New recruitment drive for Coventry Ambassadors

An award winning volunteer scheme and one of the most successful in Coventry is on the lookout for new recruits.

More than 300 Coventry Ambassadors who turned the city pink during the 2012 Olympics were acclaimed by visitors to Coventry. The volunteers welcomed thousands of visitors acting as guides and providing a lasting impression of Coventry.

Following the success of the scheme Coventry Ambassadors are keeping the London 2012 Legacy Alive volunteering at over 20 events and contributing over 20,000 volunteer hours including at the Coventry Half Marathon, the Corporate Games, The Godiva Awakes parade around the Ring Road and national events including a recent Davis Cup tie at the Ricoh Arena.

Already 300 people have expressed an interest in signing up to the scheme following the latest recruitment drive and applications are now open.

Councillor Ed Ruane, Cabinet Member for Housing and Heritage, said it was an ideal time for new volunteers to get involved.

He said:

We want to continue the Ambassadors scheme because it has proved a great part of the city’s events offer. We’ve put funding into the project and a new social enterprise has been set up by Coventry University which will work in partnership with Coventry City Council and other key partners for the benefit of the city.

The Coventry Ambassadors scheme won The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 so new recruits will be joining a project that has a national recognition of the highest order.

David Boughey, Coventry Ambassador Volunteer Manager at Coventry University, said:

We really want to push on now and develop the next phase of the scheme. We want to work with the many venues across the city that host events and want to ensure that there are a broad range of sporting, arts and other events that the volunteers can support.

The recruitment team will be talking to and seeking volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds, ages and experience including new and existing students at the universities and at other venues. We welcome applications from anyone who is interested regardless if they have volunteered before and we have already been inundated with expressions of interest.

Becoming a volunteer is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, represent the values of the city and build on your CV.

Coventry City Council has funded the scheme to further develop one of the city's greatest assets from the legacy of 2012.

Ian Dunn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience, Coventry University, said:

The Coventry Ambassador scheme for London 2012 was a great success and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with the City Council again to continue the programme and recruit new volunteers.

Our students are active members of the local community and many of them volunteered during the last intake. I’m sure we’ll see an equally enthusiastic response to this latest appeal for new recruits.

For more details on the recruitment process visit the Coventry Ambassadors website.

Applicants must be 18 or over on 1 January 2014 to be eligible.

The programme is funded by Coventry City Council and coordinated by Coventry University. Coventry Ambassadors will be managed by EnV, a new social enterprise. "In the city, by the city, for the city."