More than 1000 Perth volunteers are needed to help organise one of the largest multi-sports events in Australia.
The Australian Masters Games, to be held in Perth for the first time in 28 years, will run from 7 to 16 October and will need plenty of help from people prepared to give their time.
Workforce coordinator for the Games, Libby McGee, said the search for volunteers began at the end of March and was going well.
“We’ve had lots of response from local Perth volunteers and a bit of response from interstate as well, which is really encouraging,” she says.
Ms McGee said they were looking for a complete range of volunteers, of any age and experience. They didn’t need a background in volunteering and all the training required would be provided.
“Generally, we tend to have more mature volunteers, but we are really keen this year to expand our demographic and include students and working adults and mature adults who are retired. Anyone is welcome to join our team.”
Ms McGee said for most people volunteering was an opportunity to give back to their community or to their sport and particularly being involved in major events in Perth, which are few and far between. It’s a great opportunity to get some major event experience.
The volunteers will work across the event team and sport team, helping to run the Games which has more than 6000 competitors.
Most shifts will be between 7 and 16 October, but some will be required before or after the Games period.
The event team will cover areas such as accreditation, workforce management, operations with some of the back-of-house type roles, as well as the special events team.
For the most part volunteers don’t require specialist skills, apart from journalists and photographers and sport liaison officers. Ms McGee said this was a great role for event management students to get involved with to gain some valuable experience.
“We are open and welcome to anyone who is interested in getting some experience and meeting new people.
“We want to develop a great community of volunteers for the games.”
The competition for older Australians spans more than 50 sports including softball, baseball, athletics, lawn bowls, dragon boat, ten pin bowling, darts, petanque, powerlifting and many more.
There is no criteria to qualify to participate. The oldest registered participant is 91 and some swimmers are in their 30s.
Created by the Confederation of Australian Sport in 1987, the Australian Masters Games is a week-long festival of sport that brings together weekend warriors from around Australia and the world, to enjoy an extensive sport and social program in an exciting holiday destination.
Applications for volunteers close on 23 May with more information at australianmastersgames.rosterfy.com.au/register
Helen Box is heading into retirement and says the time has come to give something back to the community.
The now 71-year-old has played tennis in two previous Masters Games, in Tasmania in 2017 and Adelaide in 2019, which she says she absolutely loved the experience.
But this time Ms Box decided that because the Games were in Perth she would do some volunteering.
“I just want to help out in that capacity, I think it’s a nice way to meet new people and I enjoy being among people.
“I’m just about to retire and will be retired at the end of May, so I will have a lot more time.
“I’ve seen what other volunteers do when I’ve been a participant as a tennis player, so I thought I’d try to put myself
out there and do something a bit different.
“Putting yourself out there in a different environment and meeting new people is important.”
Ms Box said she had also started volunteering for food rescue charity, Second Bite providing meals to those in need.
“I feel it’s very important as a person in the community that we put ourselves out there.
“It’s not for everybody, I know, but I’m a people person and that’s my way of enjoying retirement, doing a few different things.”
She says she didn’t find getting involved in new things at all off-putting.
“Fortune favours the brave and I don’t like the grass to grow under my feet, so it’s good to make the most of each day,” she says.
