It is now less than 500 days till Guernsey will be hosting the next NatWest International Island Games on 3 to 9 July, 2021 and will be the first island to host the Games three times. To ensure it is a great success, the organising committee is appealing to islanders to come forward and register as a volunteer before a deadline of 30 September this year.

Wayne Bulpitt, Volunteers Director for the Guernsey 2021 NatWest International Island Games said: “This may sound like a long way ahead, but the clock is now ticking. Our volunteer team of 1,000 ‘Games Makers’, needs to be registered, interviewed, trained and assigned to a host of roles way ahead of the Games in 2021 and this is going to take time.

“We already have over 500 registered volunteers across the core organising teams. Our Attaché team have been assigned their roles and we now have seven months to encourage the remainder of our ‘Games Makers’ team to come forward and register.”

“We have been delighted by the early interest and excitement generated by the Games and are confident without being complacent of hitting our target that we will fill all the roles before the cutoff date in September.”

To sign up as a volunteer all you need to do is visit www.guernsey2021.gg and click on the ‘Register Here’ link. You will then receive an acknowledgement and an invitation to attend an interview later on this year.

“Our appeal is also relevant to all interested volunteers whether or not you are affiliated to any sports clubs and associations. Everyone needs to go through the same interview and training processes, and we need everyone on the same system so we can allocate accreditation passes for the week of the Games. So even if people have made their sports aware that they are available for the Games, we still need them to complete the online volunteer form,” said Mr Bulpitt.

This is going to be the biggest sporting event Guernsey has ever hosted and will potentially be the largest multi-sport event in Europe during 2021. Initial invitations have been sent out to the 23 member islands and provisional numbers are around 3,500 athletes and team members.

“We need to make sure that we are ready to look after them, to show off our beautiful island and to give everyone a good Guernsey welcome,” said Mr Bulpitt.

What we are asking?
Above all else we are seeking individuals motivated to ensure the NatWest International Island Games are organised efficiently and that participants and all visitors feel welcomed and well supported during the Games. Volunteers will need to be available for a minimum of four, six-hour shifts during the Games week (3-9 July 2021). Certain roles will have additional requirements in the run up to the Games.

All volunteers will be required to attend one of two registration days as well three training days. The training days’ programme will be a combination of specific role training, first aid response, security awareness, hospitality training and general planning and event updates including information on the venues and Games programme.

The Games are predominantly organised and delivered by volunteers. Those involved in 2003, when the Games were last hosted in Guernsey, continue to have excellent memories and the 2003 event is still regarded by many as one of the best in the history of the Island Games.

Available roles
Whilst supported by a small professional team, the event is primarily organised by a diverse team of volunteers with a wide variety of specialist and general skills and experiences. With this in mind, we have roles that will suit just about everyone.

Some specific roles include:
• Welcome and departure roles at the Airport and Harbour
• Event co-ordination and management
• Catering management and staffing
• Information officer
• Marshalls, stewards and car parking supervisors
• Medal ceremonies
• A variety of medical roles from First Responders, paramedics to physiotherapists and more specialist sports medical roles
• Management and staffing of merchandising outlets
• Videographers and photographers
• Press and social media content editors and co-ordinators
• Results technology services
• Venue management teams
• Announcers and commentators for events and streaming services
• Road marshals
• Mini-bus drivers
• And especially for a large number of Games Makers, to provide reception committees at events around the island during the course of the Games and generally making all visitors feel part of the wonderful Guernsey Community

Why volunteer?
This is your chance to be part of the largest sporting event ever held in Guernsey. We are looking for people who have a strong sense of pride in the island who would like to give something back to the community.

As well as the chance to work with other like-minded people, many will learn new skills as part of some of the specialist roles that we have on offer. Everyone who volunteers will benefit from the general skills volunteering brings, as well as the experience of working in (or even leading) teams of individuals delivering a high-profile event.

The training will have lasting benefits, including:
 Life skills, such as confidence building and communication skills
 Experience which can be used on a CV to assist in your career and finding employment
 A number of roles will include opportunities to gain specialist skills such as first aid training, traffic management, security training etc.
 General benefits that volunteering has in developing your own character and resilience.

All volunteers will be given Games branded kit to wear during Games week, a certificate confirming their participation and an invitation to a “thank you” event following the Games.

If you have any questions and would like to discuss volunteering in more detail you can contact one of our team by calling 01481 720215 or via our generic email volunteer@guernsey2021.gg. A comprehensive list of questions and answers can also be found in the volunteer section of our website www.guernsey2021.gg.