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Runners crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a marathon event.
Volunteer with us

Course Volunteers

Course Volunteers

Roles & Responsibilities

The course covers 42.195km of road throughout Sydney, with volunteers posted around the entire course.

Course work-teams are made up of Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders, and Crew along with various other Event Staff who all support one another to deliver an excellent event to all participants. On-course roles include Drink Station Crews, Course Marshal Crews and Live Site Crews.

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  • In Volunteer Support, your responsibilities will involve checking in all volunteers through the Pont3 Volunteer portal on your phone or other device, handing out volunteer resources (such as food, water, shirts, and caps), and checking on the welfare of your team throughout their shift. You will be required to report to the Volunteer Management team if you have a shortage of volunteers so that, where possible, volunteers can be replaced.   

    For any course-related issues, report these to your course zone supervisor or course zone supervisor assistant.  

    This role is suitable for people with previous event day experience who wish to take on an increased level of responsibility. 

  • The course sector team leader is an important position on course. The TL is required to help the course volunteer support in deploying course marshals to key locations along the route and providing them with role-specific information.  

    This role is suitable for people with previous TL and event day experience who wish to take on an increased level of responsibility.  

    You must be available to attend a mandatory evening training/briefing session prior to event day to gain further information about your role & responsibilities as a TL. 

  • Course marshals follow instructions from their course volunteer support, team leader or supervisor. Although each position varies depending on the exact work location and environment, course marshals help the course volunteer support and the TL set up, operate and maintain the sector, and give directions and encouragement to participants. Crew also ensure their immediate area is clean and free of obstacles. 

    You are invited to attend a recommended evening training/briefing session prior to event day to gain further information about your role and responsibilities; however, this is not mandatory. 

Course Marshals

Course marshals are located sporadically around the course. Each zone of the course is split into sectors, with a small team of marshals who will ensure the area is correctly set up and maintained. Course marshals also provide directional assistance and encouragement to participants. 

Each Zone is made up of multiple Sector Teams including:

  • Course Zone Supervisor (Event Staff)

  • Course Zone Supervisor Assistant (Event Staff)

  • Course Zone Volunteer Support (Volunteer)

  • Course Sector Team Leader (Volunteer)

  • Course Marshals (Volunteer)

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  • Drink Station Team Leaders have two main roles during their shift: 

    1. Support the DS Manager with set up, operation, and pack down of the Drink Station by coordinating and leading crew members 

    2. Managing the crew from a workforce perspective. This includes checking in the team, distributing uniforms, snacks, water, etc, liaising with the DS Managers to organise breaks, and using a radio to report attendance to Workforce Managers/Event Control 

     

    This role is suitable for people with previous TL and event day experience who wish to take on an increased level of responsibility. 

    You must be available to attend a mandatory evening training/briefing session prior to event day to gain further information about your role & responsibilities as a TL.

  • The DS Crew are the “engine” of the station and are there to ensure it runs properly. The DS crew will set up, operate and clean up the station. Crew will provide water and/or electrolyte drinks to all runners as they pass. As a crew member, you will be supported by the DS Managers and DS Team Leaders. 

Drink Stations

There are Drink Stations (DS) located around the course, providing water and electrolyte, as well as elite athletes’ personal drinks. 

 Each Drink Station is made up of a team of people: 

  

  • Drink Station Manager (Event Staff) 

  • Team Leader (Volunteer) 

  • Crew (Volunteer) 

Pedestrian Crossings & Party Zones

Pedestrian Crossings
Various pedestrian crossings are set up along the course to assist spectators/the general public with crossing the road.  More details of this role will be available closer to the event. 


Party Zones

Party Zones are locations that have a live feed of the marathon on a big screen. Multiple Party Zones will be created for the marathon, all with a different theme and atmosphere based around a range of entertainment. 

 Each Zone is made up of a team of people: 

  • Party Zone Manager (Event Staff) 

  • Information & Wayfinding (Volunteer) 

CBD Transport Team

As the marathon course winds through the Sydney CBD, it creates islands where it can be more difficult than usual to navigate. CBD wayfinding teams are based at Train/Metro stations around the CBD, providing spectators and the general public with guidance to find their way around the course and to key locations (both event-related and not).

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How do I get involved

Subscribe below to stay tuned to the latest information.

If you are a group/club member or a charity/business (minimum ten people) who would like to volunteer together as a group, please email us for more information.

If you have any questions, check out our FAQs page or email our team: 
volunteers@sydneymarathon.com

Check out our other General Volunteer Roles! Or, if you have experience in the medical field, check out our Medical Volunteer Roles!

Runner approaching the finish line with the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge in the background.
Vlunteer With us

How do I get involved

If you have any questions, check out our Volunteer FAQs page or email our team: 
volunteers@sydneymarathon.com


Not ready to create an account? Subscribe to our mailing list!

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