Volunteer Legacyof the Tokyo 2020
Olympic andParalympic Games

Contents

1

The “Volunteer” is Changing in Japan

03

2

Volunteer Needs for the Tokyo 2020 Games

06

Volunteer Recruitmentby the Organising Committee and Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Concerns about Volunteer Supply

3

Volunteer Legacies from London and Rio de Janeiro

10

London’s Intricately Planned Volunteer Legacy
Rio de Janeiro’s Attempts to Foster a Volunteering Culture

4

Volunteer Legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Games

12

5Volunteer Legacy Plan

14

Overview of the Volunteer Legacy

6aVolunteers with Disabilitiesb

Business People as Volunteer

cSenior VolunteersdStudent Olympic & Paralympic InternshipseUnemployed People Volunteering as a Means of Training for Workf

Housewives and Househusbands Volunteering as a Step Back Toward Work

Volunteer-Made Volunteer Legacies

19

chapter

1

The “Volunteer” isChanging in Japan

Need for 110,000 Volunteers
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

were flooded with far more volunteers than they
could take.2 For the volunteers, it must surely havebeen an unforgettable experience.

(hereafter “Tokyo 2020 Games”) are expected to
draw in over 110,000 volunteers. This breaks down
into 80,000 Games volunteers for the Tokyo

What Legacies will Remain?

O rg a n i s i n g C o m m i t t e e o f t h e O l y m p i c a n dParalympic Games (hereafter “the Organising

The word “legacy,” as found in the title of thisCommittee”) and 30,000 City volunteers to guidereport, should be kept at the forefront of the Olympics

tourists around Tokyo for the Tokyo Metropolitan

and Paralympics. The Tokyo Games in 1964 left

1

Government. With various events also planned tobehind transport infrastructure and buildings

take place across Japan during the Games, the scope

constructed for the Games, such as the Tokaido

of volunteer participation will extend beyond these

Shinkansen and high-speed roads. These well-known

110,000 to others as well. The year 2020 will be when

“hard legacies” played a significant supporting role indiverse forms of volunteering take place on an

Japan’s rapid growth in the following years.

unprecedented scale.

However, the circumstances surrounding the Tokyo

Lately, the role of volunteers has become essential

2020 Games differ greatly from those in 1964. Given

as the Olympics and Paralympics are growing in scalethat Tokyo is already one of the world’s developed

and complexity. Volunteering was first used in thecities, what sort of legacy can it leave? One looks to

London Games in 1948, and it has been formally a

the “soft legacies” that appear in the way people act

part of the system since the Barcelona Games inand cultural changes. A report 3 published by the

1992. Such volunteering not only assists in the

Recruit Works Institute in 2014 suggested how theoperation of events, but also provides a chance forlarge-scale, one-time employment of 815,000 people

people other than select athletes to play their part in(1.3% of the working population) for the Tokyo 2020

this prime sporting event.

Games could leave legacies. As the Olympics andBoth the recent London (2012) and Rio (2016)

Paralympics attract the attention of people from all

Games were assisted by huge crowds of volunteers

over Japan and the world, the legacies it leaves forinside and outside the venues, bringing excitement

the future could go some way toward resolving theand atmosphere to the Games. In each country, people

country’s social issues.

desire the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ofWhat types of legacy could this unprecedented

participating in their home country Olympics andscale of 110,000 volunteers leave for Japanese society

Paralympics, whether that be through near-impossible

in the years after 2020? Our proposal is to capitalize

effort as an athlete or as a volunteer. Both Gameson this opportunity to change the status of the

1 “Volunteering at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020,” Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
2 “Volunteering Strategy for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020,” Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Organising Committee for the Olympic
and Paralympic Games
3 “Impact of the Tokyo Olympics on Employment: Structural Reforms to be Made by 2020 to Overcome the Shortage of Human Resources” Recruit Works
Institute
Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games03

“volunteer” in Japan, as a means of creating newlearning. Despite this, volunteering has become

ways for people to participate in society.

strongly associated with the idea of “self-sacrifice.”
Volunteering at the Tokyo 2020 Games will

Volunteering in the form of diverse social

return the meaning of the word to its original

participation will leave each person whomeaning of “self-initiated enterprise,” seen as an

participated with a “career” legacy from theiropportunity to move toward an enriched andexperiences.

wide-ranging life career.
Volunteering is not just about altruistic good deeds, as
it also incorporates the idea that “participation is

Current Volunteering &Future Volunteering

fun in and of itself.” Games volunteering at the
Olympics and Paralympics “festival of sport” will be

Volunteering once meant “self-initiated enterprise.”a prime example of this. As lifespans increase, finding

However, the general understanding of the word

fulfillment in play (leisure) will hugely contribute to4“volunteering” today is that of “service.” This notion

people’s enjoyment of life.

has spread throughout Japan, and has come to play a
prominent role in supporting the vulnerable in society
and mobilizing relief at times of natural disaster. Of
course, those who volunteer are not doing so merely

Furthermore, volunteering is no longer a one-way

out of service, as they in turn find meaning andrelationship of supporting somebody else; it ischapter1
Number of volunteering articles in newspapers（no. of articles）

