Planning Volunteer (multiple opportunities)
Volunteer Opportunity
Halifax 2011 Canada Games Host Society
Competition number:  VCG09-04- CB

Compete. Contribute. Celebrate the 2011 Canada Winter Games.

In less than two years, thousands of our country's best and brightest will set their sights on Nova Scotia as we host the Halifax 2011 Canada Games.  More than 3,600 athletes, coaches and managers from across Canada, 400 media, 700 VIPs, 500 officials and thousands of visitors will head east for the two-week event.  Featuring 20 sports and numerous cultural events and festivals, the Games will be the largest event in Halifax's history, and our first time hosting the Canada Winter Games.

Volunteers are the heart of the Canada Games!  We are looking for several hundred volunteers to help plan the Games, starting in the winter and continuing through to several months before the Games.  As a volunteer, you will have a direct and significant impact on the Games and our communities.   You will help to create a legacy that will benefit Nova Scotians, long after the Games have taken place.  You will gain new skills, meet new people and strengthen your leadership skills and abilities.

Committee Descriptions

Division: Athlete's Services
The Athlete's Services division is accountable for making sure participants are comfortable and cared for throughout the duration of the Games, offering them a safe, comfortable environment, on and away from the competition venue.  In addition, the division ensures that safe and comfortable accommodations, quality food services, and ancillary services for all athletes, coaches, and managers are available and that quality health and medical services at the Games' polyclinic and Games' venues are provided. 

Volunteers are required for the following committees: 

• Athlete accommodations
• Food services
• Coaches/technical officials/medical lounges
• Athlete entertainment
• Polyclinic
• Doping control
• Equipment and supplies
• Personnel and scheduling
• Venue medical representatives

Division: Communications
The Communications Division is accountable for developing and maintaining local, provincial, and national support for the Canada Games, building brand awareness for the Games and the Canada Games movement, and ensuring public communication in Canada's official languages. 

Volunteers are required for the following committees:

• Communications advisory team
• Media relations
• Media centre operations
• Torch relay
• Photography
• Features/Blog Squad

Division: Volunteers
The Volunteers Division oversees the attraction, recruitment, and retention of engaged volunteers to plan, lead, and execute the Games.  The division is accountable for designing, developing, carrying out, and evaluating volunteer policies, programs, and strategies in the areas of recruitment, assignment, orientation and training, retention, and engagement, making sure that the volunteer requirements for staging the Games are met.  In addition, the division is accountable for providing registration and accreditation for all individuals participating in the Games, and providing access privileges into venues, villages, and internal zones within venues to those who need such access to perform their responsibilities.

Volunteers are needed for the following committees:

• Needs and assignment
• Volunteer recruitment and selection
• Orientation and recognition
• Venue team representatives
• Accreditation and registration

Division: Culture and Ceremonies
The Culture and Ceremonies division is accountable for fostering opportunities for all Canada Games participants to experience Nova Scotia culture, developing programs through which Nova Scotia's younger artists can find an outlet for expression and artistic excellence, and creating ceremonies that celebrate the enjoyment in sport, the success of athletes, and the thrill of being a spectator. 

Volunteers are required for the following committees: 

• Opening and closing ceremonies
• Festivals
• National Artists Program
• Medals

Division: Logistics
The Logistics Division is accountable for developing plans to ensure an integrated approach to logistics, incorporating the following key areas: Signage, Pageantry, and Fabrication; Security; Transportation; Materials Management; and, Essential Services. 

Volunteers are required for the following committees:

• Signage, pageantry, and fabrication
• Essential services

Division: Information Technology (IT)
The IT Division is responsible for designing, building and supporting the technology solutions to support the volunteers, staff, athletes, scorers, parents and the public.  

Our goal is to use technology to help create a great experience for everyone connected to the games.  We'll use tried and true approaches to manage risk but are also looking to inject some innovation and new ideas into our approach - it's a great challenge to create technology solutions today that will resonate with the young Canada Games users and create a fun yet reliable and secure technology environment.

