Game on for helpers
MORE than 15,000 people have applied to volunteer at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, as recruiters ramp up their search to find the right people for the vital jobs.
Applicants aged from 16 to 87 have put up their hands to be part of the home Games since applications opened on Monday, with more than 10,000 applying in the first eight hours.
Organisers will select the best 15,000 for the jobs – not necessarily the first 15,000 – and are encouraging more people to apply.
More than 60 per cent of applicants are Queenslanders, with almost half aged 25-54 and 6 per cent aged 16 to 18.
At 17, Bond University student Zuzana Harmaniakova is among the youngest locals to apply so far.
“It’s a great opportunity to get involved in such an incredible event and meet people from across the globe,” she said.
Zuzana, who was the Gold Coast junior mayor in 2015, has already done more community service than many people twice her age, so volunteering for her home Games was a simple decision.
“I play beach volleyball so it would be really cool if I could be selected to that – but I’m happy to help out wherever I’m needed most,” she said.
“It’s such a rewarding experience, you get all these interactions and connections with people which you have for the rest of your life.”
Of the 20 per cent of international hopefuls to apply so far, most are from Great Britain, New Zealand, India and Canada.
Volunteers will go through a rigorous selection process, and many successful applicants are likely to be unable to work due to changes in circumstances before the Games, so recruiters are seeking far more applicants than available roles.
The 35,000 people who pre-registered during the past two years still need to formally apply.
Triathlete Tyron Easterbrook said he’d applied because of his love for sport and desire to help the community.
Applications to volunteer are open until March at gc2018.com/volunteer