Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sports
Vilma McDonald, volunteer co-coordinator, speaking at the opening session of the volunteer training programme held at the University of Technology's auditorium last Saturday and Sunday. - Contributed
THE training of volunteers for next year's ICC WI Cricket World Cup 2007 has begun and already, approximately 300 people were briefed at the first sessions last weekend.
"The first 300 began their two-day training last Saturday. We had a brief opening ceremony where we introduced the trainers, with Robert Bryan, our executive director, thanking the volunteers for participating and encouraging them to 'put Jamaica on show - give of their best because ultimately Jamaica will be on show'," noted Pauline Nelson, communications manager for Jamaica Cricket 2007 Ltd., the Local Organising Committee (LOC), in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday.
Both sessions were held on Saturday and Sunday at the University of Technology (UTech) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
People are being prepared to work at two venues and like those last weekend, the next set, to be trained within the same timeframe at the said venue tomorrow and Sunday, will be among the final addition to the team for Sabina Park.
Second tranche
"This week, the second tranche will be trained," Nelson said. "Jamaica is required to provide 1,000 persons for Kingston and Trelawny."
She said: "Once we complete Kingston, which is this weekend, we're going to move on to Trelawny, which is slated for February 3 and 4."
A total of 600 will be assigned to Sabina Park where the West Indies first round group matches are to be played, while the remaining 400 shall do duties relating to the new stadium in Trelawny, where the opening ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 11.
Those selected were strategically picked from areas close to the venues, and, in the case of Trelawny, moreso people within the parish, St. Ann and St. James.
"We're not transferring anybody from Kingston into Trelawny," she stated.
Whittling-away process
Nelson pointed out that volunteerism requests far exceeded the required levels, but added that the LOC will also train 100 more people than it needs.
"When we did the appeal, we got in excess of 2,000 application forms from a wide cross-section of Jamaicans - doctors, lawyers, to the little man on the street, even farmers."
She added: "We have plans to train 1100 because we feel some form of attrition will take place."
The natural whittling-away process has already taken place, helping the LOC to sort out the numbers for training as according to Margaret Ferguson, administrative assistant for the volunteer programme, a portion of them could not attend the interviews or training, for example, because they are Sabbath keepers.
That interview process though, was used mainly to cut the list of applicants.
"We went through and as best we could, we reduced it by a number of different factors," explained Ferguson.
She said the organisation required "...a certain level of education because we've to look in terms of the language and interaction between the visitors, the spectators."
Ferguson added: "We actually called in applicants to meet with different area managers and that face-to-face helped in the decision-making."
Nelson said the volunteers are now "... going through core training, which is the basic 'Frequently Asked Questions' about the event".
Assigned specific areas
She added: "After training, they're going to be assigned to the respective area managers (transportation, park and ride, medical, media, accommodation, meet and greet at the airport, ushers, etc.)."
Dr. Blossom Anglin-Brown (UWI) and Pamela Neilson, who also sit on the LOC's sub-committee for volunteers, are master trainers.
Nelson says the LOC is "extremely grateful" to HEART NTA and UTech for granting the use of their facilities and trainers.
"Volunteerism is alive and well," she said. "Jamaicans see it as their part in helping to put the best of Jamaica forward."
