Evaluation of Volunteer Experience: Gold Coast Marathon Event Analysis

This report analyzes a student's volunteer experience at the 2017 Gold Coast Marathon, examining the practical aspects of volunteer work within the event management framework. The student recounts their role in the check-in process, detailing the initial challenges of acclimatization and the complexities of stakeholder interactions. The report draws upon academic literature, including the works of Sheranne Fairley, B.C. Green, and others, to contextualize the volunteer's experience within the broader context of event management and volunteer motivation. The student discusses the significance of uniform colors, the importance of specialized skills, and the challenges faced with technology and participant data. Furthermore, the report reflects on the application of Herzberg's motivational hygiene theory and explores the personal growth and sense of fulfillment derived from the experience. The analysis also considers the diverse motivations of volunteers, the significance of social responsibility, and the impact of volunteer work on personal development and societal contributions. The report concludes with a reflection on the value of volunteerism and the importance of recognizing the contributions of volunteers.

“I felt the dignity associated with my post and it was the best Experience”
Acting as a volunteer in any sporting event is a tough test because in many cases volunteers
hardly get any time to acclimatize with the new conditions. It becomes difficult for them to
understand the matrix of the stakeholders associated with the event. I got firsthand experience
of this problem a few years ago. In the year 2017, under the capacity of a volunteer, I
participated in the Gold coast Marathon Game. The first job that I undertook was in the
reception area where I helped people to “Check-in.”
Now when I look back at that experience from an objective and literary point of view,
researcher Sheranne Fairley’s work helps me in understanding my position in the stakeholder
matrix, it also helps me in developing an understanding of the role conflicts that surrounded
me (Fairley et al, 2016). For instance, initially, I thought that while addressing the process
of the “Checking In” I am dealing with common people, staffers, and athletes and it requires
no special skills or expertise. However, it turned out to become a specialized job when they
told me to play the role of a Mandarin expert as well.
Gold Coast Marathon Game was held in the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
at 10 a.m, on June 30th, 2017. I was full of excitement and reported one hour before the event
for a briefing session. Our manager for the day gave sky blue T-shirts. Then, I thought that
they are giving this T-shirt to us to create a separate identity. However, later on, I realized
that the sky blue color of the T-shirt was also denoting the rank that I was holding in the
hierarchy of the organizer’s teams. It will be relevant to mention the research of B.C.Green
where I explored the concept of “Pioneer Volunteers.” Green described the importance of a
distinction among the volunteers, according to him, different colors of uniform should be
awarded an intention to highlight the specialization of the volunteers (Green et al. 1998) .
The reasons for providing a different uniform can be attributed to strategic planning as well.

Fairley’s research defines the process of volunteer engagement as a strategically designed
process where the organizers should take an account of various scenarios that may occur
during the implementation of the event (Fairley et al, 2016).
The organizers of the Gold coast Marathon games were also keen on accrediting the special
roles and capacities; I realized it when I received a Red Vest. It was symbolic in many ways,
my first language is mandarin and red color denotes China. This edition of Red Colour in my
uniform added enthusiasm in me because it added worth to my services. Now when I look at
it under the light of the theories presented by B.C. Green I realize that I was acting as a
pioneer volunteer and catering to an important task (Green et al.2016)
My initial enthusiasm disappeared once I enrolled in the job of searching for the name tags
and personal information of the participants. After searching these details, my next job was to
guide the participants in the right direction or their next destination in the same venue.
It was a tough task because of the presence of some “similar sounding” names on the list.
The time band was short and the margin for the error was very low. Even then my familiarity
with Chinese names made it easier for me. However, a great deal was focus was the primary
requisite of the job.
After the reorganization of the right person, the process of the registration was easy; I was
required to go for some basic data entry. However, it became complex because of the
presence of technical glitches in the devices. The scanner and other digital equipment on the
venue were not up to the mark. I complained about it to my senior. He gave me an
encouraging answer when he said: “turn this problem into an opportunity.” It became a tough
day for me because of a continuous haggling with the machinery. However, during the
signing off the parade, when my seniors appreciated me for my problem-solving skills, it was
worth it.

