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Volunteers at events 

Welcome to apply as a volunteer for the major sports events of summer 2023!  

A summer filled with major events offers incredible opportunities for volunteering. You can become a volunteer even if you have no previous experience; a positive attitude is enough. The events have a wide range of tasks suitable for volunteers of different ages, and the assignments can be adjusted to fit your schedule.  

The City of Lahti is responsible for recruiting volunteers for the major sports events of summer 2023 in cooperation with event organisers. All in all, a total of 2,000 volunteers are needed for these events. Volunteer recruitment for the summer 2023 events takes place through the GateHQ system. 

Before filling in the registration form, please read the form filling instructions available in the GateHQ system.  

Check out the various assignments and sign up to join the amazing team! 

Register as a volunteer

Volunteer assignments at events

  • Competition

    Competition office

    This assignment involves working in the competition office. The duties include preparing the material to be distributed to the competitors, taking care of the registration of the competitors, and guiding the competitors.

    English language skills are required for the registration and guidance of competitors.

    Aid stations

    This assignment involves working at the aid stations of the competition route. There are five aid stations.

    The duties at the aid stations include handing out sports drinks and gels to the competitors, bottling water and preparing sports drinks.

    Spectator services

    Information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event. The duties include guiding and advising both the competitors and the spectators arriving at the event.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    VIP

    This assignment involves working in the VIP premises of the event. The duties include hosting invited guests, access control, maintaining the cleanliness of the premises, and other assisting tasks in the VIP premises.

    Administration

    Accreditation

    This assignment involves working in the accreditation office. The duties include handing out accreditation passes to the media, invited guests, the organisation and volunteers. In addition, the job description includes various assisting tasks related to the activities of the accreditation office.

    Staff office

    This assignment involves working in the staff office of the event. The duties include assisting in matters related to staff accommodation, venue logistics, the reception, unloading and handing out of various shipments, maintaining inventory, printing and laminating, various office work, and the handing out and returning of gear for both volunteers and athletes.

    Security

    Traffic control

    This assignment involves working as a traffic controller at the event. The place of work can be located along the cycling route or in the parking area of the event.

    Age of 18 or over and a valid class B driving licence are required for the assignment of traffic controller.

    Security

    This assignment involves working as a security at the event. Age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence are required for this assignment.

    Logistics

    Logistics team

    This assignment involves working in the logistics team of the event. The duties include moving vehicles along the race route on competition days, as well as working as a truck, van and/or forklift driver.

    A class C driving licence and previous experience of driving a truck or forklift are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    Construction

    Construction team

    This assignment involves working in the construction team of the event. The duties mainly include:

    • building and dismantling fence lanes
    • building and dismantling tents
    • attaching/removing banners
    • assembling inflatable arches, flags and other branding materials, putting them in place, and dismantling and packing them after the competition.

    Media services

    Media team

    This assignment involves working in the media team of the event. The duties include of the media room, i.e. making sure that the services and catering offered to the media in the media room are in order. In addition, the duties include access control of the media room, assisting local and international media, and other possible assisting tasks.

    Register as a volunteer

  • Competition

    Competition office

    This assignment involves working in the competition office. The duties include preparing the material to be distributed to the competitors, taking care of the registration of the competitors, and guiding the competitors. The working days will take place before the competition days, between Sunday and Thursday.

    English language skills are required for the registration and guidance of competitors.

    Swimming

    During the swimming legs, the duties include supervising the swimming leg and helping competitors in need of help from motorised boats, kayaks, SUP boards.

    If you have your own kayak or SUP board at home, it will be useful for this assignment.

    Swim starting area and landing

    This assignment involves working in the swimming leg team and the duties take place in the starting and landing areas of the swim.

    The duties include guiding the group formation for the start, receiving gear bags, assisting with landing, and taking care of possible drink stations.

    Transition areas

    This assignment involves working in the transition areas of the competition. The duties include:

    • Finishing work in the areas
    • Guiding the athletes, access control
    • Handing out and collecting the timing tags
    • Receiving, transferring, arranging and handing out gear bags
    • Handing over bicycles and gear

    Aid stations

    This assignment involves working at the aid stations of the competition route. There are at least three aid stations for cycling and five for running.

