new partnerships between businesses and public and voluntary sector bodies through a shared commitment to volunteering;
5. Legacy of Perception – creating a new image of volunteering as a force for social good and as a route for personal and professional development; raising the profile of volunteering within the Olympic and Paralympic movements and internationally;
6. Physical Legacy – creating a more integrated, stronger and more sustainable volunteering infrastructure at national, regional and local level; creating a more integrated and effective skills, training and qualifications sector.
The implications
As London's bid made clear, the Olympic and Paralympic Games could simply not be held without the involvement of volunteers.
For this legacy to be realised, work to develop the volunteering programme needs to start now. One example is the ambitious Personal Best Programme which has been piloted in London and is expected to launch nationwide. It aims to use the 2012 Games as an opportunity to ensure that people from disadvantaged communities can access volunteering opportunities. The programme also intends to support participants in obtaining employment or accessing further education or training.
But for the 2012 Games to fully deliver on its vision to transform the culture of volunteering other Pre-Games initiatives will be required, including the mobilisation of potential Games-Time volunteers in a range of volunteering activities in their local communities, and the development of an International Volunteering Programme (IVP) to ensure that the legacy from the Games is felt beyond the UK. In addition, the volunteering legacy will need to ensure that the volunteers have a positive experience in roles which reflect key volunteer values.
Volunteering England recognises that volunteering is freely given but not cost free and a volunteering programme of this complexity and ambition will need funding. But the rewards of doing it well will be immense; not only in helping to deliver a Games that is the envy of the world but in using the catalytic experience offered by the Olympic ideals to leave a lasting legacy for the good of our communities at home and overseas
Recommendations for action
1. Legacy of Future Volunteers – Ensure a commitment to keeping in touch with the volunteers before, during and after the games to ensure the legacy of continued participation is secured.
2. Legacy of Education and Training - Showcase good practice in volunteer management and demonstrate a commitment to excellence by LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) signing up to Investing In Volunteers.
3. Legacy of Diversity - Support outreach work to recruit and train volunteers through existing infrastructure including Volunteer Centres who have experience in working with diverse communities.
4. Legacy of Partnership – Ensure joined up and coordinated ambitions and responsibilities across all organisations involved in the planning and delivery of the Games.
5. Legacy of Perception - Create a pre-legacy by ensuring a good volunteering experience, creating ambassadors and communicating to the 150,000 individuals who have already expressed an interest about how they can start volunteering now.
6. Physical Legacy – Support and develop the existing volunteering infrastructure by funding existing organisations to deliver 2012 volunteer programmes.
