Volunteer capacity building programme
Initiative description: Implementing a programme in partnership with tournament organisers and local volunteer centres to develop and nurture a pool of diverse, talented and well-trained volunteers. The programme was intended to provide local volunteers with first aid, customer service, cultural awareness, diversity, disability, and sector-specific certified training (delivered by industry specialists) in addition to invaluable on-the-ground volunteering experience at football, sporting, and cultural events in Qatar.
20,000 00,000
The volunteer training programme developed for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ comprised a set of comprehensive general and role-specific training modules which were delivered to volunteers in various formats. Volunteers were trained across a range of topics including: accessibility; anti-discrimination and diversity; human rights; tobacco control; and waste segregation & recycling. They provided support in areas such as spectator services, hospitality, marketing, catering, transportation, workforce management, and others.
Through the implementation of this training programme, more than 20,000 carefully selected local and international volunteers representing 150 nationalities gained important knowledge and skills, making them integral to the delivery of the tournament. They also forged friendships and experienced cultural exchanges with people from many backgrounds including locals, fellow volunteers, tournament personnel, spectators, and more.
Volunteer Programmes
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Volunteer Programme, launched in 2018, enabled volunteers to gain experience and develop their skills during various football tournaments held in Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Through this programme, over 10,000 volunteers were deployed to support the Arabian Gulf Cup 2019, the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™, the FIFA Club World Cup 2020™, and the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™. Many of the volunteers from these test events went on to volunteer for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. In addition, feedback and lessons learned from these test events played an important role in developing the training programme for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
In 2020, FIFA also launched a new global volunteer programme, called FIFA Volunteer. The FIFA Volunteer programme provides a single platform for those interested in volunteering at FIFA tournaments and events. Anyone aged over 18 can register, apply, and receive updates about volunteering at upcoming FIFA events.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2020™ was the first time the new FIFA Volunteer brand - the heart - was showcased at an event.
Volunteer enrollment
From the launch of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Volunteer Programme in March 2022, approximately 420,000 individuals from around the world registered interest to participate.
The Volunteer Centre based at Doha Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Katara served as the volunteer headquarters where interviews were conducted. The group activities and face-to-face interviews for local candidates, as well as the group online interviews for international candidates, were conducted by the long-term volunteers who supported previous events.
Volunteer training
Due to the diverse range of roles, functions, and topics to be covered in preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, an extensive training curriculum was created after years of development and collaboration between FIFA and the SC. The curriculum covered the 45 functional areas of the tournament to prepare trainees for any of the 30 roles they would fulfil as official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ volunteers.
As a result, a robust, interactive, and varied volunteer training system was developed. It combined face-to-face instruction, e-learning, hands-on workshops, role-play, and in-venue training. Training covered all five key sustainability topics: accessibility awareness and etiquette, anti-discrimination & diversity, human rights, tobacco control, and waste segregation & recycling.
The central e-learning platform allowed volunteers to track their goals and progress and pursue optional learning modules of interest. It also allowed the 3,000 international volunteers who were still abroad prior to the tournament to keep pace with general learning and participate in some of the face-to-face activities.
“To develop a training system to support 20,000 volunteers working across every functional area of the tournament was a challenge, but the innovative e-learning platform gave us a programme that was both diverse and flexible. From previous World Cups, we found that volunteers were most grateful for the ability to explore and refresh their knowledge and the online modules supported this.”
Throughout September and October 2022, trainees at the Volunteer Centre received general and role-specific training, with additional modules conducted via the e-learning platform. Team leaders engaged in workshop-style training, focusing on areas like motivation and effective communication.
Many volunteers started their roles at the end of September and the beginning of October, supporting activities in venues such as Doha Exhibition Centre (DEC) and Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). In November 2022, trainees moved in teams to their assigned stadiums or venues for venue-specific training, which continued through to tournament kick-off. For more information about the training programme, please visit the capacity building and awareness-raising web page of this report.