VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

How to register

Please fill out the online Volunteer Application Form by 1st November 2009. Please retain a copy of these pages for future reference.

Website and Volunteer e-newsletters

The official Great Australian Run web site (www.greataustralianrun.com.au) is full of great information about the event. As we draw nearer to the event, specific volunteer information will also be made available on this website.

In the interim, a specific Volunteer e-newsletter will be emailed out to successful applicants, so please ensure you provide a current email address on the Application Form so we can keep you up to date!

Volunteer Roles

The following is a summary of all the roles we need to fill! Hopefully this will give you enough information to gauge your suitability for particular roles. We have graded each role to give you a good idea of what level of physical activity is involved and also what communication skills are expected.

Drink Station Assistants

Physical Activity: Medium     Communication Skills: Medium

There are 2 types of drink stations throughout the course. 1) dispensing water in open cups filled at the station and 2) Pre-bottled water supplied by PUMP.

It'll be fast paced and wet, but we need volunteers to fill cups, stack the cups/bottles, hand them to runners and to pick up plastic cups/bottles off the road once the runners have discarded them. You will be required to help set up the station and then dismantle it once the last runner has passed, leaving all equipment and rubbish neatly stacked on the side of the road ready for collection.

Course Marshals

Physical Activity: Medium     Communication Skills: Medium

You Can expect a medium level of walking in this role. Course Marshals will be located strategically along the course and will encounter varying responsibilities depending on the location; from cheering the runners, providing assistance to those who may be struggling along the way, notifying the Event Operations Team if issues arise along the course, and helping inform spectators and pedestrians about when the runners are expected or how to cross the course! Each volunteer will be provided a specific list of duties according to their role.

Sector Leaders

Physical Activity: High     Communication Skills: High

The course has been divided into Sectors at approximately 1km intervals. Each Sector will have a Sector Leader. Sector Leaders will be issued a radio and required to help assemble and brief their team prior to deployment. Whilst out on course they will need to move up and down their sector managing the volunteers and activities in that Sector. Sector Leaders will need to have good communication skills, be fit and be willing to take on a bit of extra responsibility.

Sector Leaders will be provided a comprehensive package of tasks and volunteer activities within their Sector. Sector Leaders will report to the event volunteer manager

Finishers Pack Distribution Assistants

Physical Activity: Medium     Communication Skills: Medium

Once the runners have crossed the finish line they are ushered, puffing and panting, smiling and exhausted, through a Finishers Pack area. It's here that every single entrant will get issued with a Finishers Pack including Powerade, T-shirt, medal etc. The bags will be pre-packed and stacked neatly. Volunteers will be helping distribute the bags.

Baggage Services

Physical Activity: Medium     Communication Skills: Medium

With such an early start for the runners it may be a brisk morning and the entrants will want to strip off a few layers before the starter's gun. Many people will be able to leave their bags with friends and family who have come along to support them; however a Baggage Storage facility will be available for those who have come to the event by themselves. Participants will be able to store their Baggage and collect it post run.

Volunteers will be helping participants deposit and retrieve their bags.

Workforce Assistants (check in and deployment of volunteers)

Physical Activity: Low     Communication Skills: Medium

With so many volunteers needed to help run the event, we need to put volunteers aside to help manage them! Volunteers will need to check in on the morning of the event at Albert Park where they will go through a few important steps. These include getting checked off, getting issued a snack voucher, collecting your snack, collecting radios (not all), getting a final brief and then deploying everyone to their post.

It's a critical role as the welfare of our volunteers is of the utmost importance and the seamless deployment of our volunteers out to their posts is vital!

Information Assistants

Physical Activity: Medium     Communication Skills: High

In actual fact, every volunteer will act as an Information Assistant at some point throughout the day with thousands of people around the city wanting information on the who, what, when, where and why's of the Event!

A specific Information point will also be set up in the park as a central point for all those tough and pertinent questions like andquot;where's the toilet?andquot; andquot;Do you have any safety pins?andquot;

We'll equip you with all the answers and will require some volunteers to man the tent and others to wander through the area and help answer people's questions.

Timing Assistants

Physical Activity: Low     Communication Skills: Medium

Each competitor will get a race number and the timing chip is affixed to the back of the bib. Which is affixed to the competitors running shoe/ankle. Start and finish times will be recorded automatically as they pass over the timing mats.

A small number of volunteers will be required beyond the finish line to help remove runners timing chips.

Information and Training Sessions

An information and training evening will be run to enable the event managers to meet with the volunteers and communicate vital information including deployment methods, event day parking arrangements, meal solutions, radio training and evacuation procedures etc.

Volunteers will also be issued a volunteer pack containing a race booklet, volunteer information booklet and your official volunteer shirt.

It will be a great opportunity to meet with fellow volunteers and ask any general event questions before the big day ahead.

Registering for an Information and Training Session:

Once you have been assigned a role you will be sent a confirmation email. In this letter you will be asked to contact the race administration office and register for one of the two Information Evenings.

Time Commitments

Saturday 28th November:

Volunteers will be required to be on-site from approximately 7.30am through until approximately 12 noon, depending on your role.

Sunday 29th November:

Volunteers will be required to be on-site from approximately 6.30am through until approximately 12 noon, depending on your role.