Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: The most successful volunteer program in the history of the Games

Introduction

In July and August 2022, Birmingham hosted the 22nd Commonwealth Games, the largest multi-sport event ever held in the West Midlands and the largest in England since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over 1.5 million spectators enjoyed the thousands of world-class athletes, yet it was the 14,000 volunteers – the ‘Commonwealth Collective’ – who became the unheralded heroes and recognised as one of the key successes to such a spectacular Games. 

Birmingham 2022 was planned and delivered in the most exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sustained impact created a hugely challenging environment to attract, recruit, retain, and train the 50,000 workforce members required to deliver the Games.

The Challenge

Due to the pandemic, volunteers had arguably never been more physically disconnected. Birmingham 2022 offered a beacon of light, which they used as their north star to create a volunteer vision to not just connect thousands of people through the power of sport, but to unite a team of individuals who were going to be on the global stage. 

Birmingham 2022 was never just about two weeks of sport: it was designed as the Games for Everyone. 

Four objectives underpinned their efforts:

• Local impact: Our volunteer workforce was to represent all host communities.
• Diversity, inclusion and equality: Deliver a 2022 Games that truly encompassed the world in one city and region.
• Excellence in execution: Attract, recruit, train and deliver the right number of volunteers at the right time to meet Games requirements.

Legacy: Use the inspiration of B2022 to bring tens of thousands of people closer to training and employment.

The Solution

Using Rosterfy, the Volunteer Programme was launched 14 months before the Games started. Following an effective regional and national marketing campaign and months of concerted public engagement, with local authorities, educational institutions, Games partners, and hundreds of community organisations and forums, 41,686 applicants completed the volunteer registration process.

As the country adjusted to a new (pandemic) norm, they leaned into three important factors:

1. They recognised every engagement opportunity including all e.communications, and in person experiences were to be crucial as we sought to create and retain a united team of 14,000 people.  
2. The end-2-end volunteer journey had to be intuitive and seamless, utilising the functionality of Rosterfy to help empower each volunteer to ‘own’ their experience.
3. An innovative approach was imperative to account for and adapt to the new environment, while seeking to further enhance the volunteer experience.

H3: Screening volunteers at scale

A comprehensive sifting process of registrants ensured every local applicant was invited to the Volunteer Selection Centre (VSC) which instigated the first of many steps resulting in the most diverse volunteer team for any Commonwealth Games. 

The Library of Birmingham provided the optimal ‘home’ for the VSC and a critical first in-person contact point, creating a memorable experience for all 21,000+ people who were interviewed. 

The Impact

The legacy these Games will leave for Birmingham and the region will last for years to come.  With half of the UK’s population sharing that they watched, followed online or took part in a Birmingham 2022 event, the Games brought a national and global spotlight to the region.

A summary of the program highlights include:

• 41,686 volunteer registrations
• 14,000 volunteers required
• 1,000,000 volunteer hours attended
• 1,121,251 emails sent
• 69,199 shifts attended
• 20,924 interviews completed

Redefining the volunteer recruitment process

Finding the right people and guiding them through the recruitment process can be challenging but Rosterfy simplifies that with our Automated Journeys. Birmingham achieved this by:

• Creating unique journeys for each role
• Automating communication to both the volunteer and coordinators 
• Ensuring compliance and training was tracked

Countless Volunteer Management Software solutions allow organisations to create a database of dependable individuals who can support their cause. However, Rosterfy was able to revolutionise how Birmingham delivered a seamless, polished, and consistent experience for their volunteers.