Liu Jian talks in detail about the Olympic volunteer project.
(BEIJING, January 8) -- Director Liu Jian of the Volunteer Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) discussed on Tuesday morning the Beijing Olympic Volunteer Program with those present at a press conference at the Beijing Olympic Media Center.
Following is Liu's account of the volunteer program as it stands.
The volunteer program has received widespread attention and concern from the public since launching on June 5, 2005. The plan called for the recruitment of a total of 100,000 volunteers for the Olympics and Paralympics, in addition to 400,000 city volunteers to provide information, language, emergency and other services in the city and around the venues.
Volunteer applicant pool reaches 800,000
The Beijing Olympic Volunteer Program consists of six working projects (The "Towards Olympics" Voluntary Service Project, The BOCOG Pre-Games Volunteer Project, The Games-time Volunteer Project, The City Volunteer Project, The Social Volunteer Project, The Olympic Volunteer Work Legacy Transformation Project) and the "Smile Beijing" theme campaign.
The applicant pool has already reached 800,000, setting an Olympic volunteer record. More than 20,000 volunteer applicants were invited to serve during the "Good Luck Beijing" sport events in 2007.
At the end of 2007, approximately 80 percent of the volunteers required for the Olympic and Paralympic Games had been initially confirmed.
Scene of the press conference
Volunteer training, benefits and incentive program in the works
Volunteer training consists of general training, professional training, venue training and on-post training. Paralympic volunteers receive additional training in specialized topics related to the Paralympic Games. Training is conducted via distance training, onsite training and training by practice.
More than 90,000 volunteers have tested the training system, with 80,000 volunteers receiving general training and 30,000 receiving professional training.
Volunteer work benefits include: special identity cards; volunteer work uniforms; meal provision during work hours; complimentary public transportation service within designated areas; and accidental and emergency insurance during work hours.
In addition, volunteers will be acknowledged for excellence in their service.
More than 920,000 apply for City Volunteer Project
According to Liu Jian, during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 500 volunteer service stations will be set up throughout the city, with some 400,000 volunteers offering their time and skills. Post-Games, the city volunteer service stations will remain an important legacy of the Olympics. So far, some 920,000 people have applied to become city volunteers.
The city volunteers were put to the test during the Spring Festival, the Labor Day holiday and the National Day holiday in 2007.
Various activities have taken place under the "Smile Beijing" theme campaign since it kicked off on August 8, 2006. The activities have included environment beautification projects; projects to maintain the transportation system; and songs to spread the "volunteer smile." The volunteer "Smile Wristband" has since become a popular, and even fashionable, accessory.
