Training of Vancouver 2010 volunteers: A legacy opportunity?

Abstract

The successful delivery of a mega sport event depends upon a volunteer workforce. It is often asserted that the training of event volunteers contributes to the creation of a social legacy via the transfer of learning to other volunteer contexts, thereby creating an enhanced volunteer pool after the event, which will support the tourism and events industries in the host communities. This article reflects upon the reality of that assertion and argues that in order to achieve legacy both training and development strategies are required. As such an analysis of data collected at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games around training and legacy is discussed. A Legacy Training and Development Model is offered and subsequently applied to the case study. The article concludes by suggesting that training at Vancouver 2010 was a missed opportunity in achieving legacy. © 2013 Academy of Social Sciences.