Volunteers are needed for the following areas:

• Telecom and Network: to help create the support data and voice network  
• Results: to provide the technology to support each sports timing and results tabulation
• Radio: to provide radios to support staff at each venue and in the vehicles used for transportation
• IT Services:  to provide and support the server, desktop and applications environment
• Venue IT Services: to provide IT support during the games at each sport venue
• Web Services:  to provide the next version of the games web site plus integrate the web application that provides athlete registration and sport results
• Ceremonies:  to provide the microphones, speakers etc to support the daily ceremonies during the games. 

Division: Sport
The Sport Division is accountable for providing participants with the sport requirements needed to compete and succeed at the Games.  In addition, the division is focused on being athlete-centred in all dimensions of the division's activities and services, making sure that legacy for sport is maximized, and making sure sport competition venues meet or exceed requirements and are in the best playing condition possible.  The division also plans and conducts pre-Games events, practices, and competitions for the Canada Games, and makes sure there are qualified technical and technical support officials at the Games and offer appropriate accommodations, food services, and internal transportation needs.  The Sport Division communicates and plans sport-specific operations with technical representatives for each sport to make sure sports are conducted to Canada Games standards.  The Division also develops a sport organizational structure that identifies roles and responsibilities that make sure there will be an effective and efficient Games. 

Volunteers are needed for the following committees:

• Officials
• Equipment
• Results/Scheduling

Division: Marketing and Sponsorship
The Marketing and Sponsorship Division is accountable for selling the Games to local, regional, and national audiences through an engaging and memorable marketing program, and, developing and carrying out the sponsorship plan and Friends of the Games plan that will allow the Host Society to achieve its financial goals in hosting the Canada Games.  In addition, the division is accountable for developing a Games image and advertising program that is consistent, professional, and unique to the Canada Games in Halifax, and reinforces the overall vision of the Canada Games and builds equity in its brand.  The division is also accountable for identifying and developing opportunities for collaboration in marketing for the Games, with other sectors including business and government. 

Volunteers are needed for the following committees:

• Protocol, hosting, and hospitality
• Corporate and community fundraising
• Merchandising
• Ticketing

Division:  Official Languages
The Official Languages Division is accountable for making sure the Host Society meets Canada's official language requirements; supporting and providing services that contribute to the development and preservation of the Acadian and francophone community in Nova Scotia; and, to show the Host Society's commitment to promoting the development of the Acadian and francophone community and maintaining the French language for future generations in Nova Scotia. 

Volunteers are needed for the following committees:

• Language services
• Volunteer recruitment and servicing
• Acadian community

Division: Administration and Finance
The Administration and Finance Division is accountable for developing and managing a value-added budget approach where the numbers tell a story, managing cash flows and invest funds to maximize return for the Host Society while following the approved investment policy, and developing policies and processes that result in revenue and expenditure control.  In addition, the division oversees the acquisition, storage, deployment, and disposal of assets, makes sure there is compliance with tax and other regulatory requirements, and develops and delivers timely, useful, and accurate financial reports.  The division is also accountable for making sure risk management policies and processes adequately protect the assets of the Host Society

Volunteers are needed for the following committees:

• Legal
• Financial services
• Procurement
• Risk management
• Office administration and services

Application Instructions:

We are a welcoming and supportive workplace and applicants from the following groups are encouraged to self-identify when applying for this opportunity: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, African Nova Scotians and other racially visible persons. 

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in Halifax and to further develop your leadership and communication skills.  To apply, click the "Apply Online Now" button to submit a cover letter and resume, outlining your areas of interest, through Career Beacon's online application system.   You can also submit a cover letter and resume outlining your areas of interest, stating the competition number, via email to volunteer@canadagames2011.ca, mail: Erin Joudrey, 2011 Canada Games Host Society, PO Box 1749; Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3A5, or by fax to 902-490-5730. 

Note: First time users to the online application system need to complete a basic registration and receive a username and password via email from Career Beacon. (Please note: email may appear in "Junk Mail" folder depending upon your mail management configuration). You will then have the option of uploading your existing resume(s) and cover letter(s) in seconds or creating them on-the-spot in the "editor".

Questions about this volunteer opportunity may be directed to Erin Joudrey, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteer@canadagames2011.ca, 902-490-2011.

We thank all volunteers for their interest in the Halifax 2011 Canada Games