The Spirit Lives on: The Legacy of Volunteering at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

Abstract

This study examines the volunteer legacy of a mega-sport event. An online, qualitative, open-ended questionnaire (n = 15) and in-depth interviews (n = 10) were administered to and conducted with Sydney 2000 Olympic volunteers to ascertain the legacies that exist at least 10 years after the completion of the event. The results show that the legacy of the Olympic volunteer experience includes the starting and/or rekindling of a volunteer career, the development of a unique set of skills and abilities, and nostalgia for the atmosphere of the Games with a special emphasis on the ideals of Olympism. The legacy has been perpetuated via formation of a group of volunteers soon after the Games as well as through the use of memorabilia along with sharing stories and expertise on the volunteer experience. The findings provide valuable insights for those seeking to recruit and retain volunteers as well as those who are concerned with developing event legacy strategies to leverage volunteer efforts.

Engaging Volunteers From Regional Communities: Non-Host City Resident Perceptions Towards a Mega-Event and the Opportunity to Volunteer

“…In other words, the volunteer tourism generated was not related to any active event leverage strategy. Similarly, Fairley et al (2016) found that an organic volunteer legacy existed 10 years after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. They found that as a result of volunteering at the Olympics volunteers started or rekindled a volunteer career, developed a unique set of skills and abilities, and generated nostalgia for the atmosphere of the Games.…”

“…Larger and more unique events attract more diverse volunteer profiles (Chalip, 2000;MacAloon, 2000) and also attempt to recruit and retain a substantial number of volunteers from the resident population (Cuskelly et al, 2006). Research has suggested the benefits of cultivating a volunteer base in a community may last long after the event and assist in building event and tourism volunteer resources in the future (Fairley, Gardiner, & Filo, 2016;Fairley, Green, O'Brien, & Chalip, 2015;Ralston, Lumsdon, & Downward, 2005). Thus, leaving a legacy of volunteering in a community may be a stated outcome of the event organizers (Doherty, 2009;Downward & Ralston, 2006;Fairley et al, 2016).…”

Student Volunteer Placements in Events, Tourism, and Hospitality: Understanding the Views of Multiple Stakeholders

“…Similarly, skill development leading to the enhancement of an individual's future career opportunities was a key expectation (Barron & Rihova, 2011;Clary, Snyder, & Ridge, 1992;Elstad, 1996). Previous research has often considered knowledge development and acquisition of skills as one factor (Clary et al, 1992;Clary et al, 1998;Elstad, 1996;Fairley, Gardiner, & Filo, 2016). However, these findings indicate that knowledge acquisition and skill development are in fact two distinct expectations that contribute to the overall experience.…”

Rethinking the Eventful City: Introduction

“…Event Management has published a growing number of articles related to events and cities. For example, there have been a number of recent studies considering the effects of the Olympic Games in different cities (Emery, Kerr, & Crabtree, 2016;Fairley, Gardiner, & Filo, 2016;Potwarka, Tepylo, Fortune, & Mair, 2016). Other events such as the ECOC have also been analyzed in their urban context (Vareiro, Santos, Remoaldo, & Ribeiro, 2016).…”