ABSTRACT

At the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics the crowd’s loudest cheers, perhaps predictably, were reserved for the Games volunteers. They were popularly referred to as the ‘Games Makers’ and were almost universally praised for their unfailing politeness, helpfulness and for the cheerful, enthusiastic glow they brought to managing spectators at the Games (Heald, 2012). But a key question remained: how might their positivity, skills and experiences best be tapped to ensure a wider, long-lasting 2012 Games legacy?