The search to find more than 13,000 volunteers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has begun as applications open today to coincide with Volunteers’ Week.

The the aim is to provide a community of passionate people with the chance to play a vital role in delivering the Games in just over a year’s time.

The volunteers – known as the “Commonwealth Collective” – will be a dedicated and dynamic group that will reflect the diversity of the West Midlands as well as the modern Commonwealth.

The volunteers who join the Commonwealth Collective will be the public faces of Birmingham 2022 and represent the heart and soul of the Games experience for athletes, officials, spectators and a global audience of over one billion. The Games is the largest sporting and cultural event ever to be held in the West Midlands and the biggest in the UK for a decade.

The majority of volunteer roles don’t need any formal experience or qualifications, with full training provided. Roles include drivers, first aiders, meet & greeters, venue preppers, kit carriers, courtside assistants, and everything in between to help the Games run smoothly and create a unique experience right across the region.

The 13,000 volunteers who form the Commonwealth Collective will receive approximately 250,000 hours of training and complete one million hours of volunteer time.

Applicants must be aged 18 by 1st January 2022 and can select preferred areas of interest which include Event Services, Accreditation, Transport, Sport and Media. A young volunteer programme for 14-17 year olds will begin recruitment in the autumn.

25,000 shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview at the Volunteer Selection Centre between September and December 2021, which will be held at the iconic Library of Birmingham. Successful volunteers will be notified with a role offer from January 2022.

Dame Louise Martin, President of Commonwealth Games Federation said: “As volunteers are the heart and soul of the Commonwealth Games, it is very exciting to launch the search to find 13,000 special individuals to form the Commonwealth Collective. They will be the face of Birmingham 2022, interacting with athletes, officials and spectators to create experiences that will last a lifetime.

“The Commonwealth Collective will showcase the very best of the West Midlands, the country and the Commonwealth, so if you are passionate about being part of Birmingham 2022, I would urge you to submit an application to be part of an event that will be truly memorable.”

Applications are now open to be a volunteer at Birmingham 2022 and join the Commonwealth Collective. To apply and find out more, visit www.birmingham2022.com