Calling All Volunteers – Phone Screening Begins

To kick off national volunteer week in Canada — April 27 to May 3 — the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has begun phone screening potential volunteers. Over the next year, thousands of 2010 Winter Games applicants will be contacted as VANOC builds its workforce team for Games time.

For the many applicants passionate about volunteering, the phone interview process is one step closer to becoming part of the 2010 Winter Games. The first step was filling out a Games-time application and gaining access to the On Your Mark website. On Your Mark is the official meeting place for potential volunteers to learn everything they need to about volunteering, submit photos, check their application status, and keep track of the latest 2010 Winter Games information.

“The telephone interviews are the ‘getting to know you’ process,” said Donna Wilson, VANOC executive vice president of workforce and sustainability. “We want a better idea of why each volunteer applicant wants to be part of this experience and where their strengths are.”

The phone screen process will extend through the end of 2009. Successful phone interview candidates will then go through security checks and an in-person interview before joining Team 2010.

Meanwhile, volunteers wondering about the status of their application, or wishing to update anything listed on the application, may check their account on On Your Mark.

While many volunteers are starting their journey towards being part of Team 2010, people who have yet to apply or have not completed their application still have time to become part of the experience. The volunteer website and Games-time application process will remain open until all positions have been filled. VANOC is particularly looking to recruit volunteers from British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky corridor.

“Regardless of your background or range of skill sets, I encourage anyone with a true passion for the Games to apply,” added Wilson. “It is absolutely amazing to meet such a keen and enthusiastic group of people — volunteers give the Games its soul and honesty and we couldn’t do it without them.”

As the Games-time volunteering process gets underway, Wilson encourages potential Vancouver 2010 volunteers to build up their volunteer experience in sport, the arts or other related areas of interest.

A complete list of volunteer function areas for Games-time volunteers and frequently asked questions are available in the volunteer section.