    The duties at the aid stations include handing out sports drinks and gels to the competitors, bottling water and preparing sports drinks.

    In this assignment, people are also needed for a bigger role, where they are responsible for building and dismantling the aid station according to the instructions provided.

    The work will take place on the competition day 1st of July.

    Working at the aid stations is a great assignment for an entire club or team, for example.

    Jury

    This assignment involves working in the judging team of the competition. The duties include checking the bicycles and gear, compliance with the rules in the transition area, to judge drafting, and acting as the lead cyclist on the running leg.

    Age of 18 or over and knowledge of the sport are required for this assignment.

    Spectator services

    Information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event. The duties include guiding and advising both the competitors and the spectators arriving at the event. It is also possible to act as a mobile guide in this assignment, in which case the duties include, for example, guiding people to various places in the event area.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    Airport information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event located at Helsinki Airport. The duties include guiding and advising mainly the competitors and their crew, but also the spectators arriving at the event.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    Merchandise

    This assignment involves working in the merch shop of the event. The duties include selling merch to customers, as well as customer service.

    Fluent English language skills are required. Other language skills are a plus in this assignment.

    VIP

    This assignment involves working in the VIP premises of the event. The duties include hosting invited guests, access control, maintaining the cleanliness of the premises, and other assisting tasks in the VIP premises.

    Administration

    Accreditation

    This assignment involves working in the accreditation office. The duties include handing out accreditation passes to the media, invited guests, the organisation and volunteers. In addition, the job description includes various assisting tasks related to the activities of the accreditation office.

    Staff office

    This assignment involves working in the staff office of the event. The duties include assisting in matters related to staff accommodation, venue logistics, the reception, unloading and handing out of various shipments, maintaining inventory, printing and laminating, various office work, and the handing out and returning of gear for both volunteers and athletes.

    Security

    Traffic control

    This assignment involves working as a traffic controller at the event. The place of work can be located along the cycling/running route or in the parking area of the event. The duties also include monitoring the points along the running route where the runners and pedestrians cross paths. Age of 18 or over and a valid class B driving licence are required for the assignment of traffic controller.

    In addition to this, traffic control is needed throughout the event in the various parking areas and at the competition centre of the event.

    Security

    This assignment involves working as a security at the event. The duties will take place during the competition week from 28th of June to 1st of July. Age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence are required for this assignment.

    First aid

    First aid team

    This assignment involves working in the first aid of the event helping professionals. The duties include various emergency care tasks, and the duties will take place throughout the competition week on 29th of June to 1st of July.

    Students in the field are especially wanted for this assignment to work with the professionals.

    Logistics

    Logistics team

    This assignment involves working in the logistics team of the event. The duties include moving vehicles along the race route on competition day, as well as working as a truck, van and/or forklift driver.

    A class C driving licence and previous experience of driving a truck or forklift are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    Construction

    Construction team

    This assignment involves working in the construction team of the event. The duties mainly include:

    • building and dismantling fence lanes
    • building and dismantling tents
    • assembling, dismantling and numbering bicycle and gear bag racks
    • installing and dismantling event carpets
    • attaching/removing banners
    • assembling inflatable arches, flags and other branding materials, putting them in place, and dismantling and packing them after the competition

    The duties will take place from 26th of June to 2ndof July.

    Environment

    Environment team

    This assignment involves working in the environment team of the event. The duties include emptying the waste bins located in the event area, maintaining the general cleanliness of the competition area, and cleaning the starting area of the competition of rubbish after the start.

    In addition, the environment team is responsible for advice at the recycling points to guide the spectators and participants on how to properly sort the waste in the event area.

    Media services

    Media team

    This assignment involves working in the media team of the event. The duties include so-called “hosting” of the media room, i.e. making sure that the services and catering offered to the media in the media room are in order. In addition, the duties include access control of the media room, assisting local and international media, and other possible assisting tasks.

    Catering

    Catering team

    This assignment involves working in the catering team of the event. The duties include assisting with large meals at the event, maintaining the cleanliness of the premises at award ceremonies, and helping with food serving.

    In addition, the duties may include working in the canteen for the staff/volunteers.

     

    In addition to the above-mentioned assignments, volunteers are being sought for assisting tasks in communications and marketing.