When I relive that experience from the perspective of a management exercise I realized that
the “motivational hygiene” theory promoted by Herzberg can be applied to the situation
(Doherthy et al.2003). My seniors created a situation that allowed me to handle the problem
with a multi-dimensional approach; I was working to expedite the job and earning the
satisfaction of doing something worthwhile and challenging. Researcher Stacy Warner also
describes it as an “effective Volunteer management tool” because the regular theories of
“reward and punishment” are not applicable when we try to apply them to the relationship
between a “volunteer and organizer (Warner et al, 2011) .”
I excelled in delivering the goods on that particular day because I figured out a personal
motive in the task. I relished this stint as an opportunity to polish my communication skills.
This stint also allowed me to exercise my core strength in the field of language. I realized
self-worth and felt the dignity of my post when some of the seasoned athletes on the track,
offered a thanks note to me.
It has been a year and a half since I came to Australia, lots of grateful I felt for this country,
so it is my pleasure to serve the public. The sheer enthusiasm of helping Australian people
and other players kept me on my toes. This stint became a “self-help” lesson for me when I
finally conquered a pre-conceived notion about the act of volunteering in a sporting event.
Some of my seniors and friends told me that volunteering is boring and it can be considered
as a sheer waste of time. My participation in this event shattered this pre-conceived notion
because; I enjoyed my role as a volunteer.
Almost a year later when I read about the role of motives while performing as a volunteer, I
figured out a research paper presented by Pamm Kellett and her team. She conducted a study
on the motives of the sports volunteers and stressed on factors like nostalgia, recognition, and
feeling of becoming the part of a big event (Fairley et al, 2007). Now when I look back at the
experience, I realize that none of the above-listed motives applied to me, however, next time

whenever I will act as a volunteer, the intention of “self-realization” will guide me on this
path.
The motive behind working as a volunteer may vary from person to person; sometimes
individuals do it to gain proximity with their favorite sporting tournament. Researcher B.C.
Coyne researched the motives of more than 800 volunteers who participated in various golf
tournaments(Coyne et al, 2001) . The findings of this research indicate that motives like
remuneration and others are secondary, many individuals want to act as a volunteer in
sporting events because they want to enjoy the game or the sport from proximity. However,
it is not the case with me, I love this job of acting as a volunteer for learning the ropes of
event management and polish my skills in the field of communication and social behavior.
On a conclusive note, I can say that an individual has to adopt a different personality while
acting as a volunteer. The intention to help others, servitude and hard work holds the key to
this exercise. Various organizations and members of society can play an active role in the
process of encouraging volunteers. Society needs volunteers to set an example for others,
concepts like social responsibility and human spirit demand the active participation of
volunteers. Indeed, it is the time when people see volunteers as an epitome of dedication,
service enthusiasm, courtesy, and all words and deeds.

References
Coyne, B.S., & Coyne, E.J. (2001). Getting, keeping and caring for unpaid volunteers for
professional golf tournament Volunteer Management Tools 405 events: A study of
the recruitment/retention of unpaid volunteers for staging large, mass-attended, high-
profile professional golf association (PGA) golf tournaments. Human Resource
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Doherty, A.J., & Carron, A.V. (2003). Cohesion in volunteer sport executive committees.
Journal of Sport Management, 17, 116–141.
Fairley, S., Kellett, P., & Green, B.C. (2007). Volunteering abroad: Motives for travel to
volunteer at the Athens Olympic Games. Journal of Sport Management, 21, 41–57.
Fairley, S., Cardillo, M. L., & Filo, K. (2016). Engaging volunteers from regional
communities: Non-host city resident perceptions towards a mega-event and the
opportunity to volunteer. Event Management, 20(3), 433–447.
Green, B.C., & Chalip, L. (1998). Sport volunteers: Research agenda and application. Sport
Marketing Quarterly, 7, 14–23.
Warner, S., Newland, B. L., & Green, B. C. (2011). More than motivation: Reconsidering
volunteer management tools. Journal of Sport Management, 25, 391-407.