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The 5 Best and 5 Worst Bits About Being A Gamesmaker

In a previous post I wrote about being an Olympic Gamesmaker but didn't really express the best and worst bits.

Here are my 5 best things about being a Gamesmaker:-

1. Being a part of London 2012
2. Meeting and working with some great people, the other Gamesmakers.
3. People I met in the street and train interested in my role and thanking me for volunteering.
4. Wearing a uniform! I haven't worn one since school.
5. Collecting pins. Badges from the different federations and countries, to decorate our accreditation badges.

Here are my 5 worst things about being a Gamesmaker:-

1. The early starts. I'm not a morning person and getting up at 5.15am was hard.
2. People in the streets and on the trains asking me questions when I had no idea of the answers as it was nothing to do with my role.
3. Not having time to spend with my family as my shift times meant I left the house whilst they were still in bed or I came back once they had gone to sleep.
4. The training I had received didn't prepare me for my role and I felt the days I had given up for it really were a waste of time.
5. Some of the systems we had to use were over complex and time consuming. Simpler systems could have been used instead and would have given the same results.

All in all being a Gamesmaker was a great experience. I'm pleased that as franchisor of Musical Minis, the Summer is a quieter time for me so I could take time off for The Olympics.

Being An Olympic Gamesmaker

I have previously written a post on how I became a Gamesmaker and my training. Now I have finished my shifts I wanted to share my experiences.

My Gamesmaker role was as a team leader with the Olympic Family Services. I was based at The Hilton Hotel, Park Lane which is where the International Olympic Committee , IOC, were staying. The Hotel was in complete lockdown, which meant only hotel guests could access the hotel. There was the opportunity for visitors of hotel guests to receive guest passes to enter the hotel. Security was high with hotel guests and staff having to pass through security gates and bags being scanned before accreditation badges were checked and entry into the hotel allowed.

My role was based at the Olympic Information Desk, set up in the lobby of the hotel. As team leader there were usually about 7 members of my team with me and these were split between the information desk and the guest pass centre. Luckily, there was always a paid London Organising Committee of The Olympic Games, LOCOG, shift manager above me who any issues could be referred to.