How to get involved in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games

How can I get involved in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games?
The application process for the volunteering programme “Games Maker” has now closed. However there are still a number of ways you can be involved in the London 2012 Games.

• Young Games Maker
Many of the Games Maker roles require volunteers to be 18 or over by 1 January 2012. However, Young Games Maker provides an opportunity for under 18’s to get involved in the London 2012 Games. The Young Games Maker programme will be unveiled in Summer 2011, so keep an eye out on the London 2012 website.

                                                   • Get Set
Get Set is London 2012’s official education programme for schools and colleges across the UK. It encourages 3-19 year olds to learn about the Games and offers young people fantastic opportunities, including tours of the Olympic Park, visits from athletes and entry into exclusive prize draws.

• London Ambassadors
London Mayor Boris Johnson needs 8,000 volunteers - called London Ambassadors - to welcome visitors from all over the world to London during the summer of 2012. Volunteers will be needed at 35 locations across the capital - at airports, station concourses, tourist attractions and near London 2012 Games venues - and will provide a personalised, passionate and knowledgeable visitor welcome. London Ambassadors will undergo full training before volunteering for six consecutive days, and will receive food, drink and free travel (within London Zones 1-6) for every shift worked.

• Volunteer in your area
The following link will take you to volunteer opportunities in your area. You can contact local voluntary groups and find out what they might be doing in relation to the London 2012 Games.  
• Changing Places
London 2012 is not just about sport – it is a fantastic opportunity to improve the nation’s environment and its prospects for the future. The Changing Places programme encourages people to transform their local area by improving the bad parts and celebrating the good. A number of projects have already been completed around the Olympic Park and other London 2012 Games venues. For example, volunteers recently cleared the tow path around the River Lee and removed a large amount of graffiti that had built up over many years. Projects like these have really transformed the area, creating long-lasting, positive change.

• Trailblazers
The majority of volunteers will be needed at games time, but a select number of volunteers, known as Trailblazers, are needed in the run-up to the London 2012 Games. 83 Trailblazers have already been recruited since January 2009. Each Trailblazer volunteers one day a week, performing a wide range of administrative duties in various departments, from sport to communications.

• Herts is Ready For Winners
Managed by Hertfordshire County Council, it is a partnership of different organisations from across the county with a common interest to maximise the opportunities and benefits from the London 2012 Games for the people of Hertfordshire. They are supporting the delivery of the London 2012 Games and maximising the opportunities and benefits for the people of Hertfordshire. The Herts is Ready for Winners website has an array of information on it about how you can get involved in the London 2012 Olympics Games in Hertfordshire.