Last updated 02:48, Monday, 19 May 2008

IF YOU have ever thought about volunteering in sport, but you don’t know where to start, Get Connected can help.

Get Connected is a new online volunteering system that is being piloted by Sports Volunteering North West.

The system will provide a centralised database of volunteers, volunteering opportunities and volunteering activity across the region.

With Get Connected, volunteers can register and create accurate profiles, log volunteering hours towards accredited schemes and record personal development and growth, helping to create a powerful picture of what is happening in sports volunteering in the north west.

Sport volunteers don’t have to be sporty. There are plenty of general roles available. Get Connected will make getting involved and finding volunteers and placements much easier, whether your passion is volunteering at grass roots community sport or at world class sporting events.

More than 70,000 volunteers will be needed to support the Olympic Games in London 2012 and you could be part of the team. Imagine how many more people will come into sport because the Olympics has inspired them? This is your chance to join the race.

Get Connected can help you if:

n You are 18 or over and interested in sports volunteering

n You would like to track your personal volunteering journey to 2012

n You need volunteers!

The Get Connected system is positioned within the Sports Volunteering North West website.

Sports Volunteering NW is an independent regional body, which has been developed to represent volunteers and the voluntary sector in sport and physical activity in the North West.

Sports Volunteering NW need as many different volunteers and organisations as possible to go through the Get Connected system on their website and give feedback on how it works.

Registering as a volunteer is easy and is based entirely on YOUR interests, skills and availability. To register and give your comments on this new project, go to www.sportsvolunteeringnw.org and click on ‘get connected’.