1997 Sea of Japan oil spill

9,000

2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

8,421

8,034

8,000
7,000

1995
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

6,000

5,713

5,000
4,000

rapid spreadnormalization in society

1991 Mount Unzen(Fugen-dake) eruption

3,435

3,000
2,000

Popularization
1,000
0
1984

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

2000

Source: Search of Asahi Shimbun articles between 1984-2016

4 "2016 Factfinding Survey on Citizen Contributions to Society," Japan's Cabinet Office04

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

02

04

06

08

10

12

14

16（year）

changing into an equal “mutual relationship”

their local community to be active, or if a housewife

where certain values are learned throughor househusband finds an opportunity to re-enter theparticipation as a volunteer. These values not only

workforce – then it will have helped create legacies inoffer a sense of contribution to others and of

the life careers of those individuals.

fulfilment felt by the volunteer themselves, but they

The spread of volunteering is also meaningful forare also the “fulfilment of leisure,” “learning,” andsociety. By allowing the individual to employ their“career development” found through participating inmotivations and abilities in aid of their local

community activities. It is important to note that thecommunities, volunteering is significant for both thevalue found in volunteering cannot be shown on an

individual and for their surroundings. In Japan, a low

economic scale. Recognizing the diversity of values

birth rate and an aging population mean that thethat go beyond economic measurement is itself linked

number of people needing support is growing larger

to turning the Tokyo 2020 Games vision ofthan the number of people giving support, and given“Accepting One Another (Unity in Diversity)” into

the limitations to public assistance and development

reality.

of self-assistance, it is absolutely essential to create
mechanisms for cooperative (mutual) assistance.

The Spread of Volunteering toincrease Social Sustainability

Increasing the diversity of volunteering – which in itsvery nature is cooperative (mutual) assistance – andmaking it possible for a more diverse range of people

Diversifying the ways people can participate insociety through volunteering will significantly

to volunteer will set the foundations for a society
where people live healthily to 100 years old.

increase the sustainability of Japanese society at aThis report provides a summary of Tokyo'stime when people will live to be 100 years old andvolunteer needs in 2020, lists volunteer legacies from5

the working population shrinks ever smaller.

First, volunteering experience will enrich people’s
life careers. People in Japan are currently stuck inthe most recent Games, and considers the specificchapter

1plans to leave a volunteer legacy for the upcoming
Tokyo 2020 Games.

singular, fixed social roles. For example, a businessperson has no time for themselves, seniors have
nowhere to put their skills to use, and those who havegone for a long time without work find it hard to reenter the workforce. However, a fulfilling life careerat a time when people live to be 100 years old would
be helped by people having multiple social roles in
the workplace and the home, as well as in the local
community, and different spheres of interest.6
With its place between work and leisure,volunteering works as an accelerator for people tofind new roles to play. If volunteering at the Tokyo
2020 Games helps people find new roles in their lives– if a business person finds new ways to spend theirleisure time, or a retired senior finds somewhere in
5 "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," 2015, United Nations
6 "On the 70th Anniversary of the War How Should We Leave Japan for the Next Generation? Looking Toward 2030," 2015, Japan Akademeia Long-term Vision
Institute

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games05

chapter2

Volunteer Needs
for the Tokyo
2020 Games

Volunteer Recruitment by
the Organising Committee
and Tokyo Metropolitan
Government

These concepts are undoubtedly also valid whenapplied to volunteers. Getting involved with newvolunteering work, in addition to busy everyday life,
represents striving for your personal best. Having
110,000 volunteers of different types – both old andyoung, male and female – acts as a symbol ofMore than 110,000 volunteers are currently
anticipated to be recruited for the Tokyo 2020 Games.
This breaks down into 80,000 Games Volunteers and
30,000 Tokyo City Volunteers, with additional city
volunteers in the surrounding prefectures.
Volunteers at the Olympics and Paralympics should
not be seen merely as labor without payment. As

diversity. Attention should be paid to the part about
connecting to tomorrow: in other words, the legacy.
Volunteering can also be expected to bring positivereform to Japanese society.
Before discussing legacy, it is worth introducing
the six key recruitment criteria for Tokyo 2020
Games volunteers and the work they will be doing.7

mentioned in the introduction, volunteer recruitment
provides the opportunity for all people, not justathletes, to participate in the Games. The Organising
Committee’s vision for the Games, outlined below,
suggests great expectations for the volunteers.

Application Conditions(provisional)
１．Be at least 18 years old on April 1, 2020
２．Be able to attend volunteer training
３．Be a Japanese national or have the rightto stay in JapanThe Tokyo 2020 Games Vision

４．Be able to volunteer for at least 10 days

The Tokyo 1964 Games significantly

５．Be enthusiastic and willing to be therechanged Japan. The Tokyo 2020 Games,

until the end to ensure the Games’

as the most innovative in history, will

successbring positive reform to the world bybuilding on three core concepts:

６．Be considerate of others and happy towork in a team“Striving for your personal best
(achieving personal best),” “Accepting
one another (unity in diversity),” andThe volunteering roles for the Games vary widely“Passing on legacy for the futurefrom those requiring expertise to those requiring none

(connecting to tomorrow).”

at all, with some roles taking place inside thecompetition venues and some outside.

7 “Volunteering at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020,” Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

06

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic GamesExamples of Volunteering Roles
Guidance at venues

Guide spectators and those affiliated with the Games at venues, check tickets,provide support for regulating entrance to venues, etc.

