One fun way to volunteer year-round is to train and compete with Special Olympics Unified Sports®, which pairs Special Olympics athletes and non-disabled partners on the same team. Above, partner Zeina Magda was the only female on Special Olympics Lebanon's Unified Sports floor hockey team, which competed at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Japan.       “It was an outstanding experience. The image I had of people with intellectual disabilities has been irrevocably changed by this experience,” said Magda, adding that she is now considering basing her post-graduate studies in the Faculty of Physical Education on training people with intellectual disabilities. [Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Lebanon] Special Olympics Programs around the world offer children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round opportunities (at no cost) for sports training and athletic competition. But despite benefitting more than 2.25 million athletes around the world, Special Olympics is still reaching just a small percentage of the up to 190 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities. Volunteers of all types are needed to continue to grow the Movement. In particular, year-round volunteer support (see our list of potential year-round volunteer opportunities) is essential to meet the ever-expanding needs of Programs. Some of the areas that require a commitment beyond a limited "day of event" timeframe include Program management, administration, clerical tasks, planning, Games management, sports training and more. Please consider putting your skills, experience, energy and enthusiasm to work for Special Olympics. Available opportunities vary from Special Olympics Program to Program, so for information about what's available in your community, contact your local Special Olympics Program. To locate a Program near you, use our Program Locator.   Potential Year-Round Volunteer Opportunities Volunteers to serve on committees and perform related administrative tasks are welcomed by Special Olympics Programs. Administrative — general administrative and clerical support, including: data entry, answering telephone calls, tracking inventory, mailing and filing information. Special Olympics Board Member Coaching — coaches and assistant coaches help Special Olympics athletes train in 26 Olympics-type sports. Coaches have direct contact with the athletes and help them grow in confidence and ability. To become a certified coach, volunteers must attend the Special Olympics General Orientation, a sports-specific Certified Training School, and complete a minimum of 10 hours of practical coaching experience with Special Olympics athletes. Coaching opportunities include: Coach Coordinator Volunteer Coach Instructor at sport-specific Coach Clinics* Mentor for an athlete who wants to be a coach Competition Coordinator Competition Manager (sport-specific, including Unified Sports®) Competition Committee Volunteer Healthy Athletes® - licensed health care providers help to improve the general health and fitness of athletes by providing screening and education in the disciplines of optometry, dentistry, audiology, physiotherapy, podiatry and nutrition. Computer/Database — assist with a Program’s information technology needs Corporate Sponsorship Family Coordinator — coordinate family-oriented events for family members of Special Olympics athletes. Fundraising — plan and/or implement activities to raise financial and in-kind support. Commitment ranges from three to four hours for a single event to one year as a committee member Games Management — work with Area Management Teams to plan and manage Special Olympics competitions Media/Public Relations — prepare and/or convey information about Special Olympics to various media outlets. Newsletter Editor Officiating — referee as a certified official at Special Olympics competitions (requires certification) Regional/Area Management Teams — serve on Regional/Area Management Teams in one of the following areas: Development Fundraising Special Events Public Relations Games & Competitions Computers/Registration Volunteer Management & Recognition Outreach & Athlete Recruitment Medical and Family Services Special Events Sport League Coordinator — schedule/organize multiple competitions to create a sport season Sports Management/Sports Director — plan, develop, implement and/or monitor sports programs, activities, events and competitions. Sport Management Team Volunteer — secure facilities, build relationships with sport community, organize sport camps, include and expand Unified Sports within the sport-specific programs, etc. Sport-Specific Manager/Coordinator Strategic Planner Unified Sports® Partners — train and compete with Unified Sports, which pairs Special Olympics athletes and non-disabled partners on the same team. Volunteer Coordinator