QF to Train Volunteers for The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM Volunteer Programme will be supported by the Qatar Foundation in providing the most accessible FIFA World Cup 2022 to date through the recruitment and training of specialized accessible volunteers.

In order to declare their interest in volunteering as an accessibility specialist, interested parties must register on qatar2022.qa/volunteers and submit the code VOLQF on page 3 of the application form's "Partner/Affiliation Code" section. The registration cut-off date is July 31.

For the purpose of fostering an inclusive atmosphere for football fans with special needs, accessibility volunteers will receive FIFA core training as well as specialized accessibility and inclusivity training.

Ryan Moignard, Special Requirements Football Coach at Qatar Foundation (QF), commented on the importance of volunteers to such events, saying: "Volunteers are important to the success of any mega-events and much more so for events that include people with accessibility needs in attendance. They are crucial in assuring the participants' health and safety. I'd even say that helping those that need accessibility is one of the most beneficial sorts of volunteering one can engage in.

Throughout the FIFA Fan Fest at Al Bidda Park, in sensory-friendly areas of the Global Street Carnival on the Corniche, and as spectators arrive at matches in Education City Stadium, accessibility volunteers will help with the visitor experience.

34-year-old Since the beginning of 2022, Tom Eastham, a marine fuel specialist for Qatargas, has volunteered to assist in the delivery of the QF ability-friendly football sessions. He has more than eight years of experience working with volunteers who have a range of disabilities.

"I prefer to be totally involved when I volunteer and being hands-on is exactly what you get out of it when you are working with a group of people who need special attention," he added. When you volunteer somewhere else, you might occasionally feel like a bit of an afterthought and like you're not really contributing anything, but volunteering with people who have special needs is just the opposite. For someone with disabilities, our presence as volunteers can make or break the experience, and it gives me the inspiration to do that.

The training program that QF has partnered on with FIFA for accessible volunteers shows the organization's commitment to empowering people by providing opportunities for everyone to participate in, get involved in, and learn.

Building local capacity and expertise through the training of accessibility volunteers, audio descriptive support, auditing fan areas for accessibility standards, and implementation of the experience of an accessible event are all things that QF is actively doing to support the delivery of integrated affordability for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022^TM. This includes developing sensory spaces for all individuals who may need sensory regulation and a calm area of respite.