April 2020

Volunteer Update

As a global charity, our mission is “to create a healthier and happier planet. Free, for everyone, forever”, and whilst parkrun events are currently closed around the world we are still striving to achieve this mission and remain as committed as we have ever been.

Our culture is most important and built on the foundation that people are innately good, and typically act with the best of intentions. We are committed to providing fun, inclusive, community events and aim to remove all barriers to participation.

You can read more about our culture and other key principles on our Volunteer Hub.

Over the past few weeks, our team of staff have called several hundred Event Teams and Ambassadors across all 22 countries we operate in. Conversations have highlighted each of our volunteers are facing unique challenges, some are welcoming a slower pace of life, others are faced with incredible challenges. More than anything, these calls have reminded us all of the great value associated with simply reaching out through a friendly conversation.

If you are an Ambassador or Event Director that has not yet opted for a call from HQ, then we encourage you to do so via the invitation email.

Many of you are utilising modern technology to stay in touch with each other during this strange new locked-down state we are currently in. Popular video conferencing services, such as Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype etc. are more popular than ever and are a great way to stay connected to your parkrun family, to host fun quiz nights, play games and have virtual coffees together.

Whilst we are grateful that we have this technology to connect with each other, we would urge that you are as vigilant with your own and your family’s safety and privacy online as you would be in the ‘real world’. To keep yourself and others safe, take time to learn what these sites do with your data, and how to keep meetups private.

Sadly, as the use of video conferencing increases, so do the numbers of people hacking, trolling and ‘zoombombing’ them, including this unfortunate incident at Scottish Swimming last week.

We will continue to provide a weekly operational update from Tom Williams (our Global Chief Operating Officer) via each parkrun country’s blog page, and our national and global communications channels will do their best to make you smile.

You can find information on this month’s points plus everything else you need to know as a parkrun volunteer, via the Volunteer Hub.

We will get through this together.

Volunteer Update

As a global charity, our mission is “to create a healthier and happier planet. Free, for everyone, forever”, and whilst parkrun events are currently closed around the world we are still striving to achieve this mission and remain as committed as we have ever been.

Our culture is most important and built on the foundation that people are innately good, and typically act with the best of intentions. We are committed to providing fun, inclusive, community events and aim to remove all barriers to participation.

You can read more about our culture and other key principles on our Volunteer Hub.

Over the past few weeks, our team of staff have called several hundred Event Teams and Ambassadors across all 22 countries we operate in. Conversations have highlighted each of our volunteers are facing unique challenges, some are welcoming a slower pace of life, others are faced with incredible challenges. More than anything, these calls have reminded us all of the great value associated with simply reaching out through a friendly conversation.

If you are an Ambassador or Event Director that has not yet opted for a call from HQ, then we encourage you to do so via the invitation email.

Many of you are utilising modern technology to stay in touch with each other during this strange new locked-down state we are currently in. Popular video conferencing services, such as Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype etc. are more popular than ever and are a great way to stay connected to your parkrun family, to host fun quiz nights, play games and have virtual coffees together.

Whilst we are grateful that we have this technology to connect with each other, we would urge that you are as vigilant with your own and your family’s safety and privacy online as you would be in the ‘real world’. To keep yourself and others safe, take time to learn what these sites do with your data, and how to keep meetups private.

Sadly, as the use of video conferencing increases, so do the numbers of people hacking, trolling and ‘zoombombing’ them, including this unfortunate incident at Scottish Swimming last week.

We will continue to provide a weekly operational update from Tom Williams (our Global Chief Operating Officer) via each parkrun country’s blog page, and our national and global communications channels will do their best to make you smile.

You can find information on this month’s points plus everything else you need to know as a parkrun volunteer, via the Volunteer Hub.

We will get through this together.

Volunteer Update

As a global charity, our mission is “to create a healthier and happier planet. Free, for everyone, forever”, and whilst parkrun events are currently closed around the world we are still striving to achieve this mission and remain as committed as we have ever been.

Our culture is most important and built on the foundation that people are innately good, and typically act with the best of intentions. We are committed to providing fun, inclusive, community events and aim to remove all barriers to participation.

You can read more about our culture and other key principles on our Volunteer Hub.

Over the past few weeks, our team of staff have called several hundred Event Teams and Ambassadors across all 22 countries we operate in. Conversations have highlighted each of our volunteers are facing unique challenges, some are welcoming a slower pace of life, others are faced with incredible challenges. More than anything, these calls have reminded us all of the great value associated with simply reaching out through a friendly conversation.

If you are an Ambassador or Event Director that has not yet opted for a call from HQ, then we encourage you to do so via the invitation email.

Many of you are utilising modern technology to stay in touch with each other during this strange new locked-down state we are currently in. Popular video conferencing services, such as Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype etc. are more popular than ever and are a great way to stay connected to your parkrun family, to host fun quiz nights, play games and have virtual coffees together.

Whilst we are grateful that we have this technology to connect with each other, we would urge that you are as vigilant with your own and your family’s safety and privacy online as you would be in the ‘real world’. To keep yourself and others safe, take time to learn what these sites do with your data, and how to keep meetups private.

Sadly, as the use of video conferencing increases, so do the numbers of people hacking, trolling and ‘zoombombing’ them, including this unfortunate incident at Scottish Swimming last week.

We will continue to provide a weekly operational update from Tom Williams (our Global Chief Operating Officer) via each parkrun country’s blog page, and our national and global communications channels will do their best to make you smile.

You can find information on this month’s points plus everything else you need to know as a parkrun volunteer, via the Volunteer Hub.

We will get through this together.