2013 SU Update: Volunteer Activity in Kazan in Higher Gear

KAZAN – No big events without volunteers. The Kazan Universiade in 2013 is no exception. Some 20,000 volunteers are needed to help make the Kazan 2013 Summer Universiade happen. The Organising Committee has put the recruitment of volunteers in a higher gear. All applicants are required to complete an online application form at www.makeUreal.kazan2013.com, pass an interview (either face-to-face or via videoconference) with the Volunteer Recruitment Centre. A total of 20,000 volunteers – 5,000 of which will be non-local – are expected to be used at Games time. 

Teachers as City Volunteer Team Leaders

A meeting of Kazan 2013 city volunteer team leaders and session of the coordination council in charge of the Games-time management of city volunteers took place in the Abdulla Alish Children Creativity Centre, Kazan on Wednesday, October 10th.

Attending the events were Svetlana Giniatullina, Deputy Head of the Education Department of the Executive Committee of the city of Kazan; Farida Galiullina, Director of Universities and Non-profit Organisations Relations Department of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate; Aleksandr Karpov, Director of the Volunteer Department, experts of regional education departments and representatives of educational institutions. 

Opening the meeting, Svetlana Giniatullina stated that it’s the first meeting which is held with the purpose of identifying tasks related to city volunteer training that need to be solved ahead of the 2013 Summer Universiade. “We count very much on your help in making the City Volunteers project a reality,” she said to the audience. “Only thanks to your support we can successfully implement our project and make a name for ourselves on the international scene.”

“Since September 2012 the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, together with the Education Department of Kazan, have been actively involved in the selection, recruitment and training of city volunteers. It is the category of volunteers which will be in charge of creating an atmosphere of hospitality in the city, which means they will be responsible for the all-important ‘first impression’ of the 2013 Summer Universiade,” she said. Farida Galiullina informed that the concept of city volunteer training has underwent a few changes after the London 2012 experience has been studied. It is clear now that team leader roles will be assigned to teachers of Kazan’s educational institutions. There will be up to 100 city volunteer booths, with 20 volunteers working at each booth (10 people per shift), scattered throughout the city. 

“We regard team leaders as more than managers but as ideologists who ought to be sincerely committed to the 2013 Summer Universiade and use their enthusiasm to inspire people surrounding them,” said Farida Galiullina. “Team leaders must take care of other members of their team, be able to inspire and motivate volunteers, coordinate their activities.” According to her, teachers will perform their usual roles, i.e. grown-up mentors able to assume responsibility and having a high level of stress resistance. Farida Galiullina also stressed that this role is completely voluntary. 

Tatiana Nikulina, Head of the Volunteer Recruitment Unit of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, introduced the future team leaders to the concept of volunteer recruitment, explained how candidates will be able to apply to become city volunteers and specified major stages of the educational programme. She made a special focus on the voluntary nature of schoolchildren and students’ involvement in the project. Tatiana Nikulina also noted that other volunteer opportunities should be offered to the candidates that are willing to try out other roles aside from city volunteer positions. 

There was a strong interest in the Q&A session where the would-be team leaders asked questions regarding their status and responsibilities, recruitment process, working conditions for volunteers, medical examination and so on.

Volunteers for Test Events

The Kazan 2013 volunteer selection events were launched to recruit workforce for two test events scheduled for this November – Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup of Russia and Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship.

Up to 250 Kazan 2013 volunteers will be involved across 19 functional areas during the Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup of Russia and the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship set to take place in the Gymnastics Centre on November 12-16. 

Alexander Karpov, Director of the Volunteer Department of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, said that volunteer team leaders have already been appointed to coordinate uniform distribution, accreditation of volunteers assigned to the venue, to observe that all volunteers take venue-specific training, to devise shift schedules together with FA representatives, to moderate meetings, to supervise that volunteers are provided food and drinks and keep track of volunteer hours. They will also assist with recruiting candidates for a variety of volunteer roles, the main criterion being a completed application form at www.makeureal.kazan2013.com.

In late October all volunteers will undergo a series of training courses (orientation training, general training and functional training). Food, uniforms and mobile phones will be provided to them for the entire period of test events.

For the volunteers, as well as for the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, the upcoming competitions will be another test event ahead of the 27th Summer Universiade. 

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)