What is Personal Best?
Personal Best is an exciting new course based in Bristol. It is designed to prepare individuals who would like to become volunteers in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The games will need 70,000 volunteers, 7,000 of these will be taken from successful students of the Personal Best course.
"Personal Best is primarily a pre-employment programme which, through engagement, training and volunteering, will act as a ‘stepping stone’ to new work opportunities for those that take part. Ultimately, the goal of the Programme is to give people new skills and employment opportunities and raise self esteem and self confidence."
Personal Best Regional Delivery Manual, page 9
What do I need to get onto the course?
You don’t have to have any qualifications to start, but you should have literacy levels at Entry Level 2 (EL2) and ESOL at Entry Level 3 or above.
How long will it take?
The course will take approximately 10 weeks.
Will it affect my benefits?
No! The course is designed not to cause any problems with your benefits.
What will I learn?
There are a total of 9 units of study and a volunteer placement:
- Volunteering and the Olympic Games
- Becoming a Volunteer
- Understanding Equality and Diversity
- Understanding effective customer relations
- Emergencies and basic fire awareness
- Public safety
- Introduction to conflict resolution in a public setting
- Developing team and interpersonal skills
- Preparing and reflecting on a volunteer placement
Each of these units is geared to help you to work towards the end goal of gaining employment by improving many of the skills that employers want to see, including you self-confidence, c.v and interview skills with the added bonus that if you pass the course you will be able to attend an interview as a volunteer for the 2012 Olympics.
Will I have to take exams?
No. All assessments are completed in the classroom setting with no exams to take!
Useful links
The Personal Best website contains some short films from people who have completed the course