    Register as a volunteer

  • Competition

    Field staff

    This assignment involves working on the sports that take place on the sports field.  Each sport has a director who supports and assists the sport officials in the competition area of that sport.

    No prior knowledge of the sport is required for the assignment, as applicants are provided with training.

    Competition office

    This assignment involves working in the competition office of the event. The duties in the competition office include handing out the competition numbers and other possible competition packages to the athletes, as well advising and guiding the athletes.

    No prior knowledge of the sports is required for the assignment, as applicants are provided with training.

    Spectator services

    Information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event to advise, guide and direct spectators and participants to various services.

    Ticket sales

    This assignment involves working in the ticket sales of the event. The duties include selling tickets to the spectators arriving at the event and, if necessary, guiding them from the gate towards the event area.

    Ticket inspection

    This assignment involves working in ticket inspection. The duties include checking the tickets of the spectators arriving at the event at the gate of the event area. If necessary, this assignment also involves guiding and advising the spectators.

    Administration

    Official registration

    This assignment involves working at the official registration desk of the event. The duties include receiving the registration of the people coming to work at the event and handing out staff passes. The assignment also involves guiding and advising the people arriving at work.

    Security

    Security 

    This assignment involves working as a security at the event. Age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence are required for this assignment.

    Traffic controller

    This assignment involves working as a traffic controller at the event. Age of 18 or over and at least a class B driving licence are required for this assignment.

    First aid

    First aid team

    This assignment involves working in the first aid of the event on the competition days. The work will take place mainly on the sports field. The assignment also involves working outdoors, so weather-appropriate gear is recommended.

    Logistics

    Logistics team

    This assignment involves working in the logistics team, which is responsible for transporting various items to the event area and to their right places. Much of the work is done in cooperation with event construction, and the duties will take place mainly before the event on 24th to 27th of July and after the event on 30th to 31st of July. If necessary, there will also be tasks during the event on 27th to 30th of July.

    Construction

    Construction team

    This assignment involves working in the event construction team. Much of the work is done in cooperation with the logistics team. The duties include event construction before the event on 24th to 27th of July and dismantling after the event on 30th to 31st of July.

    Environment

    Environment team

    This assignment involves working in the environment team and the duties include, for example, emptying the waste bins located in the event area, maintaining the cleanliness of the area in general, and tidying the grandstand areas.

    In addition, the environment team is responsible for advice at the recycling points to guide the spectators and participants on how to properly sort the waste in the event area.

    Media services

    Media team

    This assignment involves working in the media centre as a customer service representative. The duties include making sure that the services and catering of the media centre are in order. In addition, in this assignment you get to assist and guide media representatives.

    Catering

    Catering team

    This assignment involves working in the catering team of the event. The duties include, for example, assisting tasks related to the meals of officials, such as serving food and maintaining cleanliness, as well as customer service. A hygiene passport is considered an advantage in this assignment.

     

    In addition to the above-mentioned assignments, volunteers are being sought for assisting tasks in communications and marketing.

    Register as a volunteer

  • Competition

    The Week of Finnish Championships is a four-day multi-sport event where different sports are competed in different places at the same time. When registering as a volunteer for this assignment, ‘Competition’ is always selected as the assignment. If you want to volunteer for a specific sport, you can enter the sport request in step 10/12 of the registration form under “Further information”.

    Competition sports for which volunteers are sought:

    • Lacrosse
    • Frisbee
    • Billiard
    • Disc golf
    • Rollerblading
    • Canoeing
    • Kettlebell
    • Petanque
    • Floorball
    • Dance
    • Swimming
    • Power sports

    This assignment involves working on the different competition sports. The duties include various sport-specific assisting tasks that enable the implementation of the sports.

    The tasks are especially suitable for someone who already has some experience in the sport. You can apply for the assignment even if you do not have prior knowledge of the sport, as training will be provided for the duties and the assignment offers a great opportunity to get to know the sports up close.

    Spectator services

    Information desk

    This assignment involves working in customer service. The duties include working at the information desk of the event to guide both the athletes and the spectators.

    It is also possible to act as a mobile guide in this assignment, in which case the duties include, for example, guiding people to various places in the event area.

    Security

    Security 

    This assignment involves working as a security at the event. Age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence are required for this assignment.

