UK students as 2010 volunteers

Published>Wed, Mar 10 10 05:24 AM

The success of any major Games event depends on how well the volunteers deliver the goods as proved during the Beijing Olympics two years ago.

The Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (DCGOC) is looking to match that as DCGOC chairman Suresh Kalmadi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Sheffield Hallam University to rope in 30 sports journalism students from the UK to help the 5000+ media personnel during the Games in October.

"The volunteers are the face of any major Games and we would be too happy to have the Sheffield Hallam students into our fold. We assure them all help and I am sure they will enjoy the stay and the experience of working with 30,000 other volunteers at the Delhi Games and contribute to its success," said Kalmadi.

The SHU students' main job will be to supply the media with information at different venues, while keeping them updated on instances happening on the ground and also feed the Games News Service, the official news bulletin, which is to be released by the DCGOC.

This, admitted pro-Vice Chancellor of the Sheffield Hallam University professor Michael A Smith, helps both the Games Organising Committee as well as the students of the university.

"We had 24 of them (students) from the university sent to Beijing and their work was appreciated by all concerned. But more than that, the students gained a lot in experience. That is precisely what we are expecting from our students when they come to Delhi and work with the organising committee," said the professor.

John Palmer of the Sheffield Hallam University said that the students will arrive in New Delhi on September 1, one month before the mega-event begins on October 3.

Source: Web Search