Doping control

Provide support for doping inspectors as they test athletes who have finishedcompetition

DriverTransport those affiliated with the Games between venues by car

Workforce registration

Sign in workforce at venues. Check the workforce member’s shift by referring totheir personal ID, and relay necessary information to them

Uniform distribution

Pass out uniforms to workforce members (volunteers and others) at a uniform
distribution facility

Media support

Provide support to Japanese and foreign media covering the Games at venues, thePress Center, and other locations

Language services

Provide communication support to those affiliated with the Games, including
athletes, the media, and foreign dignitaries

Support for teams

Support the teams that come from around the world. Start preparations prior to theteams entering the Olympic Village to facilitate a comfortable stay

Logistics support

Support the management and organization of goods brought to competition venues,
the Olympic Village, etc.

Support for rental
services

Support rental services that will supply the athletes, the media, and others related to
the Games with various items at the Olympic Village, Media Center, etc.

Support for sustainability
and recycling

Show athletes, spectators and others how to separate garbage for recycling toensure the sustainability of venues and other facilities

Support issue of IDs

Issue IDs to be carried by those affiliated with the Games based on pre-registeredinformation

Event operation support

Assist with event operations. Following the instructions of event officials, perform
duties, such as assisting with the progress of the event and providing support forathletes at venues and practice areas

Medical support

Act as “a first responder” who will rapidly respond in the event where a spectator
or Games affiliate suddenly falls ill or is injured

The various roles for City Volunteers (recruitedstations close to competition venues. They willby Tokyo Metropolitan Government) include tourist

primarily be positioned at airports, major stations,and traffic information for visitors from Japan andtourist spots and stations close to competition

abroad, as well as providing guidance aroundvenues.8

chapter28“Volunteering Strategy for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020,”2016, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Organising Committee for the
Olympic and Paralympic Games

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

07

Concerns about
Volunteer Supply
Guaranteeing the “Quantity”
and “Quality” of Volunteers

it will be easier for those with skills to volunteer.

“Bright and Sunny”
Volunteering for Fun
Aside from the issue of guaranteeing the quantityand quality of volunteers, it is also important toconsider how the meaning of volunteering at the

There will naturally be issues with recruiting a

Games can be communicated, and participation

large-scale supply of over 110,000 volunteers. The

encouraged. Various news reports have shown thatfirst that comes to mind is whether or not that number

public opinion about hosting the Tokyo 2020 Gamesof people can actually be brought together. In all

is not entirely positive at the present point in time.

likelihood, this will not be a problem.

How the gap in the level of support between the hostThis is because neither the Rio de Janeiro Games(2016; 50,000 volunteers) nor the London Games

chapter2

issue.

(2012; 70,000 volunteers) had trouble recruiting

There are also positives and negatives in terms ofvolunteers. As soon as recruitment started they

volunteering. Typical criticism includes questions

received more applications than there were places,

about why free volunteers are needed at such a highly

and both Games had more trouble narrowing downcommercialized event like the Olympics &the selection. Although the Tokyo 2020 Games will

Paralympics, and about the economic damage caused

be recruiting more volunteers than either of the two

by making work that originally would have been paid

previous cities, with a metropolitan population of

into work done for free. Such criticisms are madeover 35 million there should be no major issue inbecause of the differences to the old style ofguaranteeing there will be volunteers.

volunteering. Below, the contemporary implications

The next concern is that of quality, and whether the
Games can attract people with specialist skills. While08

city Tokyo and other regions can be closed is also anof readjusting this structure to volunteering in theTokyo 2020 Games are considered.

it is impossible to know until recruitment begins,

As mentioned above, the most commonly held

there is the possibility that not enough volunteers will

image of volunteering in Japan is that of “service.”have required skills, such as being multilingual or

There is a common understanding that one reaches

working in a medical profession.

out one’s hand when someone is in trouble or when

Finding a solution to this will require thethere are social issues. However, Games Volunteers

cooperation of businesses, associations andare only hazily connected to this idea. They support

educational institutions that are home to these skilled

the running of the Games, which are not host to any

individuals. Because volunteering should be self-

specific social issues. In basic terms, the point ofinitiated, they must not be forcefully “mobilized,” butbeing a volunteer is to experience being involved in

if these organizations are willing to provide thethe Olympics and Paralympics. They will participate

support that would make it easy for volunteers tobecause of the prestige in doing so, and to make goodjoin in, such as helping to disseminate information

memories.

about volunteer recruitment and the different roles

Those who are responsible for creating a fun

available and allowing the volunteers time off, thenfestival are as much volunteers as those who get

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Gamesinvolved to support those in need, in the sense thatvalues that are attached to volunteering. With thisthey are willingly doing so without any expectation

situation in mind, the way volunteer recruitment andof financial compensation. However, because they domanagement is conducted will be crucial.

not have any obviously apparent social worth, it iseasy to criticize Games Volunteers.