    Traffic controller

    This assignment involves working as a traffic controller at the event. Age of 18 or over and at least a class B driving licence are required for this assignment.

    First aid

    First aid team

    This assignment involves working in the first aid of the event. Tasks are available throughout the competition week on 3rd to 6th of August.

    A valid first aid card is required for this assignment.

    Logistics

    Logistics team

    This assignment involves working in the logistics team of the event. The duties include transporting items by van to and within the event area. In addition, the duties include moving items to and from their places before, during and after the competitions. The logistics team works in cooperation with the construction team.

    A class B driving licence is required for the assignment.

    Construction

    Construction team

    This assignment involves working in the construction team of the event. The duties include constructing tents, furniture, advertising fences and other structures before the event on 31 July–3 August, and dismantling them after the event on 6–7 August. The construction team works in cooperation with the logistics team.

    Environment

    Environment team

    This assignment involves working in the environment team and the duties include, for example, emptying the waste bins located in the event area and maintaining the cleanliness of the area in general.

    In addition, the environment team is responsible for advice at the recycling points to guide the spectators and participants on how to properly sort the waste in the event area.

    Communications and marketing

    Communications team

    This assignment involves working in the communications team of the event. The duties include various assisting tasks related to communications together with communications professionals. The event is spread all across Lahti, so the place of work may vary depending on the schedules of the different sports.

    Register as a volunteer

  • Competition

    Competition office

    This assignment involves working in the competition office. The duties include preparing the material to be distributed to the competitors, taking care of the registration of the competitors, and guiding the competitors. The working days will take place before the competition days, between Sunday and Thursday.

    English language skills are required for the registration and guidance of competitors.

    Swimming

    This assignment involves working in the swimming leg team of the competition. The duties include monitoring safety during official practice times from boats/kayaks/SUP boards.

    During the swimming legs, the duties include supervising the swimming leg and helping competitors in need of help from motorised boats, kayaks, SUP boards.

    If you have your own kayak or SUP board at home, it will be useful for this assignment.

    Swim starting area and landing

    This assignment involves working in the swimming leg team and the duties take place in the starting and landing areas of the swim.

    The duties include guiding the group formation for the start, receiving gear bags, assisting with landing, and taking care of possible drink stations.

    Transition areas

    This assignment involves working in the transition areas of the competition. The duties include:

    • Finishing work in the areas
    • Guiding the athletes, access control
    • Handing out and collecting the timing tags
    • Receiving, transferring, arranging and handing out gear bags
    • Handing over bicycles and gear

    Aid stations

    This assignment involves working at the aid stations of the competition route. There are at least three aid stations for cycling and five for running.

    The duties at the aid stations include handing out sports drinks and gels to the competitors, bottling water and preparing sports drinks.

    In this assignment, people are also needed for a bigger role, where they are responsible for building and dismantling the aid station according to the instructions provided.

    The work will take place on the competition days on Saturday 26 August and Sunday 27 August.

    Working at the aid stations is a great assignment for an entire club or team, for example.

    Jury

    This assignment involves working in the jury team of the competition. The duties include checking the bicycles and gear, compliance with the rules in the transition area, judging drafting, and acting as the lead cyclist on the running leg.

    Age of 18 or over and knowledge of the sport are required for this assignment.

    Spectator services

    Information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event. The duties include guiding and advising both the competitors and the spectators arriving at the event.

    It is also possible to act as a mobile guide in this assignment, in which case the duties include, for example, guiding people to various places in the event area.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are a plus in this assignment.

    Airport information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk of the event located at Helsinki Airport. The duties include guiding and advising mainly the competitors and their crew, but also the spectators arriving at the event.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are a plus in this assignment.

    Railway station information desk

    This assignment involves working at the information desk located at the railway station. The duties include guiding and advising mainly the competitors and their crew, but also the spectators arriving at the event.

    Language skills in at least English are required. Other language skills are a plus in this assignment.

    Merchandise

    This assignment involves working in the merch shop of the event between Monday and Sunday. The duties include selling merch to customers, as well as customer service.

    Fluent English language skills are required. Other language skills are a plus in this assignment.

    VIP

    This assignment involves working in the VIP premises of the event. The duties include hosting invited guests, access control, maintaining the cleanliness of the premises, and other assisting tasks in the VIP premises.

