So this tranny with Tourette’s in a wheelchair asks ‘Where are the f#&#@*’ toilets?’ You say...

COULD YOU BE AN OLYMPIC STEWARD? YOUR

WHAT would you do if you were an Olympics volunteer steward and a disabled bloke in a dress came up in his wheelchair and asked where the nearest toilets were?

How about if you couldn’t understand a word he was saying because of his/her speech impediment. And they’ve got Tourette’s. Obvious answer: Take a bite 1. SEXUAL ORIENTATION A spectator complains there are two men holding hands sitting next to them – they feel very uncomfortable and would like you to tell the couple to stop. What do you do? a) You tell the person to stop being a homophobic idiot and walk away. b) You want everybody to feel comfortable and welcome at the Games, so politely ask the couple to stop holding hands. c) You explain there is a huge diversity of people at the London 2012 Games, which includes gay, lesbian and bisexual couples. 2. ETHNICITY/RACE You need to point out one of your team members to another colleague who requires his level of exper tise. How do you describe him? a) The tall black guy with short dark hair. out of your burger and pretend you can’t speak while you scarper.

Not quite good enough for our PC Olympic bosses, we’re afraid.

They’ve given volunteers for b) That guy over there, who looks like an athlete. c) As your colleague is black, you are worried about sounding racist when you describe him, so you select a less qualified team member to assist instead. 3. GENDER IDENTITY A spectator asks politely where the nearest toilets are. You are not sure if the spectator is male or female. What do you do? a) Panic – you are not qualified to make this decision. Explain politely that you do not know, and sadly cannot be of assistance. b) Just in case, tell them where the male, female and accessible toilets are. c) Ask the spectator politely if they are male or female, so that you can direct them appropriately. this year’s Olympics a series of ‘diversity and inclusion’ questions at special training sessions ahead of the big event.

The questions, which are also printed in a training handbook for the volunteers, address ‘sensitive’ issues of sexuality, race, disability, religious belief and age.

One volunteer from Manchester, who did not wish to be named, said: “I thought it was unnecessary, they could have spent the money in other ways.

“I know they are trying to cater for everybody but this was a bit patronising. They should trust people’s common sense.”

So how do you get on with them? 4. DISABILITY You are stopped by two spectators. The man is accompanied by a lady in a wheelchair. She has a speech impairment and speaks very quietly. She is asking you a question but you are finding it very difficult to understand her. What do you do? a) Turn to the nondisabled man and ask him what she is saying. b) Tell her politely that you are unable to understand her, and you are very sorry, but you need to be at your team briefing. c) Tell her that unfortunately you are unable to understand her, and ask if there is anything you can do to help her communicate with you. assign several duties to you and your team members. One of your team members is a great deal older than the others, what do you do? a) Ask your colleagues if they have any preferences or issues with the duties you need to share out, and then assign appropriately. Your older colleague does not raise any issues, so you give him one of the more physically demanding roles, as he says he has done it before. b) Assign duties regardless of the colleague in question. c) Wink cheekily at your older colleague and explain that you will be kind on his ‘old bones’ and the ‘young ‘uns’ can do the running around. 6. BELIEF You are chatting to a fellow Games Maker at the security line while waiting to access the venue. They point out a woman in front of you who is wearing a scarf on her head and remark ‘surely she won’t be allowed to wear that in the venue!’. What do you say in response? a) Ignore the comment and change the subject. b) Point out that the woman is wearing a hijab, a form of Muslim headwear some women choose to wear as part of their faith. c) Wait until your first shift with the colleague wearing the headscarf and raise your issue in front of them and your fellow team members. AN old lady stopped me in the street and asked if I knew how she could get to

hospital. So I pushed her under a bus – Terry Craxton,

Sheffield