On the occasion of the 2020 AFC Champions League, the 39th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation in Qatar from 14 September to 3 October, the Tournament Readiness division of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and Josoor Institute, the Supreme Committee’s education and training arm, have joined forces to develop and deliver a training programme to help Volunteers deliver an amazing tournament.
The training programme for the AFC was the first in a series of formal training programs by Tournament Readiness and Josoor Institute in the next two years. The first session in the programme focused on Volunteer Team Leaders, with the follow-up session being targeted at the main event Volunteers. Team leaders attended an Online Leadership training to support the recruitment process and operational delivery of the event with the Volunteers at the heart of this process. The Online General training for the 55 Volunteers of the tournament, which included Volunteer Culture in Qatar and why people choose to be volunteers, Communication Skills, Accessibility, Culture, and how to be COVID-19 event-ready followed that.
Before the Kick-off, the Volunteers visited all four stadiums, conducted Venue, and role-specific training on-site.
Participants found the training programme overall comprehensive and informative. Evaluation of the training included comments such as “The General training was professional and to the point. I also enjoyed the good spirit between the speakers and how they interacted with each other as well with the volunteers”.
Based on the Survey after the event further comments included:
“I have been part of the various sport events here in Qatar before; however, being part of the AFC2020 volunteer team was a great experience. I am so glad to meet different people and it widens my network of friends. Thanks to the training and all support of the team leader and my managers I feel like I performed my role very well!” (Media operations volunteer)
“I just want to say thank you for all support, all training, all tips and knowledge you have shared with me. We worked closely together with different cultures of people; everyone was so supportive that I felt I am working with my family members”. (Workforce volunteer)
Afraa Al Noaimi, Executive Director, Josoor Institute said:
“Volunteers are what make large events in sports and other sectors not only very successful but truly unforgettable. The impact of a successful volunteer campaign is significant at both the economic and social levels. That applies even more in Qatar, which for the first time in history will be actively engaging an entire nation in a tournament, and where volunteers are already gearing up for the event. With that in mind, Josoor as a Legacy project of the FIFA World Cup 2022™ concurs to an integrated volunteer training strategy and delivery. The vision for Qatar by 2030 is also one of a more socially conscious society, especially for the next generations, and the spirit in which my colleagues and I have engaged with the national volunteer strategy is precisely to serve that purpose.”
Vazken Kurkjian, Josoor Institute's Capability Building Senior Manager, said: “This joint training and educational programme in partnership with the colleagues of the Tournament Readiness division of the Supreme Committee is a recognition of just how vital a cadre of committed volunteers is within any workforce. We are delighted to have this opportunity to be a strategic advisor on such an initiative. There is no doubt that collaboration and cooperation will maximize the strengths of the different entities and their teams, each striving for the same goal of delivering a successful event in 2022.”
Leading the first training session in collaboration with Yuliana Avsievich, Tournament Workforce Readiness, Aghiad Fudda, Training & Development Manager (Host Country Services), Christine Todd, SC Implementation and Monitoring Expert, Mark Dyer, PMC Access and Inclusivity Strategist and Nicola McCullough, Subject Matter Expert and Advisor to Josoor Institute, who said: “I was excited to train the team leaders and volunteers and the energy was great, showing that a strong volunteering culture is so very present in Qatar. We look forward to developing a wide network of academic and industry-based experts and skilled certified volunteers. Besides, we are generating highly relevant knowledge and content through an extensive research agenda and educational pathways, from grassroots to educating managers and leaders in volunteerism to embed in local communities across Qatar, MENA, and the world.”
Over time, the collaboration aims to strengthen the volunteering culture in Qatar and beyond through a full-fledged curriculum in volunteer management, and potentially a platform to train and certify highly skilled and motivated leaders in the volunteering field to support the delivery of events in different sectors. Such an initiative would harness an innovative and ground-breaking network of universities, sports and events institutes, training institutes, and existing volunteer groups.
The next training sessions will take place in November and December and the focus will be on the preparation for the upcoming events as AFC Champions League 2020 (East) and Amir Cup 2020. We are expecting 500 volunteers to attend an Online General training where they will learn about the history and organization of the Asian Champions League, Amir Cup, discuss the key competencies of volunteers, and review the Health & Safety, COVID-19 protocols. Before the event, volunteers will visit the stadiums to familiarise themselves with the venues and meet the Functional Area managers for role-specific training.