    Administration

    Accreditation

    This assignment involves working in the accreditation office. The duties include handing out accreditation passes to the media, invited guests, the organisation and volunteers. In addition, the job description includes various assisting tasks related to the activities of the accreditation office.

    Staff office

    This assignment involves working in the staff office of the event. The duties include assisting in matters related to staff accommodation, venue logistics, the reception, unloading and handing out of various shipments, maintaining inventory, printing and laminating, various office work, and the handing out and returning of gear for both volunteers and athletes.

    Security

    Traffic control

    This assignment involves working as a traffic controller at the event. The place of work can be located along the cycling/running route or in the parking area of the event. The duties also include monitoring the points along the running route where the runners and pedestrians cross paths. Age of 18 or over and a valid class B driving licence are required for the assignment of traffic controller.

    In addition to this, traffic control is needed throughout the event in the various parking areas and at the competition centre of the event.

    Security 

    This assignment involves working as a security at the event. The duties will take place during the competition week and on the competition days on Saturday and Sunday. Age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence are required for this assignment.

    First aid

    First aid team

    This assignment involves working in the first aid of the event helping professionals. The duties include various emergency care tasks, and the duties will take place throughout the competition week on 21st to 25th of August and the weekend competition days on 26th to 27th of August.

    Students in the field are especially wanted for this assignment to work with the professionals.

    Logistics

    Logistics team

    This assignment involves working in the logistics team of the event. The duties include moving vehicles along the race route on competition days, as well as working as a truck, van and/or forklift driver.

    A class C driving licence and previous experience of driving a truck or forklift are considered an advantage in this assignment.

    Construction

    Construction team

    This assignment involves working in the construction team of the event. The duties mainly include:

    • building and dismantling fence lanes
    • building and dismantling tents
    • assembling, dismantling and numbering bicycle and gear bag racks
    • installing and dismantling event carpets
    • attaching/removing banners
    • assembling inflatable arches, flags and other branding materials, putting them in place, and dismantling and packing them after the competition

    The duties will take place on the weekend before the competition weekend on 19th to 20th  August, during the competition week on 21st to 26th of August and in the days after the competition on 27th to 28th of  August.

    Environment

    Environment team

    This assignment involves working in the environment team of the event. The duties include emptying the waste bins located in the event area, maintaining the general cleanliness of the competition area, and cleaning the starting area of the competition of rubbish after the start.

    In addition, the environment team is responsible for advice at the recycling points to guide the spectators and participants on how to properly sort the waste in the event area.

    Media services

    Media team

    This assignment involves working in the media team of the event. The duties include so-called “hosting” of the media room, i.e. making sure that the services and catering offered to the media in the media room are in order. In addition, the duties include access control of the media room, assisting local and international media, and other possible assisting tasks.

    Catering

    Catering team

    This assignment involves working in the catering team of the event. The duties include assisting with large meals, maintaining the cleanliness of the premises at award ceremonies, and helping with food serving.

    In addition, the duties may include working in the canteen for the staff/volunteers.

     

    In addition to the above-mentioned assignments, volunteers are needed for assisting tasks in communications and marketing.

     

    Register as a volunteer

Benefits for volunteers:

  • orientation and training for the assignment, as well as possible general training related to the task area
  • speed dates with event organisers
  • group meetings and trying different sports together
  • various training sessions related to customer service, interaction skills, presentation, well-being and stress management, event security
  • thank-you party in autumn 2023
  • event-specific clothing
  • hot food (other than those who volunteer through clubs)
  • valuable work experience and networking
  • memorable opportunity to be part of a major event

Note: the event-specific clothing may vary depending on the event.

 

Requirements for volunteers:

  • positive attitude
  • cheerful mood and smile
  • participating in training
  • age of 18 or over and a valid security steward licence for the security steward assignment
  • at least a class B driving licence for the traffic controller assignment
  • a valid first aid card for the first aid assignment

Good language skills are considered an advantage in the volunteer assignments.

 

After registering, you should monitor your e-mail, as all information and communication takes place primarily by e-mail. Volunteers will be contacted by the event organiser soon after the information of the volunteers who signed up and agreed to the disclosure of their information is transferred to the event organiser by the City of Lahti.

Welcome aboard in making and enjoying experiences!