VOLUNTEER AT THE WHEELCHAIR FENCING WORLD CUP, CARDIFF 2024!

Last Updated: 20/12/23

This is your chance to join the team to deliver the Wheelchair Fencing World Cup, taking place in Cardiff between 11th – 14th January 2024!

The organising team for the World Cup are excited to welcome new and existing volunteers, all who will play an integral part in delivering a world class experience for athletes, support staff, officials and spectators.

All volunteers will be provided with training prior to the event, giving you the knowledge and skills needed to fulfil the various roles throughout the competition. Scroll down the page to find out more information on the roles on offer.

We are committed to providing inclusive and accessible experiences for all volunteers, and we encourage everyone to sign up. If you need any support with completing the form or have any questions for the team, please email [email protected]

When and Where

• Volunteers will be located in various locations at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, CF11 9SW.
• Volunteers will be given the option to sign up for am or pm shifts, or full day shifts. There are opportunities to volunteer on every day from the 8th-14th January.
• Volunteers should expect to undertake a minimum of 6.5 hour shifts during this time. If you need shorter or more flexible shift patterns, please let us know via [email protected]
• Once you have completed the form, we will contact you with further information on the training dates, which will take place during November and December 2023.

Expected Schedule

Monday 8^th Jan – This will be a set-up day for the event.

Tuesday 9^th Jan – Weapons control will be open and athletes will be moving to and from their hotels to the venue for training.

Wednesday 10^th Jan – Weapons control will be open and athletes will be moving to and from their hotels to the venue for training.

Thursday 11^th Jan – First day of competition. All roles listed below will be in operation.

Friday 12^th Jan – Second day of competition.

Saturday 13^th Jan – Third day of competition.

Sunday 14^th Jan – Fourth and final day of competition.

Volunteer Roles

There are various roles on offer throughout the event. Training will be offered prior to the event to ensure you have the knowledge and information needed to fulfil these roles, which have been categorised as followed:

Venue and Transport support team

• Transport Meet and Greet
  Greet athletes at the venue, providing support with moving kit if and when required.
• Athlete Desk
  Help point for athletes and support staff,  answering any questions they might have.
• Welcome Desk (General)
  A source of information for spectators, including visiting schools and any VIPs.
• Corridor Help Point 
  Helping people find their way around the building including where refreshment spots, bathrooms, or answering any questions people might have on the event.
• Lift Monitor
  Ensuring lifts are accessible to those who need to use them, in particular at critical points throughout the competition day.

Weapons Check and Call Room support

• Weapons Check 
  Check-in and -out of equipment, providing assistance to the armourer team and ensuring the process is as efficient as possible.
• Call Room  – Ensuring athletes are ready for their matches, and assisting with movement of equipment to the piste.

Piste side assistance (Manual work is required)

• Piste side assistance 
  Right in the thick of the action, you will be there with front row seats to the matches, providing constant assistance to fencers and referees when required. This role requires manual work, but is very rewarding and a great way to see up close-up what happens at the events. This role includes moving the metal frames, helping the referee set distance, clamping athlete chairs onto the frame, assisting athletes with strapping wheelchairs to frames where required, assisting athletes out of the frame where required and being a help point for fencers and referees.
• Pod Leader
  As a pod leader you will be responsible for managing a ‘pod’ of 4 fencing pistes to ensure smooth transitions into breaks and troubleshooting any problems, as well as supporting the piste side team when required.

Media Team

Providing assistance with event media including photography, video and reporting. Some previous experience is preferred for this role, although supervision and support will be given.

• Photography – We are looking for a volunteer photographer with some experience of low-light indoor photography and capable of delivering high-quality edited digital images, at speed, to a brief.
• Video – We are looking for a volunteer videographer to support our livestreaming services and social media.
• Reporting/interviewing – Gathering flash quotes after competition and providing written reporting on the day’s events. This would suit a trainee journalist or comms person keen for wider experience in sport.

Other roles

There are a number of other roles throughout the competition that need to be fulfilled through certain points of the day. For example, supporting the smooth running of the medal ceremonies by setting up the podium quickly and efficiently ready for the medal ceremonies.

Age 

We have set the minimum age for this event as 16 years old.

Accommodation and Places to Stay

If you’re not local to Cardiff and looking for somewhere to stay during your time volunteering, we recommend visiting the ‘Places to Stay‘ section of Visit Cardiff website, where you will find a variety of place to stay.

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in Cardiff!