LA28 opened the first step Thursday toward applying to participate as a volunteer at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Games’ local organizing committee launched a registration page to join the LA 28 Volunteer Crew to participate in what the organization described as “in community-focused volunteering.”
LA28 will direct the community-focused volunteering on “causes across the city, from wildfire recovery and hunger relief to supporting youth sports and communities in need,” LA 28 said in a statement.
The application process for Games-time volunteering will open next summer. “You don’t need to volunteer in the community to apply for Games-time roles, but early involvement is encouraged,” LA28 said in a statement.
Registering does not guarantee a spot in the program.
LA28 officials have estimated that between 50,000 and 75,000 volunteers will be needed for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. More than 45,000 volunteers supported the 2024 Games in Paris.
Volunteers have been credited by IOC officials as having a significant impact on the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. More than 28,000 volunteers participated in those Games, approximately 35 percent of the Los Angeles Games’ total workforce.
“The Games would not be possible without the volunteers who are key in shaping the experience of fans and athletes alike,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “The volunteer program will be another step toward building greater community engagement around the Games. Through programs like this and our monthly Shine LA activations, we are bringing this city together in the spirit of the 2028 Games and building a foundation for future civic engagement.”
Registered volunteers in the community-focused volunteer program will be notified by email for sign up for “specific events based on their location and interests.”
LA28 said it reserves the right to request applicants to undergo a background check.
“Persons convicted of serious criminal acts, including but not limited to arson, abuse, kidnapping, terrorist threats, sex offenses, assault, battery, child abuse, child neglect, dependent adult abuse, elder abuse, hate crimes, drug trafficking, stalking and related crimes, and/or persons registered as sex offenders, are not eligible to participate as LA28 volunteers,” the organization said.
More information can be found at LA28.org/volunteer.