http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1000247/1/.html
YOG organisers need more volunteers with foreign language skills
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 August 2009 2059 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
Mr Goh Kee Nguan
Video
YOG organisers need more volunteers with foreign language skills
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently urged more Singaporeans to serve as volunteers for the Youth Olympic Games – 5,000 more are needed to meet the 20,000 target for the inaugural event next year.
So far, the Games has attracted a cross section of volunteers, including students, housewives and retirees, who want to help out in the country's biggest sporting event.
But organisers said they are also in need of a few hundred people with foreign language skills.
Goh Kee Nguan, CEO of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, said: "205 delegations will be here, speaking the languages of the world, so in order to communicate with them a lot better, especially in the culture and education programme, we would like to encourage more volunteers with foreign language expertise and experience to come and join us."
All levels of language proficiency will be welcomed. The volunteers will act as interpreters and even translate official documents.
Such skills came in handy at the recent Asian Youth Games for volunteers like 25-year-old executive, Hasanah Saliman, who was an Arabic language interpreter.
Looking forward to a bigger challenge, she said: "For the upcoming Youth Olympic Games – since it is on a bigger scale – I think we will be receiving more calls, more enquiries from the athletes. I will definitely be brushing up on my Arabic-speaking skills."
All volunteers will start training next month in preparation for their roles. Some training will be conducted through e-learning to make it convenient for the volunteers.
The core training covers areas like what the Youth Olympic Games is all about, including safety and security aspects. This will be followed by the specialist training, such as logistics and anti-doping.
All volunteers will also be given a chance to familiarise themselves with the actual sites that they will be working at during the Games.
- CNA/so
YOG organisers need more volunteers with foreign language skills
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 August 2009 2059 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
Mr Goh Kee Nguan
Video
YOG organisers need more volunteers with foreign language skills
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently urged more Singaporeans to serve as volunteers for the Youth Olympic Games – 5,000 more are needed to meet the 20,000 target for the inaugural event next year.
So far, the Games has attracted a cross section of volunteers, including students, housewives and retirees, who want to help out in the country's biggest sporting event.
But organisers said they are also in need of a few hundred people with foreign language skills.
Goh Kee Nguan, CEO of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, said: "205 delegations will be here, speaking the languages of the world, so in order to communicate with them a lot better, especially in the culture and education programme, we would like to encourage more volunteers with foreign language expertise and experience to come and join us."
All levels of language proficiency will be welcomed. The volunteers will act as interpreters and even translate official documents.
Such skills came in handy at the recent Asian Youth Games for volunteers like 25-year-old executive, Hasanah Saliman, who was an Arabic language interpreter.
Looking forward to a bigger challenge, she said: "For the upcoming Youth Olympic Games – since it is on a bigger scale – I think we will be receiving more calls, more enquiries from the athletes. I will definitely be brushing up on my Arabic-speaking skills."
All volunteers will start training next month in preparation for their roles. Some training will be conducted through e-learning to make it convenient for the volunteers.
The core training covers areas like what the Youth Olympic Games is all about, including safety and security aspects. This will be followed by the specialist training, such as logistics and anti-doping.
All volunteers will also be given a chance to familiarise themselves with the actual sites that they will be working at during the Games.
- CNA/so