This new way of looking at volunteering for the
Tokyo 2020 Games, which lies outside traditional

Such “bright and sunny” volunteers will beparameters, if taken positively, could be a driving

strongly motivated by enjoyment, making it easy toforce toward changing the nature of volunteering. The

recruit applicants. In addition, with such a large scale

next chapter looks at the types of volunteer legacies

of volunteers for the Olympics and Paralympics, aleft behind by the recent host cities of London andcertain level of organizational efficiency will be

Rio de Janeiro.

necessary. This could lead to work being definitively
allocated in a way that neglects the ideas andautonomy of the volunteers during the recruitment
and running of the Games. This manner of delegation
would support the argument that their labor should becompensated and that they should therefore be paid.
In other words, volunteering at the Tokyo 2020
Games is fundamentally different in nature to the
traditional perceptions that have previously taken
hold in Japan of volunteering as “self-initiated” orbeing a form of “service,” and this is changing thechapter2

Perception of Volunteering
Previously

The Games

Self-initiatedForcefully
mobilized

Altruistic
activities(self-sacriﬁce)

A bright andsunny occasion
for festival

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games09

Volunteer Legacies
from London and
Rio de Janeiro Games

chapter3

How have recent Olympics dealt with volunteers?

after the Games had ended.

Let us take a look at the volunteer legacies of theAnother unforgettable volunteer legacy frommost recent host cities, London and Rio de Janeiro.

London was to give people with disabilities the

There are many things Tokyo should learn fromchance to volunteer. Based on the belief that “theLondon, a successful example of leaving a volunteer

opportunity to volunteer at the Games should be open

legacy in a developed country. Although its stage ofto all people,” the London Organising Committee ofdevelopment as a city is different, the example of Rio

the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) madede Janeiro can also provide suggestions for what tosure that “anyone can join in as a volunteer” by

do when volunteering is not a normal part of everyday

separately providing for supported volunteering solife.

that disabled people who wished to do so could
volunteer.

London Intricately
Planned a Volunteer
LegacyThe number of volunteers has risen hugely bymaking the most out of London’s need for 70,000
volunteers. According to government statistics, thenumber of volunteers in England rose sharply to 64%
in 2012-2013 compared to 57% in the year before the

The London Games in 2012 was helped by 70,000

Olympics, and has continued to rise in the most recent

Games Volunteers. As a mature host city, the soft

report to 70% (2015-2016).10 The volunteer legacy

legacies (cultural legacies rather than hard legacies

from the London Olympics has had a definite effect.

like infrastructure) that formed the focus of London’spost-Games plans were designed into a legacy planthat had no intention of leaving the volunteering thattook place during the Games to fade as a one-timething.

Rio de Janeiro
Encouraged the Growthof a Volunteering Culture

The so-called “Games Makers” database of Games
Volunteers changed its name to “Team London” after

The initiatives started in London were passed on to

the Games had ended, and was inherited by the

Rio de Janeiro. Volunteers in wheelchairs could be

London Mayor. A report released in 2016 showed thatseen around the competition venues at the Rio Games,

135,000 people had signed up to Team London

and the organizers are considering creating athrough its website and had been matched up withvolunteer database that will act as a continuation after9

over 1,600 groups. New volunteers joined those who

the Games.

had volunteered during the Games to continue to help

However, Rio faced difficulties that London did

out with local non-profit activities and sporting events

not thanks to the latter’s strong volunteering culture.

9“Team London Impact Report,”Greater London Authority, 2016 https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/volunteering/team-london-impact-report
10 “Community Life Survey,” Cabinet Office, 2014. 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/community-life-survey

10

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic GamesIn Brazil, the concept of volunteering is notparticularly widespread apart from in the case ofreligious activities. The Rio Organising Committee isbelieved to have been initially concerned about
recruiting enough people to meet the scale ofvolunteers needed. To deal with this, the Rio
Organising Committee met with related parties, sports
companies, and educational institutions before
beginning recruitment to explain the significance andnature of volunteering at the Games.

such people experience being a volunteer.

The Rio Games used many temporary venues andUsing such methods, the volunteers were gathered

was judged to be a highly cost-effective Games,

through the selection process and given training, but

i ncluding the meas u r es tak en f o r v o lun t e e r

the biggest problem occurred when the Games began,management. One of these was the use of “Selection

when 15,000 of the 50,000 volunteers did not show

Volunteers” to decide which volunteers to choose.

up at the competition venues, giving up during the

The process of choosing 50,000 volunteers fromevent.11 One of the more remarkable reasons given

170,000 applications necessarily involves huge costs.

was that many people had signed up just to get the

The Rio Organising Committee recruiteduniforms, but in fact there also appear to have been

approximately 1,000 selection volunteers who weremanagement issues, including the fact that theexperts from elite industries like business andmeaning of volunteering at the Games had not reallyacademia. In other words, selection was left to thetaken hold among the people, and the fact thatchaptervolunteers. The Selection Volunteers were given theirinformation about specific duties and postings camelunch and transport expenses, but of course were

only immediately beforehand, leaving no time to3

unpaid. These 1,000 volunteers were given training

prepare.

by the Rio Organising Committee, and, without a

Despite these problems, on the whole, Games

doubt, this training process was highly cost-effective.

volunteers appeared to enjoy their time supporting the

The selection volunteers included many high fliers,

Olympics. Given that the Rio Games only finished insuch as executives from global companies and retired

