Sports Massage Association Events
COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES: VOLUNTEERING
In just under three years’ time the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will begin. Our vision within the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is to use the Games to inspire change. The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the largest sporting event in the world and will generate enormous excitement and enthusiasm, which many people want to be part of and if they are not actually competing , volunteering is the best way to do this, either as a general volunteer or for a specialist role.Volunteers at the Games
Volunteers are at the core of the Games and essential to all the functional areas that make up this global festival of sport. Information about the recruitment of up to 70,000 volunteers will be found on www.london2012.com from summer 2010, but it will be worthwhile for interested sports massage practitioners to be aware of what might be expected of volunteers and whether they have the desire and attributes required to volunteer as a sports massage practitioner.
Olympic and Paralympic Medical Services
There will be three Olympic and Paralympic Villages and five sites for the football venues (spread around Great Britain). The 26 sports will compete in 34 venues at the Olympics and 21 venues at the Paralympics. There will be 10,500 athletes at the Olympic Games and 4,200 athletes at the Paralympic Games coming from 205 and 147 countries respectively. The Olympic Games last for 17 days and the Paralympic Games for 11 days with each Games having a two week build up prior to the Opening Ceremony when medical services have to be provided; over two months in total.
Physical Therapy Services
Physical therapy encompasses chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and sports massage. A physical therapy service will be provided at the main Polyclinic in the Olympic Village (in East London), at the smaller Polyclinics at Royal Holloway (rowing and canoeing) and Weymouth (sailing) as well as at all the competition venues and some training venues. Working within their scope of practice, sports massage practitioners will use their knowledge, skills and experience to provide pre-event and post-event sports massage services to athletes. It is essential that volunteers for sports massage are aware of the importance of working within an interdisciplinary team, of utilising the clinical judgements of others and of using referrals to other disciplines when necessary.
Depending on the sport and venue, some sports massage practitioners may be based in the Athlete Medical Centres at the competition venues. The sports massage practitioners within the Village Polyclinics will work closely with other medical professionals, including chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists. The detailed provision of these services is already being planned by the Physical Therapy Workstream, led by Lynn Booth.
All short-listed applicants will be interviewed, and their skills and experience will determine success and help determine at which venues (or Polyclinic) they are most appropriately based. At LOCOG we are looking for sports massage practitioners with sport specific experience. Experience of looking after elite athletes will be of particular value. By identifying and selecting volunteers early, LOCOG will identify any potential gaps in sport specific cover or experience. Sports massage practitioners selected as volunteers have the chance to gain further relevant experience and arrange leave and cover from their employer well before the Games.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games are truly inspirational and this really is a unique opportunity for sports massage practitioners to volunteer to be part of it and to promote the expertise available in the UK. Medical volunteers bring unique and special skills which will enable London to host a safe, successful and inspirational Olympic and Paralympic Games. We need your help to do that.
All sports massage practitioners will need to volunteer for at least ten days. It may be possible to divide this time into two 5 day periods, but not into any smaller units. Their time will need to be flexible to cover the busiest periods and variable competition schedule. Sports massage practitioners who can commit to more than the basic 10 days will be much appreciated. All volunteers will be expected to attend test events in 2011 and training days in the run up to the Games. There is no remuneration or honorarium for volunteers but they will receive a volunteer uniform, a meal when on duty and free local transport. Volunteers are expected to find and pay for their own accommodation whilst working at the Games.
If you are a sports massage practitioner and would like to be part of this once in a lifetime event, do you fulfil the following criteria? If not, are you aware of how to attain this before volunteering commences in July 2010?
Essential
- Holder of a massage qualification equivalent to National Framework Level 4 (D521) or a minimum of 4 years working full-time in elite or professional sport
- Suitable professional liability insurance to a minimum of £2 million
- 3 years qualified at the time of application (2010)
- Holder of a current basic first aid in sport or life support qualification
- Have experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- By 2012, have 4 years experience of working in a musculoskeletal field or have experience of working in a Games-related discipline i.e. neurology / amputee rehabilitation
- Excellent team worker, and good communicator
- Knowledge of the World Anti-Doping Agency policy
Preferable
- Holder of a massage qualification equivalent to National Framework Level 5 (D522)
- By 2012, have experience of working in a training and / or competitive sporting environment for a minimum of 3 years.
- Experience of working with national level athletes.
- Experience of working within with special groups / disability sport i.e. amputees, spinal injuries, visually impaired, neurologically impaired.
- Experience of working in a multi-sport environment.
If you need any advice about how to develop these skills contact physicaltherapies@london2012.com
LOCOG looks forward to working with all its medical volunteers to provide high quality medical care to Olympic and Paralympic athletes and all those taking part in the Games. To find out more about general and other specialist volunteer opportunities check the LOCOG web site www.london2012.com
As your Association we would like to know of your interest in working at the Games. Please log in if you are interested in working with Olympic Athletes 