LOS ANGELES, July 15 (Our Los Angeles) — Los Angeles has started the two-year countdown to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games by opening Games-time volunteer applications, a first major recruitment step for an event that will depend on a large local work force.
LA28, the private organizing committee for the Games, said Tuesday it is seeking up to 60,000 volunteers for what it calls the Volunteer Crew. In its announcement, the group said, “Every great production needs a crew.”
What kind of volunteers is LA28 looking for?
LA28 said the volunteer program will include eight kinds of roles: communications, driving, experience, medical, ceremonies, operations, sport and technology.
Some jobs will require specialized skills. LA28 said those include medicine and language translation.
Where will the volunteers work?
Most volunteer opportunities will be in the Los Angeles area, LA28 said. But the group also expects to place volunteers at other host sites, including Oklahoma City and soccer venues in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San José and San Diego.
That spread matters because the 2028 Games will not be confined to one neighborhood or even one city. The volunteer force is meant to support events and operations across a wide map of venues.
When are the Games?
LA28 says the Olympic Games will run July 14-30, 2028. The Paralympic Games are scheduled for Aug. 15-27, 2028.
The organization says the city will become the third to host three Olympic Games, following 1932 and 1984, and that the 2028 event will be Los Angeles’ first Paralympic Games.
Who can apply?
LA28 said people who already expressed interest will get an email with next steps, but anyone may apply, even if they did not register earlier.
The volunteer application portal was built in partnership with Deloitte, according to LA28.
LA28 also said it will give at least seven days’ notice before the application closes, but it has not announced a closing date yet.
What happens next?
Reuters reported that LA28 chief executive Reynold Hoover said the recent World Cup showed “the power of sport to unite people” and that volunteers will be a key part of that experience.
AP reported that volunteer service is expected to run from March through August 2028 for the Olympics and from August through September 2028 for the Paralympics.
LA28 also says it has community volunteering opportunities tied to local organizations in Los Angeles. Those efforts focus on sustainability, restoration and the wellbeing of venue cities.
For Los Angeles, the volunteer rollout is more than a staffing drive. It is one of the first visible signs that the city is moving from planning mode into the final stretch before the Games begin.