2016, it will still be some time until we see what true

entrepreneurs; the Rio Organising Committee

outcomes it has delivered, but those with the pricelesssuggested that there was great significance in having

experience of volunteering at the Games will surely
go on to get involved in various activities, not least
future sporting events.
Even in Rio de Janeiro, where until the curtain
opened there were doubts as to whether the Games
would even happen, efforts are being made to leavebehind a legacy from the participation of huge
numbers of volunteers. What sort of volunteer
legacies could be created in 2020? The next chapter
looks at possibilities for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

11“Rio 2016: Thousands of Olympic volunteers quit over‘long hours and lack of food',”Independent, 2016

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games11

chapter

4

Volunteer Legacyof the Tokyo
2020 Games

Life Careers in an Age of
100-Year Lifespans

What role does volunteering play in building
enriching life careers? At this point it is worth taking
a look at the fact that volunteering is not just a

Until now, the focus has been on looking at thediscussions surrounding Tokyo 2020 Games
volunteers and reflecting on the volunteer legacies ofpast Games. It is now time to move on to thinking
about what sorts of legacies can be created by thevolunteering at the Tokyo 2020 Games. We believethat using this opportunity to bring to life diverse
ways of volunteering will give people more options
for enriching careers in an age where people will live
to be 100 years old.
Careers have been changing significantly in recent
years. The fixed division of labor between men atwork and women at home is breaking down, andmore and more people are looking for both aworkplace career and home life in search of work-lifebalance. Further reforms to the way we work haveliberated people from work and given them the time
to find fulfilment in life. Increases in people’s healthy
life expectancies mean they will seek a wider rangeof roles, such as relearning on adult education courses
and participating in local activities.
In the future, the focus will fall increasingly on“life careers” rather than just work. Society is
increasingly seeing it as natural to create roles foroneself appropriate to one’s stage of life, regardlessof age or sex.

Volunteering “Values”
that Enrich Careersunilateral service.
Along with contributing to society, volunteeringoffers a wide range of imperceptible values. These
values take various forms depending on the aimsof the volunteers, such as fulfilling “play (leisure),”opportunities for “learning” or “step toward
employment,” and in all these cases, although it
looks like volunteering may be a one-way street, in
actuality it allows for the exchange of thoseimperceptible values.12
In the future, volunteering will move on from justservice to act as a step forward to what the volunteer
wants to do, turning it into a choice made to enjoy
leisure time. The values of this are explained below.
First, there will be more casual volunteeringexperiences like those of the Games Volunteers who
got involved both to “contribute to others” and to“have fun.” Enjoying “play (leisure)” is clearly very
important to having a fulfilled life. This is particularly
the case for seniors after retirement, for whom
volunteering is becoming a way to spend leisure time,
not only enjoying oneself but also in a way thatprovides a sense of meaning.
Fascinating research lies behind the “learning” and“step toward employment” values. The results of asurvey conducted by an American research instituteon over 70,000 unemployed people showed that thosewith volunteering experience had a higher rate of

12 In 1980, the global authority on career development theory, Donald E. Super, published a life career rainbow with nine life roles: citizen, worker, leisurite,
student, child, parent, spouse, homemaker, and pensioner. Sunny E. Hansen further developed this theory with the four“L”
s of Love, Labor, Learning, and Leisure
as life roles. The values learned through volunteering can also be corresponded within these categories.

12

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Gamesfinding a job by 27%.13 Volunteering helps people

73rd for volunteering, the lowest out of all developed

find work because of the role it plays in building

countries. 14 The UK with its supposedly deeplysocial capital (human networks, reputation, etc.) androoted volunteering culture was placed at 30th, andhuman capital (skills, knowledge, etc.).

even the ostensibly undeveloped Brazil was still

In Japan, taking the step of becoming a volunteer

placed at 63rd.

can lower the hurdles to finding or going back to

The Tokyo 2020 Games will be the optimum

work. It is increasingly recognized as an opportunityo p p o r t u n i t y t o s h o w c a s e d i ff e r e n t w a y s o f

for students to learn career values or for housewives

participating in society and to change the way

and househusbands to take the wheel and get back tovolunteering is perceived. In addition to having overwork.

110,000 people actually volunteering, the things that

Volunteering values – “contribute to others,”

they do will be reported across the country by the“learning,” “step toward employment,” and “playmedia. Given this, how should the legacy plan be(leisure)” – do not have to be separate, and it is notcreated and put into action? The next chapter looks

uncommon for people to learn several values at once.

into the specifics of legacy.

Although volunteering can have all these effects, itcannot be said that the most is being made of all these
possibilities in Japan at present. While it is usual for
people to get involved with local activities andfestivals, still only a minority of people get involved
with social activities that have a fixed purpose. A
survey by an international institution placed Japan at

chapter

4

Diverse Volunteering Values

Contribute to others

Involvement
in Volunteering

Learning
Step toward
employment
Play (leisure)13 “Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment Report” 2013, Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
14 Proportion of people who have“volunteered their time to an organization in the past month,”“CAF World Giving Index 2017”CAF (Charities Aid
Foundation)

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games13

chapter5

Volunteer
Legacy Plan

Overview of the Volunteer
legacyto all people.15
First, disabled volunteer participation. The Games willneed to reflect the thoughts and ideas of people withdisabilities, in order to hold a Games that is barrier-free

