MEV MANCHESTER EVENT VOLUNTEERS: A LEGACY AND A ROLE MODEL Geoff Nichols Sheffi eld University Management School Rita Ralston Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model Geoff Nichols: Sheffield University Management School Rita Ralston: Manchester Metropolitan University October 2011 1 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model 2 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model Summary This independent report is directed towards policy makers in local and national government, volunteer development projects, event managers, academics, Manchester Event Volunteers’ management, and MEV volunteers. MEV is a broker organisation between volunteers and events, with a further role of developing volunteering and good practice in volunteer management. It was established following the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and is probably the longest running mega-event volunteer legacy programme in the world. As such it offers insights for future events aiming to establish a volunteer legacy and implications for the way in which similar volunteer broker organisations could contribute to developing volunteering. Research informing this report included: focus groups, a questionnaire survey and in- depth interviews with volunteers; interviews with event managers, MEV staff, and individuals involved in MEV’s development; and MEV records. Results have been incorporated into a report structure which’focuses on the different contributions of MEV. Since 2002 MEV has directed volunteers towards over 1,000 events, including 76 major events hosted in the Northwest over the period 2004 — 2009, with their associated contribution to tourism and the region’s economy. In 2008 UK Sport designated Manchester ‘the World’s Best Sports City 2008’ for its successful hosting of six major international sports events during the year, all of which were supported by MEV. MEV supports the full range of size of event. Volunteers commit to an average of 5.7 events per year, but with a wide variation. The ability to choose which events they volunteer for and how many allows MEV to meet the needs of volunteers in a wide set of circumstances, and particularly the growing numbers who seek episodic volunteering opportunities. MEV makes it far easier for event managers to recruit a trained and reliable workforce, and has contributed to the attraction of Manchester for such events. A balance has to be struck between MEVs objectives of developing volunteers through volunteering, and event managers’ objectives, especially in the larger events, of filling key roles effectively to allow the event to take place. For event managers new to using volunteers MEV provides valued advice. While a large proportion of MEV volunteers are over 60 and retired, MEV is able to meet the needs of a wide range of volunteers. The most practical service is to put them in touch with events and thus enabling them to volunteer. Volunteers are assured that the events have been approved by MEV as using good volunteer management practices. 3 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model For volunteers seeking work MEV offers valued experience. This extends to assistance with providing information on job opportunities, advice on CV writing and interviews, and providing a sense of purpose, encouragement and confidence through periods of unemployment. However, MEV provides social inclusion in a much broader sense than this by allowing all volunteers to feel they are making a valuable contribution to society and to Manchester in particular, providing social rewards of volunteering, and a valued sense of identity for volunteers. For volunteers who have remained in contact since the 2002 Commonwealth Games it provides a connection to the camaraderie and euphoria which characterised volunteering at this event. For similar volunteer broker organisations MEV has provided models of good practice through its well developed procedures, which have been emulated by others. For mega sports events aspiring to generate a volunteer legacy; such as the 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games; MEV offers several insights. These include the need to consider use of the Games database to support a legacy, the timing of grant applications, and the critical role of an organisation which will be in place both before and after the event; in this case, Manchester City Council. MEV offers a well developed role model for an organisation delivering a volunteer legacy after a mega sports event but also more generally for the way volunteer development organisations could contribute to engendering civic activism within the aims of promoting a Big Society. At the time of producing this report Manchester Event Volunteers was based within Manchester City Council’s Economic Development Unit and received funding from the Employment and Skills Partnership. Due to funding cuts and Manchester City Council’s redesign process MEV is now based within the Third Sector Team and has been reduced from three team members to only one. The Third Sector Team provides support to all third sector organisations in Manchester and is in the process of commissioning a new central infrastructure support service, which will encompass the following strands or themes into a one stop shop for: • Capacity building support to develop our thriving third sector • Support for groups that are commissioning ready or moving in this direction • A volunteer centre that meets the Volunteering England standard • A community engagement function MEV will continue to provide the core functions of the service and work in partnership with other volunteer involving organisations and the new Volunteer Centre to share good practice and volunteering/training opportunities. Recommendations for the development of MEV need to be placed in the context of this recent reorganisation. The development of more precise performance indicators; including 4 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model collecting information on the number of volunteers used by events, could act as a benchmark and provide a model for other similar schemes. The report considers an extension of volunteer’s roles, moving to a more welcoming and visible base, and further collaboration with other organisations. It considers what would be lost if MEV were to be replaced by a web based service. However MEV develops, its experience from 2002 provides an instructive legacy. Acknowledgements The main research project was funded by grants from the University of Sheffield and Manchester Metropolitan University. Further funding was provided by MEV to support 16 in-depth interviews with volunteers. We would like to thank those who have contributed to the research as interviewees or questionnaire respondents; in particular MEV volunteers and event managers who have used MEV. Geoff Nichols Management School, University of Sheffield 9 Mappin Street Sheffield S1 4DT England [email protected]; 0114-222-2184 Rita Ralston Department of Food and Tourism Management Manchester Metropolitan University Hollings Faculty Old Hall Lane Manchester, M14 6HR England [email protected]; 0161-247-2734 or [email protected]; 07813 626 907 September 2011 5 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model 6 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model Contents 1. Introduction — context and objectives ............................................................. 9 2. Brief history of MEV ....................................................................................... 10 3. Research Methods ......................................................................................... 12 4. MEV’s contribution to developing events in the North West of England ......................................................................... 13 5. MEV’s contribution to the volunteers ............................................................. 17 6. MEV’s Contribution to good practice in volunteer management and development ........................................................................................... 21 7. Lessons for volunteering legacies of mega sports events ............................. 22 8. MEV’s strengths ............................................................................................. 23 9. MEV’s challenges .......................................................................................... 24 10. Considerations for development .................................................................... 26 References ................................................................................................................. 28 Related academic output ........................................................................................... 29 Appendix A A Case studies of volunteers’ experiences to illustrate rewards from volunteering ........................................................... 31 The University of Sheffield Management School ....................................................... 34 Manchester Metropolitan University .......................................................................... 35 7 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model 8 Manchester Event Volunteers: A Legacy and a Role Model 1 Introduction — Context and Objectives This independent report is directed towards policy makers in local and national government, volunteer development projects, event managers,