Volunteers at the main sports holiday of a planet become not only business-card of the country — mistresse of the Olympic Games, but also objective indicator of organisation level of the Games.
Perhaps, it is possible to consider sponsors of the Athenian Games of 1896, revived after a break almost in one and a half thousand years, to be the first volunteers. If numerous representatives of the Greek diaspora had not sent donations for the sake of revival of great antique tradition, resonding to the call of baron Pierre de Coubertin, probably, modern world would remain without the Olympic Games. The personal contribution of the free citizen to the Olympic Games could be diverse — from the sale of tickets for competitions up to the participation in solemn procession.
In the beginning of the XX-th century military men and scouts became first Olympic volunteers. During the Olympic Games of 1924 in Paris, scouts were noticed for the first time in opening and closing ceremonies of the Games — they were entrusted an honourable role of standard-bearers. The second stage of Olympic volunteer movement was conditionally counted from 1948, when the first Olympic Games were held in London after a 12-year-old pause, caused by World War II. The majority of the Olympic Games were held in industrially developed countries. In 1950-th first women were noticed among volunteers — their participation was specially mentioned in statistics of Helsinki Olympic Games of 1952. However, military men continued to play the first fiddle. During the winter Olympic Games of 1960 in Squaw Valley, and also the Games of 1968 in Grenoble and 1976 — in Innsbruck they have made gratuitous efforts to the building of sports infrastructure, protection of stadiums, transport and the equipment. The modern model of Olympic volunteers was generating during the period from 1980 to 1992 — from Lake Placid to Barcelona. At the Los-Angeles' Olympic Games of 1984, volunteers were declared»official assistants" sharing Olympic ideals. The term «the Olympic volunteer» had been publicly fixed for the first time in the report of the president of IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, and was read during Barcelonian Games of 1992.
Beijing, 2008
How much?
The Beijing Olympic Games have broken a record by quantity of volunteers: 70 thousand of them worked for Olympic and 30 thousand — for Paralympic Games. The action «Smiling Beijing» became the greatest: one million of Chinese smiled to foreign guests.
Who?
The staff of volunteers' army are the students of the Beijing High schools and compatriots from Siangan, Aomen and Taiwan at the age from 18 to 25 years. Good knowledge of a foreign language, in particular English, appeared to be the main requirement for volunteers, and for China it has always been the big problem. All Beijing taxi drivers and parlourmaids sat to study English before the Games. Communication skills and diligence became other criteria of selection.
Fields of activity
The Beijing volunteers served in Olympic complexes, worked in 2 thousand information centres for foreigners, helped visitors of the Olympic Games orientate themselves in the megalopolis streets. Approximately 400 thousand volunteers drove tourists to historical and cultural places of interest of capital.
Vancouver, 2010
How much?
The Olympic Organising committee of Vancouver plans to involve in partner work 25 thousand volunteers from all Canadian provinces. Special employers from Organizing committee spend thousand interviews in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary, Whistler, Vancouver and Svamishe.
Who?
The main requirements for Vancouver volunteers — flexibility, sense of duty and the enthusiasm corresponding to the slogan of these Olympic Games: «With glowing hearts» The prevailing part of candidates — inhabitants of British Columbia, more than 18% — from other Canadian provinces, about 1% are to arrive from other countries.
Fields of activity
Olympic volunteers will be involved in service of sports constructions and sale of tickets for competitions. They will provide service in Olympic village, work as guides for visitors of the country. Volunteers with special training will be useful as translators and technical employees of the press centre of the Olympic Games.
London-2012
How many?
Organizers of the London Games intend to call under Olympic banners more than 70 thousand volunteers — skilled and beginners. The recruitment for a national team will begin in July 2010, and the special program for recruits is already holding now.
Who?
The main principle of volunteer recruiting — «from 18 and senior» The team of Olympic volunteers will essentially reflect all social and age varieties of inhabitants of the United Kingdom. The minimum set of requirements for all applicants is a knowledge of the computer at confident user level, good skills of oral and written speech and command experience. Each volunteer should embody «passion, enthusiasm and energy of Games».
Fields of activity
During the Games two types of volunteers will be claimed experts and workers of general profile. Work in sphere of service and distribution of uniform for fans will become destiny of the last. In general, possible roles for volunteers of London-2012 are various enough: they are medicine, sports, service, modern technologies, work in the press centre, transport and accreditation.