In the approach to 2020, volunteering will return to its
original form of “self-initiated activity.” Furthermore,
the values people learn f rom getting involved involunteering will become more varied than ever before.
Volunteering helps people find fulfilment through“learning,” “step toward employment” and “play(leisure),” in addition to helping them “contribute toothers.” These are all things that will enrich people’s
lives as they live to be 100 years old, and could be a setof values used to support society from 2020 onwards.
There are six legacy plans to make volunteering open

and open to all. It is hoped that in the so-called“Dynamic Engagement of All Society,” people
const rained by disa bilit y will have t he same
opportunities as non-disabled people to engage involunteering.
Second, business people working secondarily as
volunteers. With the government’s acceptance of theprinciple of secondary careers at a time when the ways
we work, live and play are changing, experiences inplaces different from our everyday allow us to expand
our horizons and learn. The support of business people

Making Volunteering Open to All
Contribute to others

Learning
Seniors

Peoplewithdisabilities

Students

Involvement
in Volunteering

Businessス
ネジビ
ンpeopleソーパ

Business
people

ビジネス
Unemployed
パーソン
Housewives
andhousehusbands

Play (leisure)

Step toward
employment

14 Proportion of people who have“volunteered their time to an organization in the past month,”“CAF World Giving Index 2017”CAF (Charities Aid
Foundation)
15 It is possible to learn multiple values, such as “learning” and “step toward employment” or “contribute to others” and “play (leisure)” fulfilment throughvolunteering. The plots on the maps are representative examples; so for example, it is possible for a student to volunteer for “play (leisure).”14

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Gamesworking at the forefront of their industry at the Games
will surely add to the quality of Games management.

have in order to make the Games better.
Although, in the present circumstances, the volunteer
needs of people with disabilities are by no means small,it cannot be said that their wishes are currently being

Third, senior volunteers. Volunteering is one way tomet.16A survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor andgive people a feeling of having a role to play in society.

Welfare showed that only 1.5% of people under the age

In a country of extreme aging, it will be meaningful toof 65 who are certified as having a disability or are

have seniors with great experience contributing to therecipients of disability support have been involved in

Games.

social activities like volunteering, even though 6.8%

Fourth, student participation. As was the case during

replied that they would like to get involved.

the 1964 Tokyo Games, the Olympics and Paralympics

Many people are likely to have given up on the idea

have the power to alter their outlook on life and theirof volunteering f rom the offset because of theircareer values. The Games will hopefully take place in adisability. The gap between those who potentially want

way that allows students (who will be our future) suchto get involved as volunteers and those who actually do

opportunities.

may consequently be even greater.

Fifth, volunteering by the unemployed as a step

In London, the media gave lots of coverage to what

toward employment. The longer somebody goesthe disabled volunteers were doing. In the subsequentu n e m pl o y ed , t h e h a r d e r t h e y f i n d i t , bo t h

Rio Games as well, volunteers in wheelchairs were often

psychologically and in terms of skills, to get back toseen giving out information inside competition venues.

work. Because volunteering is not a form of f ull

Seeing this sort of thing in real life really demonstrates

employment (half-employment), it can be used as athat when appropriate consideration is given, it is

stepping stone to get to employment.

possible for anyone to actively participate, regardless of

Sixth, housewives and househusbands volunteering.

whether they have a disability. On the Olympics andGetting away from housework and volunteering for

Paralympics stage, where attention is greater than for

leisure or as a step toward employment will expand theanything else, casting the spotlight on the active

horizons of their career choices after the Games haveparticipation of disabled volunteers will surely increase

ended.

the various ways they can participate in society,aVolunteers
with Disabilities

In London and Rio de Janeiro, support was provided

5

including through volunteer work and employment.

bBusiness People
as Volunteer

to create an Olympics and Paralympics where anybody

Business people in Japan work too much. In an era

could get involved and people with disabilities could

when people will live to be 100 years old, people should

participate as volunteers. The Tokyo 2020 Games will

not be engrossed in one organization alone; they should

inherit this initiative and take it even further forward.

play various roles in various communities. When aFirst, people with disabilities are aware of issues inbusiness person who has been fiercely devoted to their

daily life, of which non-disabled people have nowork retires, they find they have no place in the home

understanding, and will know if there is a solution to aand society, and there are endless examples of businessproblem when it arises. It will be crucial to reflect theperson becoming withdrawn and isolated.

thoughts and demands that people with disabilities will

chapter

Volunteering in your company’s CSR activities is an

16“Results of Survey on Life Pain in 2011 (nationwide survey on actual state of at-home disabled children and adults),”2013, Health and Welfare Services for
Persons with Disabilities Division, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games15

effective way of broadening your career prospects.

follow-up and coordination of further opportunities canSome Japanese companies are developing original CSR

also be effective.

plans, with some offering staff volunteering as anThis sort of initiative can be expected to leave legacies

option. Recently, pro-bono programs, where businessin the organization’s culture and systems after thepeople use the skills they have cultivated in their work

Games have ended, increasing employees’ satisfaction

to provide support to NPOs and other causes, haveand offering other benefits, such as those outlined above.

become increasingly common, and are seen positively as

As the ban on supplementary and secondary jobs isan opportunity to volunteer in a way that exhibits

gradually lifted and people start looking toward multi-

peoples’ individualities and strengths.

track careers, how would it be if it were all to start

Some suggest that volunteering is all well and good as
one approaches retirement, but that during one’s
working life people should devote themselves to theirwork. However, survey results showing that people

through actively encouraging staff to volunteer in theTokyo 2020 Games?

cSenior Volunteers

seeking links to society only as they approach immediate
retirement are too late should not be overlooked so
17

Involvement with volunteering during themind the image of young people or those in the prime

prime of one’s life, and creating enriching, multi-of their working lives. However, it will be important toperspective social capital, is a worthwhile investment in

get retired seniors to participate in civic work to support

an era where people live to be 100 years old and is a way

the wider society in Japan as it ages.

of building a safety net.

