Proud to be British: An auto-ethnographic study of working as a Games Maker at London 2012.

Abstract

This auto-ethnographic study of working as a Games Maker at London 2012, demonstrates the motivational challenges behind volunteering for an event nearly two years in the future and the issues this causes. The task of keeping 70,000 international volunteers motivated over a long time frame, whilst not providing any financial incentive, was a huge risk and investment yet the response from athletes, media and the general public when the Games ended was that the Games Makers were the a vital part of the success of London 2012. This study shows how the initial stages of the volunteer programme suggest that even though the author was pre-selected, the generic training, primary knowledge exchange and pre-Games engagement were potential de-motivators. It was only once that the role-specific and venue training was undertaken, that the volunteer enthusiasm returned. This study follows a personal journey of one such volunteer. The paper modifies Bang and Chelladurai’s original motivational pull theory, by arguing through an auto-ethnographic study, that motivations will change over the timescale of the volunteer experience and involvement. It does this in contrast to previous studies that have favoured quantitative methods, with data collected at one point in time as opposed to this study which captures motivation over a 24 month period.