Unforgettable volunteer training for EYOF 2023: A day full of knowledge, fellowship and excitement
On Saturday, May 27, 2023, as part of the EU project AHHV (Active, Healthy and Happy Volunteers at European Youth Olympic Festival – Maribor 2023), we held the first training for volunteers who will join the organization team of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) 2023. The event, which took place on the premises of the University of Maribor, specifically at the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, and the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, attracted a large number of participants. We spent an unforgettable day with the volunteers, full of knowledge, socializing and enthusiasm.
On Saturday, May 27, 2023, volunteers attended the first training for work at the European Youth Olympic Festival 2023 Maribor. They were warmly welcomed at the faculty by the volunteer manager, volunteer coordinators and mentors and equipped with everything necessary for successful cooperation. This was followed by the start of the event in the amphitheatre, where the head of the volunteer department Katja Žižek and volunteer coordinator Tanja Veber shared general information about EYOF, as well as the responsibilities and rights of volunteers.
In the first part, we wanted to introduce volunteers to the background and purpose of the festival in order to better understand how they will contribute to the success of the event. In this part, the volunteers gained a general insight into the event and learned about key information that will help them in their volunteer work.
We also introduced them to the content of the AHHV project (Active, Healthy and Happy Volunteers at the European Youth Olympic Festival – Maribor 2023), which is being implemented under the auspices of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia.
We are aware that without volunteers we would not be able to carry out such a large event. Through a range of targeted activities – from mentoring, workshops, seminars and social and cultural events to activities that promote a healthy and active lifestyle, such as getting to know and testing skills in a wide variety of sports disciplines, testing training and competition venues, occasional competitions and training – volunteers will acquire a wide and diverse range of new knowledge and valuable experiences, tools for developing social skills and career potential, as well as opportunities for interaction with participating athletes and professional staff, international networking and forging new friendships.
After the information session, there was a short break, during which the volunteers were divided into groups according to the areas they applied for. The participants also used this time to chat and get to know each other.
In the second part of the training, volunteer mentors played a key role. Through interactive trainings, the volunteers got to know their field in more detail, including the specific tasks and locations where they will perform their volunteer work. Intermediate learning activities contributed to a relaxed atmosphere and networking between volunteers.
After the presentations of the fields, the highlight of the education followed – a tour of the EYOF venues. With three buses, they visited the venues where they will spend most of their time in the last week of July. This tour allowed them to delve even deeper into the course of the festival and the accompanying events. The volunteers were excited to get a behind-the-scenes look at the event, which will surely help them in carrying out their tasks.
The last stop on the volunteers’ educational trip was the stadium Ljudski vrt, where we treated them to a delicious lunch. In the end, we prepared a fun quiz, where we summarized everything that the volunteers learned during the day. This moment was full of laughter, joy and pride, as the volunteers showed that they had mastered the knowledge perfectly and were ready for their volunteer role at EYOF 2023 Maribor.
We would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in the training and look forward to future cooperation.
PHOTO: Marko Pigac
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