Notably, volunteering by seniors leads to them having

easily.

chapter

5

The word volunteer may still, in general, bring toMoreover, crossing over and being active in fields

greater connections with other people, and helps them todifferent to everyday life acts as a positive influence on

maintain and improve their health. Furthermore, getting

business people’s everyday work. According to researchseniors with wide ranges of experience involved as

by NPO Houjin Nimaime no Meishi (Second Businessvolunteers will surely contribute to the quality of theCard), which promotes business people going beyond

Games’ management.

the f ramework of their organizations and getting

However, in the current situation, less than 30% of

involved with new activities, it is particularly effective

seniors in their sixties and seventies are involved in

in improving skills like stability, diversity management,

volunteering. Although there is a slight jump in men

and team building.18 According to Recruit Works

volunteering after retirement, the proportion of women

Institute, there is a clear trend f or people withvolunteering drops, and considering the increase insupplementary or secondary jobs to feel a sense ofleisure time people have after retirement (even taking

growth from their work.19

into account their reduced physical capabilities), it would

It will be necessary for companies to provide active

appear the rise in volunteering is limited, and that aback up for their volunteers in the upcoming Tokyo

vibrant volunteering culture does not really exist among2020 Games. With volunteers away from their normal

seniors in Japan.

work duties for ten days, companies will need to makeJapan has the most advanced aging society in theconsiderations for extended periods of summer leave,

world. It will be essential to spread the word about

and to improve their volunteer leave systems. Prior

seniors actively participating in volunteering, and to

training will surely be needed to maximize the learning

create opportunities for more people to get involved.

to be gained from volunteering, and post-volunteering
17“Study on Social Contribution Activities of Elderly People: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis,”2012, The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training
18 For more information on the effects of supra-organizational activities on skills development, see“The Science of Cross-Border Learning,”2017, NPO Houjin Nimaime no Meishi
19“Japanese Panel Study of Employment Dynamics: Progress and Evaluation of Work Style Reform,”2017, Recruit Works Institute16

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Volunteering Rate by Age
40％

Women

35％
30％
25％

Men

20％
15％
10％
5％

74

79

80

85

85

〜

Student Olympic &Paralympic Internships

69

75

〜

64

70

〜

59

Living Activities – Nationwide (Questionnaire A)

65

〜

60

〜

54

55

〜

49

50

〜

44

45

〜

39

40

〜

34

35

〜

29

Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities (2016)

d

30

〜

24

25

〜

19

20

〜

14

15

〜

〜

10

+

0％

Volunteering Activities

However, the original “self-initiated” volunteers foundtheir own opportunities, and it would be great if such an
initiative could be created.

The Tokyo Games in 1964 off ered the unique

For all students, “fun” volunteering at the Olympics

opportunity to connect with athletes and visitors fromand Paralympics will be a unique occasion. Getting

overseas, and to look out toward the world and expand

students (the next generation) involved in the Games

one’s horizons. Young people at the time found thesewill be both an opportunity f or students to getexperiences to have a positive effect when building theirinternships but also to change the image of volunteering.

careers later in life. The Tokyo Games in 2020 also plan

Bringing this to fruition will require cooperation withto offer experiences and opportunities that will have ahigher education institutes, such as universities. In

positive impact on young people’s futures, making them

particular, getting regional educational institutes

truly great, both for young people and society.

involved as we move toward the Games will help create

Volunteering at the Tokyo 2020 Games will be an
unparalleled volunteering experience, both, of course, for5

a movement across Japan as a whole, and not just inTokyo.

students living in Tokyo, but also, in particular, f orAnother key to success is whether society will value

students living in provincial areas. Surveys havemechanisms, such as giving credits for volunteering indemonstrated that people who have worked far away

one’s free time. While some see volunteering for credits

f rom their hometowns to be highly enterprising andas defeating the purpose of the object, past studies

deeply sensitive to the appeal of the provinces, but studentssuggest both self ish and altruistic motives to beliving in provincial areas have basically no opportunities toimportant.21 Such incentives are thought to be effective

get internships in the Greater Tokyo area.20

in allowing people the opportunity to learn, from a

Meanwhile, “service” has been mandatory inchapteryoung age, what volunteering means to them.

metropolitan high schools in Tokyo since 2007, andIn America (a country big on volunteering), in fact,many students have volunteered as part of their lessons.

educational institutes and businesses actively place high20“Survey on U-Turn/I-Turns and Finding Work,”2015, Recruit Works Institute
21 Researchers argue that volunteers are not only altruistically motivated, as they also volunteer out of their own interests or because it will be helpful for theircareer progress. See the following as an example: ‘“Paid-for Volunteering” Working Practices: Approaches and Reality,’ 2005, Akiko Ono, The Japan Institutefor Labour Policy and Training
Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games17

value on having a past record of volunteering, which has

opportunities or self-confidence to take a step forward.

succeeded in giving it a social motive. Starting with

It has also been pointed out that unemployed shut-ins

volunteering at the Tokyo 2020 Games, it could be(hikikomori) and NEETs are aging in Japan, andpossible to get educational institutes to offer credits fortherefore a wide range of ages should be included whenvolunteering, and if a culture could successfully bebuilding the road for unemployed people to take theircreated whereby having volunteering on one’s CV wasfirst steps toward employment.

seen positively by businesses when hiring, thenvolunteering among young people could become all themore popular.

echapter5

Unemployed People
Volunteering as a Meansof Training for Work

Lots of people stop working to look af ter theirfamilies through childcare or caregiving. However,

In London, the Games provided young unemployed

many do want to get back to work, and as labor

people with training for work and helped them withshortages grow increasingly acute across society, it iswork opportunities. The Olympics and Paralympics arestrongly hoped that they will re-enter the workforce.

a unique opportunity to get unemployed people who

As Japan’s active opening ratio reaches a 44-year

have given up on looking for work, while having thehigh, barriers to re-employment are being lowered, but

potential motivation to work, back into the labor market

there are still many people not in work. Behind this lies

by making them excited about working again.

concerns about re-employment, such as “whether the

There is no reason why volunteering at the Tokyo

location and time will be what I want,” “will my skills

2020 Games could not be similar. Making it possible forbe put to use,” and “will I be able to work the way I

unemployed people who want to work to get involved

want.” Many companies still take fulltime as the norm

as volunteers, and providing training that will help themin their business design. However, they would benefit

get jobs, could lead to them finding work after thefrom having the skills to manage their working practices

Games are over.

in a way that suited those who want to work less.

For example, according to the “White Paper on

There are also psychological barriers. Many peopleChildren and Young People,” there are 770,000

feel “uncertain about going back to work” or that theirunemployed people between the ages of 15-39 in Japan“skills are no longer relevant” due to the perception that

22This is equivalent to 2.3% of thetime spent raising children is blank time. Volunteering

population of this age group, and is part of a long-term,can, therefore, be an effective step in getting such peoplesilent upwards trend. Excluding illness, injury and thoseback to work. Those who get involved as Games

who are studying for qualifications, some eye-catching

Volunteers for such a spectacular occasion will worry

reasons given for why young people who want to work

less than they would about getting back to work, andare not looking are that “I looked but couldn’t findthis could serve as a good, substantive opportunity to lay

anything” and “I don’t have any confidence in my

the groundwork beforehand. With volunteering at theknowledge or abilities.” If volunteering is used as aTokyo 2020 Games positioned as being a stepping stone

starting point and pre- and post-Games training and job

for getting back to work, it could be worth encouraging

seeking support provided, then the Games could provehousewives and househusbands to get involved by

to be a big chance for people who have not had theproviding services such as childcare facilities.

(as of 2016).

22 “White Paper on Children and Young People,” 2017, Cabinet Office18

fHousewives andHousehusbands
Volunteering as a Step
Back to Employment

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Gameschapter

6

Volunteer-MadeVolunteer Legacies

This report has suggested six legacy plans for

between diverse stakeholders will help to build avolunteers: people with disabilities, hardworking

volunteer legacy suitable for a Games held in abusiness people, young people about to enter into themature city, aiming to leave Japanese society in aworld of work or those looking to find a job,

better place than it was before, and one that can behousewives and househusbands looking to get backpassed on to Paris, the next host of the Games.

into work, and seniors who wish to use the skills they
have cultivated to help society after retirement andlead fulfilling lives. Volunteering could be aneffective choice to help them thrive in theirindividuality and build enriching life careers.
The challenge in creating legacies lies in how tobring these plans to life. We suggest that volunteering
will leave a legacy in and of itself.
Japan is already moving forward with various
activities aiming to resolve social issues. Manycompanies and NPOs are targeting the different issues
surrounding careers, such as support for unemployedyoung people to enter the workforce, support forhousewives and househusbands getting back to work,

Volunteer Legacyof the Tokyo 2020
Olympic andParalympic Gamesor providing the place and opportunity for people tobe active outside of their companies.
Will it be possible to make the most of thevolunteers in the Games, and to use them to move

Project Leader:
Akie Nakamura (Manager of Center for Labor Policy)

ahead, such as through involving people who are

Yukio Okubo (General Manager)

actively engaged, talking with them at the planning

Yoshihiro Toyoda (Senior Chief Researcher)stage and building a legacy plan, and making suretheir skills are utilized when it is time to start? If thisKoumei Ishikawa (Visiting Researcher)
Shoto Furuya (Researcher)
Tomoko Tanimoto (Assistant)can be achieved, this scheme will become a legacy of

Designwhich Japan can be proud, and that can be passed on

Yusuke Saitou (blue Vespa)

to the next hosts of the Games.
The organizers of the London Games said that“careful planning in advance is needed to build alegacy.” It is still not too late. A vibrant conversation

Published by Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.
Recruit Works Institute©Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Volunteer legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games19

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Tokyo 104-8001 JapanTEL 03-6835-9200
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